ESCONDIDIO — After 31 years coaching basketball — boys and girls — at Escondido High School, Chris Williams was contemplating retirement.
With a good young team, a group of girls that get along and play well together, Williams isn’t so sure now about walking away.
“The girls keep coming around, saying ‘Coach, you can’t leave us,’ ” Williams said.
His top-seeded Cougars gave Williams something to think about Tuesday, beating No. 16 Crawford 69-20 in the first round of the San Diego Section Division 3 playoffs.
Escondido advances to Friday’s quarterfinals, hosting the winner of Santa Fe Christian-Eastlake.
Crawford beat Escondido 37-36 in last year’s Division 4 title game. In 2023-24, Escondido beat Kearny for the Division 5 championship.
“This is one of the best stretches we’ve had,” Williams said. “And we’re young.”
The Cougars are led by senior Anaya McGlory, who had 17 points, 18 rebounds and blocked two shots Tuesday. Williams said McGlory is the only girl in school history to score 1,000 career points and grab 1,000 rebounds.
Add freshman phenom Quetzalli Castillo Yannez, who had 14 points and five rebounds, juniors Mia Diaz, who had 14 points and seven rebounds, and Tamar Petite, who had seven points and runs the show from the point, and the future is bright.
“Coach really stresses the family aspect,” Yanez said. “He wants us to work as a team.
“He’s the reason I’m playing here.”
Plus, Williams has freshman Melissa Perez and called up freshmen Sofia Velazquez and Rian Vega from the JV team to give them a taste of varsity action.
The Cougars have now won 12 in a row.
This is only the third 20-win season since 2004-05. And the Cougars haven’t ducked anyone. Only one team on the schedule, Ramona, isn’t in the playoffs.
“I figured we’d be pretty good, so I tried to schedule up,” said Williams. “Playing better teams gets you ready for the playoffs.”
Escondido, CA_2/17/2026_Prep Girls Basketball, Div. 3 CIF, Crawford at Escondido- Escondido’s Eva Flores shoots between Crawford’s Aisha Hassan, at left, and Brianna Washington, at right. Photo by Charlie Neuman
Girls basketball for Williams has been a family affair. His wife, Veronica, runs the concession stand, and acts as the team mom. Brother Dokie, who played in the NFL, was an assistant coach for more than 20 seasons.
“Chris is a go-getter,” said former Cougars boys basketball coach Paul Baldwin, who hired Williams as an assistant coach in the 1990s.
“He has a great passion for the game. And loves kids.”
Steve Bridges, the athletic director at Escondido for 17 years, was effusive in his praise for Williams.
“The telling thing about Chris usually came at the postseason banquet,” Bridges said.
“Nearly every player spoke about what a great experience they had playing for Chris and Dokie. They said he wasn’t just a good coach, but he was a mentor … always there for them. He’s a steady leader. His girls always played hard, gave a great effort on defense, even when they didn’t have a good team.”
And there were some bad teams.
There were nine consecutive seasons where the Cougars didn’t win 10 games.
“We’ve been to the top of the mountain, but we’ve also been at the bottom looking up,” Williams said.
“Honestly, though, we all want to win. I’m no different.
“But it’s not about wins and losses. It’s about building relationships, seeing the girls grow not just as players, but as people.”