Central Coast Part championships
Open Division: St. Francis 3, Archbishop Mitty 2
PALO ALTO — St. Francis was down two units to at least one in opposition to Archbishop Mitty within the Central Coast Part Open Division championship, but there was no panic among the many Lancer gamers or teaching workers.
A peaceful and funky St. Francis volleyball crew went again onto the Gunn Excessive College court docket after a brief timeout and took the final two units to win the crew’s first CCS championship since 2011 and 18th general.
“I don’t know if phrases can describe how our ladies are feeling proper now,” coach Lake Merchen mentioned after the crew received the Open Division. “They achieved one thing we haven’t achieved since 2011, and so they should have fun this milestone.”
St. Francis received the primary set 25-21, however then Mitty took the following two units 25-12 and 25-22. However an undefeated St. Francis (31-0) regained management of the match behind gamers like junior exterior hitter Taylor Williams, who had 5 blocks, 29 kills and who managed the house in entrance of the online with Erin Curtis.
“I’m so drained, and there have been moments once we have been all so drained,” Williams mentioned. “However I’m glad we have been capable of battle again once we needed to.”
Within the again was libero Whitney Wallace, one other junior who appeared to step up when St. Francis wanted a play or dig to be made. Along with a CCS championship, she additionally now has bragging rights over her father, Archbishop Mitty coach Jon Wallace.
“Oh, there’s undoubtedly going to be some jokes instructed and a few smack speak occurring at dwelling,” Wallace mentioned after St. Francis received the final two units 25-20 and 15-10.
When Williams drove the game-clinching kill into the bottom, she achieved a objective that the Lancers had used as motivation since final 12 months’s losses to Archbishop Mitty within the CCS and state playoffs.
“I’d say that final 12 months’s loss was our primary supply of motivation coming into the season, and we knew what we needed to do,” Williams mentioned. “We have now an important crew tradition, and I’m glad we have been capable of come out and push for this win.”
However very similar to 2021, Saturday’s matchup might not be the final time the Bay Space’s two greatest groups play in opposition to each other. A matchup within the NorCal playoffs may additionally occur, and Merchen welcomes one other bout with Mitty if the 2 titans cross paths once more.
“How may you now wish to be in this type of setting?” Merchen requested. “It’s so cool to see the ladies come collectively and battle for one thing they really need.”
Division I: Branham 3, Menlo-Atherton 2
PALO ALTO — Branham seemed completed after two units in opposition to Menlo-Atherton. Following a pair of misplaced units, the Bruins have been down within the third set of the Division I championship match, too, and M-A’s crowd was filling the cavernous Gunn Excessive College gymnasium with cheers. Slightly over an hour later, that very same crowd was silent as Branham received its third straight set and second consecutive CCS title, with the one sound being hollers from Branham’s supporters.
“It’s fairly freaking superior, and I don’t know the way else to explain it,” Branham senior Ava Medina mentioned. “Simply being right here and within the second, it feels higher than something I may have imagined.”
After Menlo-Atherton received the primary two units 25-20 and 26-24, Branham received the following three units 25-20, 25-22 and 15-8 to take the title. Branham’s captain mentioned the crew’s confidence by no means wavered even when dealing with such a frightening deficit.
“We at all times simply stayed in it,” Medina mentioned. “I at all times wish to say be daring, and I believe we stayed daring. And I believe that we broke by way of the roof.”
After getting a winner’s medal and trophy, a joyfully tearful Heather Cooper mirrored on successful a second consecutive CCS championship.
“For some motive, this crew likes to begin sluggish and provides the coaches a coronary heart assault,” mentioned the longtime head coach. “After I began teaching at Branham in 2007, I by no means as soon as thought that I'd be standing at a CCS championship match, not to mention successful back-to-back titles. We’re a household. We battle collectively, cry collectively, and play collectively.”
Division II
Aragon 3, Monta Vista 2 (25-12, 22-25, 26-24, 23-25, 15-13)
Division III
Sacred Coronary heart Cathedral 3, Santa Cruz 1 (26-24, 24-26, 25-22, 25-19)
Division IV
Mercy 3, Harbor 0 (25-18, 25-20, 25-14)
Division V
Castilleja 3, Summit Shasta 2 (20-25, 18-25, 27-25, 25-21, 15-9)
North Coast Part championships
Division I
San Ramon Valley 3, Foothill 0 (25-21, 25-20, 25-20)
Division II
Marin Catholic 3, Campolindo 0 (25-16, 25-23, 25-17)
Division IV
Marin Academy 3, Head-Royce 2 (25-20, 27-25, 21-25, 19-25, 15-10)