Mater Dei Catholic Wins First CIF San Diego Section Division 4 Girls Wrestling Title

Crusaders outlast Valley Center and Crawford for crown in expanded division.

Published on Feb. 7, 2026

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Mater Dei Catholic High School won the inaugural CIF San Diego Section Division 4 girls wrestling title on Saturday, finishing with 112 points to beat out host Valley Center (96 points) and Crawford (94 points). The Crusaders' victory caps a season of notable growth for the program, which saw Kaila Strother claim the school's first-ever individual conference title earlier this year.

Why it matters

The expansion of the CIF San Diego Section to include a Division 4 for girls wrestling reflects the growing popularity of the sport across the county. Mater Dei Catholic's championship win highlights the development of their program and the increasing competitiveness of girls wrestling in the region.

The details

Mater Dei Catholic was powered this season by wrestlers Kaila Strother, Kailani Topasna, Lyla Ibarra, and Beatriz Rockholt. The Crusaders ended the regular season by finishing fourth overall at the Metro Conference tournament, where Strother claimed the program's first-ever individual conference title.

  • The 2025-2026 season marked the second consecutive year of expansion for girls wrestling in the CIF San Diego Section, with the creation of Division 4.
  • The CIF San Diego Section Division 4 girls wrestling championship took place on Saturday, February 7, 2026.

The players

Mater Dei Catholic High School

A private Catholic high school in Chula Vista, California that won the inaugural CIF San Diego Section Division 4 girls wrestling title.

Kaila Strother

A wrestler for Mater Dei Catholic High School who claimed the program's first-ever individual conference title earlier this season.

Kailani Topasna

A wrestler for Mater Dei Catholic High School who contributed to the team's championship win.

Lyla Ibarra

A wrestler for Mater Dei Catholic High School who contributed to the team's championship win.

Beatriz Rockholt

A wrestler for Mater Dei Catholic High School who contributed to the team's championship win.

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What’s next

The CIF San Diego Section will likely continue to monitor the growth of girls wrestling and consider further expansion of divisions in future seasons.

The takeaway

Mater Dei Catholic's championship win in the inaugural CIF San Diego Section Division 4 girls wrestling competition underscores the increasing popularity and competitiveness of the sport across the region, as more high schools add wrestling programs for female athletes.