St. Francis' Taylor Williams celebrates making the final kill against Archibishop Mitty to win the CCS Volleyball Championship, Saturday, Nov. 4, 2022, at Gunn High School in Palo Alto, Calif. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group)
Central Coast Section girls volleyball championships
CCS Open Div.: St. Francis 3, Archbishop Mitty 2
PALO ALTO — St. Francis was down two sets to one against Archbishop Mitty in the Central Coast Section Open Division championship, yet there was no panic among the Lancer players or coaching staff.
A calm and cool St. Francis volleyball team went back onto the Gunn High School court after a short timeout and took the last two sets to win the team’s first CCS championship since 2011 and 25th overall.
“I don’t know if words can describe how our girls are feeling right now,” coach Lake Merchen said after the team won the Open Division. “They achieved something we haven’t done since 2011, and they deserve to celebrate this milestone.”
St. Francis won the first set 25-21, but then Mitty took the next two sets 25-12 and 25-22. But an undefeated St. Francis (31-0) regained control of the match behind players like junior outside hitter Taylor Williams, who had five blocks, 29 kills and who controlled the space in front of the net with Erin Curtis.
“I’m so tired, and there were moments when we were all so tired,” Williams said. “But I’m glad we were able to battle back when we had to.”
In the back was libero Whitney Wallace, another junior who seemed to step up when St. Francis needed a play or dig to be made. In addition to a CCS championship, she also now has bragging rights over her father, Archbishop Mitty coach Jon Wallace.
“Oh, there’s definitely going to be some jokes told and some smack talk happening at home,” Wallace said after St. Francis won the last two sets 25-20 and 15-10.
When Williams drove the game-clinching kill into the ground, she achieved a goal that the Lancers had used as motivation since last year’s losses to Archbishop Mitty in the CCS and state playoffs.
“I’d say that last year’s loss was our number one source of motivation coming into the season, and we knew what we wanted to do,” Williams said. “We have a great team culture, and I’m glad we were able to come out and push for this win.”
But much like 2021, Saturday’s matchup may not be the last time the Bay Area’s two best teams play against one another. A matchup in the NorCal playoffs could also happen, and Merchen welcomes another bout with Mitty if the two titans cross paths again.
“How could you now want to be in this kind of environment?” Merchen asked. “It’s so cool to see the girls come together and fight for something they really want.”
CCS Div. I: Branham 3, Menlo-Atherton 2
PALO ALTO — Branham looked finished after two sets against Menlo-Atherton. Following a pair of lost sets, the Bruins were down in the third set of the Division I championship match, too, and M-A’s crowd was filling the cavernous Gunn High School gym with cheers. A little over an hour later, that same crowd was silent as Branham won its third straight set and second consecutive CCS title, with the only sound being hollers from Branham’s supporters.
“It’s pretty freaking awesome, and I don’t know how else to describe it,” Branham senior Ava Medina said. “Just being here and in the moment, it feels better than anything I could have imagined.”
After Menlo-Atherton won the first two sets 25-20 and 26-24, Branham won the next three sets 25-20, 25-22 and 15-8 to take the title. Branham’s captain said the team’s confidence never wavered even when facing such a daunting deficit.
“We always just stayed in it,” Medina said. “I always like to say be bold, and I think we stayed bold. And I think that we broke through the roof.”
After getting a winner’s medal and trophy, a joyfully tearful Heather Cooper reflected on winning a second consecutive CCS championship.
“For some reason, this team likes to start slow and give the coaches a heart attack,” said the longtime head coach. “When I started coaching at Branham in 2007, I never once thought that I would be standing at a CCS championship match, let alone winning back-to-back titles. We’re a family. We fight together, cry together, and play together.”
CCS Div. II
Aragon 3, Monta Vista 2 (25-12, 22-25, 26-24, 23-25, 15-13)
CCS Div. III
Sacred Heart Cathedral 3, Santa Cruz 1 (26-24, 24-26, 25-22, 25-19)
CCS Div. IV
Mercy 3, Harbor 0 (25-18, 25-20, 25-14)
CCS Div. V
Castilleja 3, Summit Shasta 2 (20-25, 18-25, 27-25, 25-21, 15-9)
North Coast Section girls volleyball championships
NCS Div. I
San Ramon Valley 3, Foothill 0 (25-21, 25-20, 25-20)
NCS Div. II
Marin Catholic 3, Campolindo 0 (25-16, 25-23, 25-17)
NCS Div. IV
Marin Academy 3, Head-Royce 2 (25-20, 27-25, 21-25, 19-25, 15-10)
Originally published at Joseph Dycus