Izzy McFadden, Jocelyn Gigounas cap Marin Catholic careers with Division 3 girls basketball title following 48-38 win against Mater Dei Catholic

SACRAMENTO – In order to take the next step forward from being a perennial CIF-North Coast Section champion to developing into a Division 3 state title contender, Marin Catholic entrusted the direction of its girls basketball program this season to a first-year head coach who was barely taking her first steps the last time the Wildcats secured a division crown.

Kayden Korst, the all-time leading scorer in San Domenico basketball program history who also played collegiately at Cal State San Marcos, explained Friday that she was 6 months old when Marin Catholic won a Division 4 state championship in 2002.

Korst, 24, demonstrated the same youthful exuberance as her players following a 48-38 victory against Mater Dei Catholic of Chula Vista in the Division 3 final at Golden 1 Center, with former head coach Rick Demartini – who guided the Wildcats to their first state title in 2002 with an 18-point victory over St. Bernard of Playa del Rey – also part of the celebration for Marin Catholic.

Post-game interviews

The Wildcats (26-11) won their ninth in a row to conclude the season, including a fourth consecutive North Coast Section title, with Marin Catholic achieving its first Division 2 championship following a Division 4 crown in 2022 and back-to-back Division 3 victories in 2023 and 2024.

Marin Catholic also became just the third girls basketball program, regardless of division, to endure a stretch of more than 20 years in between state championships, joining Menlo School and Santa Maria St. Joseph.

Carondelet joined the unique group after winning the Division 1 crown later Friday, the first title for the Cougars since capturing a Division 2 championship in 2004.

The victory carried additional significance for Marin Catholic senior guard Izzy McFadden, who led the Wildcats with 21 points, nine rebounds and five steals, in addition to hitting three of the team’s seven 3-point field goals in the contest.

Jack McFadden, Izzy’s older brother, played for San Francisco University in the 2015 Division 5 boys basketball state final, with Sierra Canyon securing an 80-55 victory against the Red Devils at Haas Pavilion at Cal-Berkeley.

McFadden gained inspiration and motivation from a young age to pursue the opportunity to also compete for a state championship after watching her brother experience the elite environment, and the Denison University of Ohio-bound senior was rewarded Friday by making 7 of 14 field-goal attempts and all four free throws for Marin Catholic.

Jocelyn Gigounas, another senior for the Wildcats, added eight points, 11 rebounds and four assists, connecting on both of her 3-point field goal opportunities.

Cecelia Biernat, a junior, contributed eight points and three rebounds, with sophomore Brooke Spagnuolo producing six points, four rebounds and three assists for Marin Catholic, which scored 11 consecutive points during a four-minute stretch in the third and fourth quarters to break a 28-28 tie and seize the momentum.

Jarika Chan, a sophomore guard, made one of her three 3-pointers with 4:41 remaining to bring the Crusaders (21-14) within 41-36.

Jarika Chan had 15 points and four rebounds, with sophomore Jordyn Worley adding 15 points and eight rebounds for Mater Dei Catholic, which endured a scoreless drought of more than two minutes, before Melissa Ruiz converted a layup with 2:02 remaining to help the Crusaders cut the deficit to 46-38.

Spagnuolo sank a pair of free throws with 48 seconds left to produce the final margin for the Wildcats, who became the first North Coast Section program to win the Division 3 state crown since Bishop O’Dowd in 2012.

Catrice Chan added five points and four rebounds for Mater Dei Catholic, which led 21-20 at halftime. Simone Claxton had five points and a pair of rebounds for Marin Catholic.