By Kimberly Blackfield

Town Crier Intern

Winning back-to-back state championships would be regarded as a dream come true for most athletes.

The Woodside Priory girls volleyball team, which features two players from Los Altos, had an opportunity to realize such a dream Dec. 1. That’s when the Panthers took on Immanuel High for the Division V state title at Cypress College in Southern California.

In the end, though, the dream went unrealized, with Southern California champ Immanuel prevailing 15-10, 17-15, 15-0.

“We were really excited (and) thought we were going to do well,” said outside hitter Francesca Centofanti of Los Altos. “We worked hard, but it didn’t really go our way.”

The Panthers came into the match with a 27-4 record, having defeated No. 7 Santa Fe Christian in five games earlier in the week to claim the Northern California championship.

With hopes and expectations high, the Portola Valley private school fell flat against Immanuel.

“We were pretty disappointed,” said setter Lisa Flagg, the team’s other Los Altos resident. “There were opportunities, but we didn’t take advantage of them.”

Flagg and Centofanti played integral roles on this year’s team - coached by St. Francis High graduate Roz Pelayo - and last year’s state championship squad.

Flagg made the all-state championship team for her performance in this year’s title match.

Centofanti also had a strong match against Immanuel, finishing with 10 kills.

Centofanti began her volleyball career as an eighth-grader at Egan Junior High and has taken few breaks from the sport since. When she’s not playing for the Panthers, Centofanti plays for a club team called Vision.

Centofanti participates in several major tournaments during the club season, which runs January to mid-July.

“There are local tournaments and (ones that) we travel (to) all over the country,” Centofanti said.

Vision beat out 1,000 teams to win the national title two years ago and placed fifth last year.

Centofanti believes the team will be back in the national title hunt again this year.

Flagg started playing volleyball in sixth grade at Pinewood School. The junior is currently on the Yahoo! club team, which she joined last year.

With Yahoo! beginning at the end of December, Flagg still has plenty of time to think about next year at Woodside Priory.

“I know that we all thought about next season and that we want to come back (to the championship match),” she said.

For Centofanti, it will be off to college in the fall, with volleyball remaining a part of her life. She plans to play at the next level, but has not yet decided on a college.