North County Teams Army Navy Boys and Escondido Girls Win SD D3 Titles

Escondido High School girls basketball team captures their second San Diego Section title, while Army Navy Academy boys team defeats Ramona for the Division III championship.

Feb. 28, 2026 at 9:40am

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The Escondido High School girls basketball team defeated the Crawford High School Colts 69-18 to win the San Diego Section Division III title, led by 13 points from freshman Quetzalli Castillo Yanez. In the boys Division III championship, the Army Navy Academy Warriors defeated the Ramona Bulldogs 53-37, with Ivan Marchenko scoring 19 points.

Why it matters

High school basketball championships are important community events that showcase the talent and hard work of student-athletes. These wins by Escondido and Army Navy Academy highlight the strength of their basketball programs and the dedication of the players and coaches.

The details

The Escondido High School girls team, led by head coach Chris Williams, improved their record to 23-5 on the season and extended their winning streak to 15 games. Quetzalli Castillo Yanez, a freshman, scored 13 points and received the Sportsmanship Award. For the boys Division III title, the Army Navy Academy Warriors, led by 19 points from Ivan Marchenko, defeated the Ramona Bulldogs 53-37.

  • The San Diego Section Girls Basketball title game was held at Sage Creek High School in Carlsbad.
  • The San Diego Section Boys Division III Basketball title game was held at Mira Mesa High School.

The players

Quetzalli Castillo Yanez

A freshman on the Escondido High School girls basketball team who scored 13 points and received the Sportsmanship Award in the Division III championship game.

Chris Williams

The head coach of the Escondido High School girls basketball team.

Ivan Marchenko

A player for the Army Navy Academy boys basketball team who scored 19 points in the Division III championship game.

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What they’re saying

“Our defense didn't execute in the 2nd quarter, in the 3rd we improved our shots once when we got the ball our squad shot the ball and played well.”

— Chris Williams, Escondido High School Girls Basketball Coach (Patch.com)

“Quetsalli Castillo Yanez, only a freshman has helped our squad in points as she shot the ball well, she needs to take over on the court.”

— Chris Williams, Escondido High School Girls Basketball Coach (Patch.com)

“Ramona is an outstanding squad with a lot of excellent shooters, as long as we run our plays and keep improving our style of basketball that is how you win games”

— Ivan Marchenko (Patch.com)

What’s next

The Escondido High School girls basketball team and the Army Navy Academy boys basketball team will now prepare for the CIF State Championships.

The takeaway

These championship wins showcase the strength of the basketball programs at Escondido High School and Army Navy Academy, and highlight the dedication and talent of the student-athletes who competed in the San Diego Section title games.