BOYS VOLLEYBALL Dream Team

Rick Devereux

Turning around a volleyball program from the bottom of the pile to

CIF champions in four years is an accomplishment Estancia High’s Josh

Kornegay can appreciate.

Kornegay, as a freshman in 2001, and the rest of the Eagles

endured a 1-13 season, but he and teammates celebrated a 28-6

campaign with a CIF Southern Section Division III championship this

spring.

“We came from basically nothing to everything,” the 6-foot-4

opposite hitter said. “It’s been a total turnaround. I’ve been

through the good and the bad here and I wouldn’t really expect

anything else from my high school career.”

Senior Kris Hartwell helped Kornegay with the turnaround.

Hartwell, a 6-2 outside hitter, provided an attacking threat that

kept the opponents’ blockers guessing who to cover, which resulted in

more one-on-one situations for all Eagle hitters.

“I’m the luckiest player on the team,” Estancia junior setter

Trevor Holmes said about having Kornegay and Hartwell, the Daily

Pilot All-Newport-Mesa District Dream Team Co-Players of the Year, at

his disposal.

Holmes joins Kornegay and Hartwell as a member of the nine-player

squad. Also on the team are Corona del Mar’s Dominic Rubino, Tom

Welch and Kevin Welch, Newport Harbor’s Morgan Govaars and Adam

Schlesinger, as well as Sage Hill School’s Kevin Joyce.

Kornegay, headed to the University of La Verne to continue his

volleyball career, and Hartwell, who plans to play for Orange Coast

College in the fall, were named Co-Golden West League Players of the

Year after the Eagles won 36 straight league games, including 12

straight matches, to give Estancia its first outright league crown

since 1984.

Hartwell led the Eagles in kills (314) and aces (85) and was

second in digs (188) and third in blocks (31). He is a repeat Dream

Team member and has the jumping ability to attack from any position

on the court.

“He’s a great hitter from anywhere,” Coach Tracey Ingraham said.

“The whole team and the gym erupts when he gets a good kill. He gets

up with hang time and just places it and pounds it.”

Kornegay, a four-year starter, two-year team captain and a repeat

Dream Team selection, was second on Estancia in kills (254) and

assists (46), third in aces (53) and blocks (30.5), and fourth in

digs (133). Yet, it seemed his leadership quality was the major

reason for Estancia’s winning ways.

“He’s my most stable player and you need that in a leader,”

Ingraham said last year. “He knows when to hold his players

accountable and when to leave them alone. He’s a steady player and he

definitely leads by example. He knows the game so well and he’s good

at communicating with the team, the referees and me. The guys on the

team respect him because he leads by example with his attitude on the

court.”

Tom Welch, a 6-foot junior outside hitter, finished with 296

kills, 155 digs, 21 aces and 18 blocks for the Sea Kings. His

leadership helped CdM grab the Pacific Coast League championship

after the program’s second consecutive undefeated league season.

Welch was a first-team All-CIF Division II selection this year, as

well as a first-team all-league honoree.

Kevin, Tom’s 6-1 twin, was a Dream Team selection last year as a

sophomore on both the volleyball and football squads. The outside

hitter is known for his athletic ability. He was voted the PCL Most

Valuable Player by the circuit’s coaches and was a second-team

All-CIF Division II selection.

Kevin Welch led Corona del Mar in kills (319), digs (162) and aces

(38) and was one of the leaders in blocks (29).

Joyce, from Sage Hill, heading to USC as a walk-on for volleyball,

was the major weapon for the Lightning. Joyce, a repeat Dream Team

selection for volleyball who also garnered the same accolade last

winter for his prowess on the basketball court, dominated the CIF

Division V ranks to lead Sage Hill to an 18-2 record and the

program’s first appearance in the playoffs, a semifinal berth no

less.

“Kevin has been our top kills and digs leader for the past four

years,” Sage Hill Coach Merja Connolly-Freund said. “He’s one of the

most natural athletes I’ve ever coached. No one stops him, whether he

hits from the front or the back row. We could give every ball to

Kevin.”

Rubino, a 5-10 setter for the Sea Kings, paced all Newport-Mesa

athletes this year with 928 assists to help Corona del Mar advance to

the semifinals of the CIF Division II playoffs in what was supposed

to be a rebuilding year. Rubino was a third-team All-CIF recipient

for his jump-setting skills and amassed 13 aces, 20 blocks and 119

digs on the year. He will attend the University of Colorado at

Boulder next year.

Govaars, a 6-foot outside hitter for Newport Harbor, was a second

team All-CIF Division I selection and the Sea View League Most

Valuable Player. Govaars, known for his versatility, helped lead the

Sailors (23-8, 10-0 in league) to the league crown and a second-round

berth in the CIF Division I playoffs. The four-year honor roll

recipient will attend the University of Washington in the fall.

Schlesinger, a 6-6 setter, was a first-team all-league honoree and

will play for NCAA runner-up Long Beach State next year.

Holmes, Estancia’s 6-1 setter, has started since his freshman year

and finished with 843 assists, 60 aces and 150 digs. He was selected

to the All-CIF Division III second team and garnered first-team

all-league honors, as well.

Holmes will have a tough road ahead of him next year as he is the

lone starter not graduating for the Eagles. But Ingraham wouldn’t

want it any other way.

“I think if I’m going to return anyone, I’ll take my setter, no

doubt about it,” she said. “I’m going to miss all these other guys,

but with Trevor running the show, you know he’s solid all the way

around.”