THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 
              Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Thursday, April 13, 1995               TAG: 9504130536
SECTION: SPORTS                   PAGE: C1   EDITION: FINAL 
SOURCE: BY PAUL WHITE, STAFF WRITER 
DATELINE: NORFOLK                            LENGTH: Medium:   64 lines

TURNING TO THE FUTURE NORFOLK ACADEMY'S DAMIEN TAYLOR STRUGGLED WITH THE DEATH OF HIS BROTHER, D.A., BUT NOW HE IS READY TO BEGIN HIS COLLEGE CAREER AT PRINCETON.

The easy, ever-present smile, the confident nature and sly sense of humor are all back now, and, in many ways, so is Damien Taylor.

After nearly two months of first dealing with the fatal illness that befell his brother, D.A., then coming to grips with D.A.'s death, Damien Taylor seems once again ready to move headlong into what has always been his bright future.

``I'm at peace now,'' Taylor said.

Taylor, a senior at Norfolk Academy, announced Wednesday he will attend Princeton University this fall, where he will engage in a spirited battle for playing time as a freshman running back with Kempsville's Mike Pishioneri. Pishioneri, the All-Tidewater football player of the year, committed to Princeton earlier this year.

``He's a good player, but I'm up for the challenge,'' Taylor said. ``I guess whoever works the hardest gets the job.''

Taylor, 18, actually made the decision to attend Princeton in mid-February. But a few days later, D.A. Taylor entered Children's Hospital of The King's Daughters in critical condition after contracting meningococcal disease at a Northern Virginia track meet. D.A. Taylor died March 20.

``When it first happened, I took off a week of school,'' Damien Taylor said. ``Then I'd go to school, then (track) practice and then go back to the hospital the rest of the night. Then back to school the next morning.

``Everything was so hectic. I wasn't really able to deal with the spotlight being put on me.''

D.A. Taylor, who played fullback for Norfolk Academy and had even stronger grades than his brother, was also interested in Princeton.

``He probably would have gone to the same school I went to,'' Taylor said. ``And he would have really liked Princeton because the fullback gets the ball a lot.''

Taylor said Princeton's punt and kick returner will graduate in the spring, so he expects to see considerable time in those roles.

The Tigers also will lose one of their two tailbacks to graduation, and Taylor is coming off a season during which he ran for 1,290 yards on 128 carries and 23 touchdowns. But to see significant time at tailback for Princeton, Taylor knows he'll have to beat out Pishioneri.

The two hadn't met until March 19, during the Princeton-North Carolina lacrosse game at Old Dominion University. But Taylor, who lives across the street from Green Run High School and kept up with Beach District football, followed the exploits of Pishioneri through the newspaper.

Taylor plans to add about 10 pounds of muscle to his 5-10, 180-pound frame. But given his 4.4 time in the 40-yard dash, the Tiger coaches aren't sure added bulk will be necessary.

``They said, `Just bring your speed.' '' Taylor said. ILLUSTRATION: [Color Photo]

BETH BERGMAN

Staff

Damien Taylor will have to compete with All-Tidewater player of the

year Mike Pishioneri for playing time at Princeton.

by CNB