Estancia passes chemistry test

Rick Devereux

When people talk about the strength of the Estancia High boys

volleyball team, the dominating jump serves are usually the first

thing mentioned, and with good reason. When most high schools are

happy with one prolific server, the Eagles can send at least four

players behind the line to give opponents tough balls to return.

Estancia Coach Tracey Ingraham thought the major weapon for the

Eagles’ 25-10, 25-8, 25-11 sweep of Loara in the opening round of the

CIF Southern Section Division III playoffs was something a little

less tangible.

“I think our team chemistry is our No. 1 tool,” Ingraham said. “I

don’t think you can teach that. Even if I had as talented guys that

have never played together, I don’t think they’d play as well as

these guys do.”

Practicing team chemistry is how Estancia got motived to play the

at-large Saxons.

“Directly after school we went over to one of the players’ houses

and hung out and ate food and just bonded together as a team and got

ready for tonight’s match,” outside hitter Kris Hartwell said.

The Eagles did not know much about Friday’s opponent except

Loara’s 10-7 record overall and 2-6 in the Empire League.

But ignorance forced Estancia to focus within.

“We knew we had to come in and play our own game,” setter Trevor

Holmes said. “It didn’t matter who we had to play.”

Estancia’s “own game” meant jump serves. Lots of jump serves.

The Eagles finished with 15 service aces, eight in the first game

alone. Scott Sankey had three aces in one nine-point stretch that

opened up the game from 9-8 to 18-8. Hartwell closed out game one,

fittingly, with a jump serve for an ace.

Holmes, also fittingly, started game two with a jump serve for an

ace. Ironically, the serving is what gave Loara most of its points in

the third game, gaining eight of its 11 points in the final game off

Estancia service errors. But the errors were not a huge concern for

the Eagles.

“An error for jump serving, even if you watch it at the college

level, is really common,” Hartwell said. “We’ve been practicing

really hard to make our jump serves and make it as hard as possible

for the other team to pass.”

Hartwell led all attackers with 10 kills and four aces. Sankey had

seven kills and a match-high six aces. Holmes had 20 assists and

three digs.

The Eagles face Century in the second round Tuesday and a coin

flip will decide the home team. But senior Josh Kornegay didn’t care

what team was next.

“Five of us are seniors and none of us want to go home without a

championship,” he said. “It’s do or die right now for us.”

Holmes also had his sights set on the ultimate prize.

“That’s what we’ve been looking for all year. That’s what we’ve

been playing for. That’s what we’ve been working for,” he said.

“League was just warm-up matches for us and CIF championships is

where we’re going.”