Dale makes case for No. 1

By Arthur Utley

Published: September 29, 2008

The Thomas Dale boys volleyball team needed little more than an hour to rearrange the pecking order at the top of the Central Region rankings.

The Knights are the reigning region and Group AAA state champions. They won 26 consecutive matches last year, yet when Deep Run won the season-opening Virginia Volleyball Showcase during Labor Day weekend, the Wildcats were ranked No. 1. Dale doesn't participate in the Showcase and was relegated to No. 2.

That's how the two teams stood last night before a noisy, atmosphere-creating crowd of about 450 at Thomas Dale. The Knights ran their record to 10-0 this season by thumping the Wildcats 25-18, 25-16, 25-22. The Wildcats are 11-1.

"It was a big deal. Almost halfway through the season. We're ranked 2 - I guess now 1, I'm pretty sure," Thomas Dale outside hitter and setter Bradley Johnson said of the meeting. "The two best teams playing for number one. Big crowd.

"It's crazy just seeing all your friends up there cheering you on and having the fans from the other school hacking on you trying to make you play bad. I'm an opposing crowd pleaser I guess."

Johnson was credited with 17 kills, 11 assists and four digs. He received ample support from Zach Seymour who had 19 assists and 11 kills. Six Knights contributed kills in the match.

"I love this team. I really loved last year's don't get me wrong, but this group has come so far," Thomas Dale coach Mike Walker said.

"Last year's group was so polished," he said. "This group is still, you know, we'll go out and play a couple of matches in the next couple of days and we'll have our moments where it's like, 'who are you all?' but we're coming along, and we don't want to peak until November."

The Knights played one of their best matches of the season. Their passing was superb. Their serving was superb. Matt Knickerbocker was especially effective with his line drive bullets.

Their hitting was superb. Defensively, they never let Deep Run score more than three points in a row, and that happened only three times.

"We didn't pass well. They served well and took us right out of our game," Deep Run coach Kevin Pond said. "If we can't pass the ball, we can't use all these hitters."

And what do you do with Johnston?

"Pretty much nothing," said Pond, who has coached Johnston's club team. "Bradley's going to score his points. You have to stop everybody else, and we didn't do that."