EAGLES RISING

Melanie Neff

It must have been the headbands.

The Estancia boys volleyball team came out in Game 3 all wearing

headbands with their own handwritten slogans on them. The Eagles

quickly ripped off seven straight points to open the game and went on

to sweep Whittier, 15-6, 15-8, 15-7 in a quarterfinal match of the

CIF Southern Section Division III boys volleyball playoffs.

“That was all Josh [Kornegay],” Estancia Coach Tracey Heims said.

“He always comes up with something new every game to get the team

pumped up.”

Not that the Eagles needed any extra help. With Whittier having

only one real weapon in captain Mike Hernandez, it was just a matter

of keeping him quiet for the Eagles to succeed.

Hernandez took control in Game 1 and quickly rattled off three

quick kills, as the Cardinals took a 3-2 lead. But with the exception

of a 2-1 lead in Game 2, that would be the only time Whittier held an

advantage.

Estancia tied it, 3-3, on an unforced error and then pulled away

on five straight service points by Scott Sankey, including two aces,

taking an 11-4 lead. Whittier battled off three game points before

the Eagles took a one-game lead on a kill by Sankey, who had five in

the game.

In Game 2, Estancia completely eliminated Hernandez from the

equation, and although numerous side outs and unforced errors kept

the game going, the Eagles were always in control. Whittier got

within three points at 9-6, but Jess Hellmich, one of only two

seniors on the Eagles squad, served up three straight points to give

his team a 12-6 lead.

Hernandez had just one kill in Game 2.

“He was their only player,” Kornegay said. “We shut him down and

then the rest of their team lost it.”

After sprinting out to a 7-0 lead in Game 3, Hernandez tried

regain control of his team, but several calls by officials upset him

and he spent the rest of the game glaring at the head referee and

shaking his head. The Cardinals never got closer than five points in

the game.

While the Cardinals had only one weapon, No. 3-seed Estancia had

an arsenal.

Junior outside hitter Kris Hartwell dominated Whittier’s front

line, placing his kills at will. He finished with a match-high 22, to

go along with three aces. Kornegay and Sankey each chipped in with 12

kills. Brad Larsen added seven kills, 10 digs and three aces.

Sophomore setter Trevor Holmes was all over the court, dishing out

44 assists and scooping up a match-high 11 digs. His game was so

impressive for the Eagles, even the officials commented to Heims at

the end of the match what a strong game he played.

That bodes well for Heims in the future. But for right now she is

concentrating on her young team who is making their first appearance

in the playoffs in nine years and is headed to the semifinals where

they will play San Gabriel, an 11-15, 15-8, 15-1, 15-12 winner over

Oxnard. San Gabriel upset second-seeded Downey in the second round

Friday night. The alternate site will be determined for Wednesday’s

semifinal.