DATE: Monday, June 23, 1997                 TAG: 9706230130

SECTION: SPORTS                  PAGE: C7   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY STEVE CARLSON, STAFF WRITER 

                                            LENGTH:  107 lines

MAXWELL WINS ONE OF 23 SCHOLARSHIPS

When Desi Maxwell was 13 and her stepfather died unexpectedly on Christmas day, it was athletics that helped her deal with it. And when she made the transition with some trepidation from public school to Alliance Christian, it was athletics that helped her fit in.

``Whenever I was frustrated, I'd go outside and just run to get things off my mind,'' Maxwell said. ``Athletics helped me cope with everything.''

She has not only coped as the only child raised by just her mother, but has thrived. And she has not only just fit in at Alliance Christian in Portsmouth, but has left a mark.

Just the highlights of her high school career can hardly be rattled off in one breath, or, for that matter, one paragraph. But here goes: Three-sport star in which she was captain of every team and made first-team all-conference in each at one time in high school; valedictorian of her 20-member graduating class; student council president; class vice president; homecoming queen; and national honor society member.

Breath out, and then add one more: One of 23 recipients of the Norfolk Sports Club's $2,000 college scholarships. The scholarship winners will be honored during the organization's awards banquet tonight at 7 at the Holiday Inn Executive Center. Former Congressman G. William Whitehurst will be the featured speaker.

Maxwell will take her scholarship and move on the University of Virginia this fall. But she's not sure where she would be - or where she would be heading - without sports.

``It was my life,'' Maxwell said. ``Sports were the most important thing to me.''

Maxwell played basketball, softball and volleyball for Alliance, a small Metro Conference school of about 350 students. Despite the never-ending seasons and other extracurricular activities, Maxwell maintained a 3.8 grade-point average.

``She's very dependable, somebody you can count on to get things done,'' said Alliance girl's basketball coach and athletic director Rick Dorn. ``She's worked extremely hard, she has to.''

The work has paid off handsomely. In addition to the Norfolk Sports Club $2,000 scholarship, Maxwell won a $1,350 scholarship from the school's Parent-Teacher Organization and a $1,000 scholarship from the Portsmouth Sports Club.

``That's almost tuition,'' said Desi's mother, Letha Hundley, a delivery driver for a pharmaceutical wholesaler. She's also been a driver to and from practices and games throughout her daughter's prep career.

Maxwell is not athletic scholarship material - she said she may try to walk on to the Cavaliers' softball team. However, largely because of athletics and the role they played in assimilating her into the student body, she has achieved enough in high school to receive a tidy chunk of scholarship money.

Not to mention the confidence to stretch herself. What could be a bigger stretch than the jump from a small Christian school to a large, secular state university? Maxwell is confident she can continue to thrive.

``I think I'm prepared because I'm independent when it comes to studying and my faith is pretty sound,'' Maxwell said. ILLUSTRATION: Desi Maxwell of Alliance Christian awarded a $2,000

college scholarships by the Norfolk Sports Club.

SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS

Anne-Marie Angelo played field hockey, ran cross country, carried

a 4.24 GPA at Princess Anne. Will attend U.Va.

Bronwyn Blair played basketball, softball, volleyball, carried a

3.0 GPA at Salem. Will attend Va. Tech.

Louella Cabales is a repeat scholarship winner with a 3.6 GPA at

ODU.

Abigail Casey is a repeat scholarship winner with a 3.56 GPA at

ODU.

John Deere is a repeat scholarship winner with a 3.44 GPA at ODU.

Frank Doll Jr. played baseball at Tallwood, carried a 4.04 GPA.

Will attend Va. Tech.

Kimberly Gillus played tennis, ran cross country, carried a 3.92

GPA at Lake Taylor. Will attend U.Va.

Tyler Henry played football, carried a 3.59 GPA at First

Colonial. Will attend William, Mary.

Reanna Hicks played softball, volleyball, carried a 4.0 GPA at

Norfolk Christian. Will attend Va. Tech.

Tyler Jensen played football, golf, ran cross country, track,

carried a 3.3 GPA at Norfolk Academy. Will attend U.Va.

Kellie Jones played basketball, softball, was a cheerleader,

carried a 3.3 GPA at Norfolk Collegiate. Will attend Longwood.

Sarah Jones ran cross country, participated in crew, carried an

A-plus at Norfolk Collegiate. Will attend William, Mary.

Amanda Keith played field hockey, soccer, carried a 4.09 GPA at

Kellam. Will attend Va. Tech.

Desiree Maxwell played basketball, softball, volleyball, carried

a 3.8 GPA at Alliance Christian. Will attend U.Va.

Elaine McCall played softball, tennis, carried a 3.37 GPA at

Granby. Will attend Va. Tech.

Jennifer Norton played soccer, ran cross country, carried a 3.87

GPA at Granby. Will attend Va. Wesleyan.

Adrienne Parker ran track, cross country, carried a 3.58 GPA at

Kempsville. Will attend William, Mary.

Brandon Ramsey is a repeat scholarship winner with a 2.5 GPA at

Randolph-Macon.

Adam Schultz played soccer while maintaining a 3.36 GPA at

Kempsville. Will attend William, Mary.

Charlene Taylor was a swimmer, carried a 3.9 GPA at Bayside. Will

attend U.Va.

Justin Van Kleeck ran track, carried a 3.15 GPA at Cox. Will

attend Va. Tech.

Kacey Wardlaw played softball, carried a 3.2 GPA at Lake Taylor.

Will attend Bridgewater.

Kristin Wicker is a repeat scholarship winner with a 3.13 GPA at

Va. Tech.

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