Eagles go down in five games

Barry Faulkner

In a CIF Southern Section Division III semifinal showdown between a

pair of boys volleyball programs that have climbed so high this

season, it was mandatory someone let go of the rope.

Perhaps, then, it was fitting that a young Estancia High team that

did just that was the only one of the two teams that will get another

crack at reaching the CIF title summit.

Senior-laden San Gabriel (22-6), playing in the program’s first

semifinal, earned the chance to play in Saturday’s title match, with

a hard-fought 15-9, 15-11, 5-15, 10-15, 15-13 victory Wednesday at La

Quinta High.

The Matadors’ triumph ruined a pair of courageous comebacks by the

Eagles (29-11), who forced a fifth game after falling in the first

two, then nearly overcame a 6-0 deficit in rally scoring.

And while the Eagle players -- only two of whom graduate,

including lone senior starter Jess Hellmich -- were obviously shaken

after coming up two points shy of the program’s first CIF final

appearance in 19 seasons, Coach Tracey Heims, was quick to put a

memorable season in perspective.

“I’m just really in shock and awe at how far we’ve come this

season,” said Heims, an Estancia alum who had seen firsthand the

program’s struggles that began in the latter half of the 1980s and

continued through last spring.

“To come from last place in the Pacific Coast League [an 0-10

league record in 2002, before shifting to the Golden West League,

where they emerged as co-champions this season] to a possible CIF

championship is huge. When the season started, I wasn’t mentally

prepared for this team to be playing in the CIF semifinals. There

were times last year when we’d whine over officials’ calls, then walk

into the corners with our heads down. But this season has been about

positive mental toughness, and that’s what I was so proud of tonight.

After losing the first two games, we could have crumbled or we could

have stepped up. The fact that we came back, as a unit ... I’m happy

enough with that. Winning, after that, would have been just an added

bonus. If we had a lot of seniors, I’d be pretty bummed. But I know

90% of this team is going to play club and we’re going to come back

and be better next year. If we can show anything close the same

growth spurt next year we did this year ...”

Growth spurt is not a term associated with the Matadors, whose

leading hitter is 5-foot-10, bespectacled Johnny Fu.

“We’re small and we don’t really look like volleyball players,”

San Gabriel Coach Chris Kwan said. “We have no club players, but our

kids work hard and they battle. Our job, every time we step on the

court, is to earn respect.”

The Almont League champions, who upset No. 2-seeded Downey in

three games in the second round, earned plenty of respect from the

No. 3-seeded Eagles.

“We knew they could jump and we were prepared for that,” Heims

said. “But I wasn’t real impressed with our blocking. We haven’t

really gotten much practice against teams that can consistently hit

like they did.”

The high-flying Fu, who routinely elevated his shoulders above the

top of the net, led the winners with 21 kills, about half of which

were deft tips into holes in the defense. Fu, who pounded the kill

that ended the match, also had a match-high seven stuff blocks.

But senior Francis Chu (16 kills) and junior Long Nguyen (14) also

helped senior setter Steve Hoang produce 47 assists.

Meanwhile, 6-4 junior opposite Josh Kornegay paced the Eagles’

attack, amassing 26 kills, four stuff blocks and three ace serves.

Junior outside hitter Kris Hartwell added 14 kills, but middle

blockers Scott Sankey and Dallas Kopp became additional weapons for

junior setter Trevor Holmes (59 assists), especially after Matador

blockers had some success outside.

Sankey, a 6-5 junior, produced 16 kills and five stuff blocks,

while Kopp, a 6-4 freshman, added eight kills and three blocks to

underscore the type of promise Estancia holds for 2004.

Junior Brad Larsen added four kills, while Hellmich had one of the

Eagles’ six aces. Senior Carlos Diaz also played in his final prep

match, while four freshmen, called up from the junior varsity,

experienced the emotional intensity from the bench.

San Gabriel scored the first five points of the first two games,

but Estancia established some confidence by rolling in the third

game, then led throughout the fourth to send both teams into their

first five-game match of the season.

The Matadors reeled off fifth-game leads of 6-0 and 9-3, before

the Eagles rallied to within 9-8. Estancia again closed to within

13-12 and 14-13, before Fu closed the show.