Kris Hartwell

Steve Virgen

Perhaps it’s fair to say, the Estancia High boys volleyball team has

emulated the maturation of Kris Hartwell. The similarity between the

two is nearly identical.

Hartwell, an outside hitter for the Eagles, was about 5-foot-5 as

a freshman and played for the school’s junior varsity team. He was

projected to be a setter, rather than the program’s go-to outside

hitter. Yet, just before his freshman season ended, Hartwell began to

grow.

In the span of four months, he grew roughly seven inches and this

new 6-foot sophomore also wanted to show maturity in the sport of

volleyball. He joined the Balboa Bay Volleyball Club. He put in the

extra time. He also endured a losing season with the varsity team.

“[Growing] helped my vertical jump a lot and that got me to play

harder,” Hartwell said. “I grew about two inches every month.”

Hartwell also grew two more inches and went into the offseason

destined to come back stronger for his junior season. He’s now the

kill leader for Estancia, which has risen from its former doldrums to

the top of the Golden West League standings. The Eagles are ranked

No. 2 in CIF Southern Section Division III.

With Hartwell, it only makes sense the Eagles are producing one of

their best seasons in school history. This, after the duration that

Estancia, pardon the pun, came up short in its quest to rise to the

elite. For the past 19 years, Estancia boys volleyball has gone

virtually unnoticed, not only in Orange County, but also on its own

campus and the neighboring community. The Eagles have not won a

league title since 1984, when they reached the CIF Division 4-A

final.

“We recognize how special we are,” Hartwell said. “The school

hasn’t really known about volleyball, but we’re here to say that we

can be a winning program and win in the playoffs and go for [a CIF

title].”

Hartwell helped bring Estancia’s “special” season into focus last

week. He recorded a match-high 21 kills and led the Eagles to a

four-game victory over Saddleback April 7. It was the first time

Estancia did not sweep its Golden West League opponent.

Then, Hartwell and the Eagles stepped it back up against Ocean

View, last year’s Golden West League co-champion, which entered the

contest unbeaten in league. Estancia swept Ocean View, as Hartwell

provided 12 kills, four aces and one stuff block.

The Daily Pilot Athlete of the Week also produced seven kills in a

three-game win over Westminster April 11 and the Eagles improved to

12-2, 8-0 in league.

Hartwell leads the team with 222 kills and 175 digs, including

tournaments.

“Every time we play, the other coaches comment on him, that he’s

an outstanding outside hitter,” Estancia Coach Tracey Heims said.

“His hitting is what gets him noticed. He’s accurate. He hits hard.

He’s smart, too.... When we need a kill he’s our go-to guy.”

Heims has been amazed by Hartwell’s growth spurt. She has also

been impressed by his constant desire to become better.

“His improvement has been phenomenal,” Heims said. “He has always

been a good athlete and now he’s a real good volleyball player.”

Along with Hartwell’s physical growth came good and bad. There

were growing pains. Doctors told Hartwell he stretched out so quickly

he was diagnosed with Osgood-Schlatter disease, which is common among

teens whose knees strain from too much activity.

But, Hartwell has overcome the pain and the disease, so much so,

he said, he now wants to return to basketball. He played as a

freshman and, after watching the Eagles defeat crosstown rival Costa

Mesa in the Mustangs’ gym this past season, Hartwell strongly desires

to play for Estancia’s basketball team next season.

“This year, I went to the basketball games and I saw the crowd; it

got me pumped up,” Hartwell said. “I’ve played my whole life.”

Somewhere, Estancia boys basketball coach Chris Sorce is smiling.