San Diego's Top High School Athletes Shine in CIF Playoffs

Standout performances from basketball, wrestling, soccer, and more highlight the week's top performers.

Published on Mar. 2, 2026

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The San Diego Union-Tribune highlights the top high school athletes in the region, including standout performances from the CIF playoffs across multiple sports. Athletes like Ava Ebrahimi, Tim Dorn, Keira Williams, Daniel Mariduena, Niharika Boyanapalli, and Jordan Montoya are recognized for their clutch plays and championship-winning efforts.

Why it matters

These stories showcase the incredible talent and dedication of San Diego's top high school athletes, who are representing their schools and communities with pride on the biggest stages. Their achievements inspire the next generation of student-athletes and highlight the vibrant sports culture in the region.

The details

The athletes recognized include wrestlers, basketball players, soccer stars, and more, all of whom made significant contributions to their teams' playoff runs. From Ava Ebrahimi's tough battle against the state's top-ranked wrestler to Tim Dorn's clutch scoring performance in the section title game, these athletes demonstrated the skill and determination that define high school sports.

  • The athletes' performances took place during the recent CIF playoff games and championships.

The players

Ava Ebrahimi

A senior wrestler at Poway High School who advanced to the state championships after scoring multiple technical falls and narrow decisions in the CIF playoffs.

Tim Dorn

A senior basketball player at Mira Mesa High School who scored 12 of his game-high 26 points in a critical third quarter to lead his team to the section championship.

Keira Williams

A junior goalkeeper for the Ramona High School girls soccer team who made the decisive save in a penalty kick shootout to give her team the section Division 3 title.

Daniel Mariduena

A senior basketball player at Poway High School who scored a game-high 16 points, 14 in the second half, to lead his team to the section Division 1 championship.

Niharika Boyanapalli

A freshman soccer player at Del Norte High School who scored the golden goal in overtime to lift her team to the section Division 2 title.

Jordan Montoya

A senior soccer player at Bonita Vista High School who scored the game-winning goal in the 68th minute to give his team a hard-fought victory in the section Division 2 championship game.

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What they’re saying

“After scoring a pair of lopsided technical falls and two narrow decisions, the Titan senior moved into the state championships against No. 1 SJ Martin of Granada, where she lost 12-0.”

— Ava Ebrahimi, Poway High School Girls Wrestler (San Diego Union-Tribune)

“Scoring 12 of his game-high 26 points in a critical third quarter, the senior led the Marauders to their first section championship by downing Christian 63-44 in the Division 1 title game.”

— Tim Dorn, Mira Mesa High School Boys Basketball Player (San Diego Union-Tribune)

“After the Bulldogs took a 5-4 lead in sudden-death penalty kicks, the junior keeper blocked a University City shot to give Ramona the victory in the section Division 3 title game.”

— Keira Williams, Ramona High School Girls Soccer Goalkeeper (San Diego Union-Tribune)

“Scoring a game-high 16 points, 14 in the second half, the senior led the Titans to 62-54 triumph over cross-town rival Rancho Bernardo in the section Division 1 championships.”

— Daniel Mariduena, Poway High School Boys Basketball Player (San Diego Union-Tribune)

“Placing the ball just above the goalie's fingertips and inches under the crossbar, the freshman's golden goal lifted the Nighthawks to a 2-1 OT victory over La Jolla in the Division 2 title game.”

— Niharika Boyanapalli, Del Norte High School Girls Soccer Player (San Diego Union-Tribune)

What’s next

The athletes recognized will now turn their focus to the state championships, where they will look to continue their impressive playoff runs and bring home titles for their schools.

The takeaway

The performances of these San Diego high school athletes showcase the incredible talent and dedication of the region's student-athletes. Their achievements on the biggest stages inspire the next generation and highlight the vibrant sports culture that thrives in San Diego.