Eagles’ Kopp injured

The Estancia High boys volleyball team will be missing a major

component when it begins its quest Friday night to defend its CIF

Southern Section Division III title.

Junior Dallas Kopp, who led the team offensively throughout the

second half of this year, suffered a broken finger on his right hand

in Thursday’s match against Costa Mesa and will be out for the

remainder of this season, the Daily Pilot was informed Wednesday.

The injury to his ring finger will require surgery and he will be

sidelined for three months.

“He’s definitely our key player,” Eagles Coach Tracey Ingraham

said. “His presence is huge for our team. He’s the player everyone

can count on, so hopefully everyone else will step up.”

A 6-foot-5 middle blocker, Kopp helped lead the Eagles to a CIF

championship last year and two consecutive undefeated seasons in the

Golden West League.

Kopp said he initially thought it was just a sprain, which he

suffered during the first of four games against Mesa. He went to the

emergency room later that night and found out it was fractured at the

joint and dislocated, he said.

“I’m pretty bummed,” he said Wednesday. “I thought it was just a

bad sprain, so I ignored it.”

The Eagles open CIF play against visiting San Gorgonio at 7 p.m.

Friday night.

-- By Chris Yemma