ESCONDIDO — For the last three years, the CIF San Diego Section Open Division boys soccer title has known no home but the halls of St. Augustine High School.
Until now.
Behind a first-half score by Andre Lopez, Del Norte High School took down the defending champion Saints 1-0 to claim the program’s first-ever Open Division title. Del Norte exorcised some demons with the win; the team finished the last two seasons as Open Division runners-up to St. Augustine.
“It was a bit of revenge,” said Del Norte’s Lopez, “The last couple seasons we had been able to beat them in the regular season, but couldn’t get it done in the playoffs. Today, though, we held strong and kept that 1-0 lead. It’s just a great feeling.”
Del Norte’s attack was one of San Diego’s finest during the regular and postseason, averaging three goals a match on the year. They’d continue to operate at a high clip early in the first half.
In the 22nd minute, Del Norte’s Elvin Zhang made a great run down the left wing. Driving to the corner, Zhang sent a cross into the middle of the box where it’d be headed at goal by Jared Baza.
“My teammates always say when I get on the wing, and I get the one v. one to take it,” Zhang said.
A diving save by St. Augustine keeper Aiden Swearinger would deny Baza’s shot. The batted ball stayed inside the six-yard box and Lopez quickly rifled it into the top left cornerfor a 1-0 advantage.
“My favorite thing to do when people work down the wing is just run to the front post as fast as I can,” Lopez said. “It was a brilliant header by Jared, but I saw the ball spill right in front of me and went after it. I kind of hit flow state; it was crazy.”
ESCONDIDO, CA – February 28, 2026: As a San Marcos player walks off the field, Mt. Carmel players celebrate beating San Marcos with penalty kicks to win the CIF Open Division girls soccer championship at Escondido High School in Escondido on Saturday, February 28, 2026. (Hayne Palmour IV / For The San Diego Union-Tribune)
Girls soccer
Open Division
Mt. Carmel 0, San Marcos 0 (Mt. Carmel wins on penalty kicks, 5-4): Mt. Carmel won its third — and most important — matchup of the season against San Marcos, prevailing on penalty kicks after the teams played to a scoreless tie.
The stressful win wasn’t exactly unexpected, according to Mt. Carmel coach Bri Moran.
“I said from our first practice of the season that we were winning a CIF championship this year,” she said. “To do it with this group of girls who are so talented and such hard workers, there are no words that can explain this feeling.”
Mt. Carmel held San Marcos’ talented scoring duo of Josie Willis and Emerson Obrist scoreless for 95 minutes of action.
During PKs, Mt. Carmel and San Marcos went shot-for-shot with one another for the first four rounds. In Round 5, though, the Sundevils created their championship moment.
Ellery Muren buried a ball into the bottom right corner, giving Mt. Carmel a one-shot edge in penalties.
“I always go to the right side no matter what,” said Muren, “It felt good off the foot, and I was just relieved it went in.”
Mt. Carmel needed a save from keeper Nina Hinchman to clinch the title. The sophomore would deliver, utilizing an acrobatic leg save to win it for the Sundevils.
“I could see her looking one way the whole time, and when they do that, I usually know they’re going the other way,” Hinchman said. “So I just trusted my gut.”