In short: Costa Mesa Mustangs high school football (Costa Mesa, CA), 2026 season: 5-5 in the Sigma League. Last game: W 42-0 vs Katella on October 30, 2026. Schedule and results, player season stats, stat leaders, unit grades, ScorePirate ranking and the game-by-game log.
The biggest shift in Costa Mesa's season has come in its defense. Costa Mesa forced 0.8 takeaways per game over its first 5 games (2-3), #285 in CIF-SS in that timeframe. In the 5 games since that slow start (3-2), the Mustangs have forced 1.6 takeaways per game, a 100% rise, #104 in CIF-SS in that window. The schedule deserves some of the credit: Costa Mesa's last 5 opponents have averaged 1.0 per game, a #108 offense in CIF-SS on the season, against 0.8 per game, #75 for the first 5. Measured against those opponents' norms (1.0 per game), Costa Mesa forced 63% more turnovers than those offenses usually give up. Overall, though, those opponents have been lower-level teams: their average SP Strength Index rating would rank just #307 in CIF-SS. On the season, Costa Mesa ranks #222 in CIF-SS in takeaways.
The Mustangs committed 1.8 giveaways per game over their first 6 games (2-4), #309 in CIF-SS during that time. Few teams started slower in this department, and few have turned it around as sharply since. Over the stretch of 4 games that followed (3-1), Costa Mesa has committed 0.2 giveaways per game, an 86% drop, #14 in CIF-SS through those games. The schedule deserves some of the credit: Costa Mesa's last 4 opponents have averaged 0.9 per game, a #295 defense in CIF-SS on the season, against 1.2 per game, #242 for the first 6. Measured against those opponents' norms (0.9 per game), Costa Mesa turned it over 72% less than those defenses usually force. The level of competition matters too: in ScorePirate's SP Strength Index, the last 4 opponents average a rating that would rank #335 in CIF-SS, well below the first 6 (#240), so the recent production comes against lower-level teams overall. On the season, the Mustangs rank #170 in CIF-SS in giveaways.
Costa Mesa's defense has come a long way since the season's early weeks. Costa Mesa allowed 24.1 points per game over its first 7 games (3-4), #205 in CIF-SS through that stretch. Over the stretch of 3 games that followed (2-1), the Mustangs have allowed 4.7 points per game, an 81% drop, #12 in CIF-SS over that stretch. The schedule deserves some of the credit: Costa Mesa's last 3 opponents have averaged 16.9 points per game, a #323 offense in CIF-SS on the season, against 25.3 points per game, #197 for the first 7. Measured against those opponents' norms (16.9 points per game), Costa Mesa held those offenses 72% below what they usually score. The level of competition matters too: in ScorePirate's SP Strength Index, the last 3 opponents average a rating that would rank #350 in CIF-SS, well below the first 7 (#244), so the recent production comes against lower-level teams overall. On the season, Costa Mesa ranks #109 in CIF-SS in scoring defense.
Something changed for Costa Mesa's offense after its first 5 games. The Mustangs averaged 5.0 yards per play (1,296 yards on 258 snaps) over their first 5 games (2-3), #321 in CIF-SS within that period. In the 5 games since that slow start (3-2), Costa Mesa has averaged 8.0 yards per play (1,465 yards on 182 snaps), a 60% rise, #94 in CIF-SS across those games. The schedule deserves some of the credit: Costa Mesa's last 5 opponents have averaged 6.8 yards per play, a #224 defense in CIF-SS on the season, against 6.0 yards per play, #126 for the first 5. Measured against those opponents' norms (6.8 yards per play), Costa Mesa gained 18% more per snap than those defenses usually allow. Overall, though, those opponents have been lower-level teams: their average SP Strength Index rating would rank just #307 in CIF-SS. On the season, the Mustangs rank #225 in CIF-SS in yards per play.
Costa Mesa's ground game has started punishing defenses on the ground as the season has developed. Costa Mesa averaged 4.1 yards per carry (591 yards on 143 rushes) over its first 5 games (2-3), #307 in CIF-SS during those games. In the 5 games since that slow start (3-2), the Mustangs have averaged 6.6 yards per carry (805 yards on 122 rushes), a 60% rise, #116 in CIF-SS during that period. The schedule deserves some of the credit: Costa Mesa's last 5 opponents have averaged 6.2 yards per carry, a #244 run defense in CIF-SS on the season, against 5.0 yards per carry, #114 for the first 5. Measured against those opponents' norms (6.2 yards per carry), Costa Mesa ran for 7% more per carry than those run defenses usually allow. Overall, though, those opponents have been lower-level teams: their average SP Strength Index rating would rank just #307 in CIF-SS. On the season, Costa Mesa ranks #231 in CIF-SS in rushing.
TIDBITS (11 found)
• Club Costa Mesa has won 2 straight, and a win would make it 3 in a row. The last time they won 3 or more in a row was 2025, a run of 8.
• Club Costa Mesa is 26-0 all time when holding the opponent under 10 points in the games on file (26 such games).
• Club Costa Mesa is 16-2 all time when forcing 3+ turnovers. Costa Mesa's last loss when forcing 3+ turnovers was September 15, 2022 against Calvary Chapel (L, 37-38).
• Club Costa Mesa has gone 5 straight games rushing for 100+ yards (October 2, 2026 through October 30, 2026), going 3-2 over that stretch, the program's longest such streak since 2025 (15 games).
• Club Costa Mesa has gone 4 straight games averaging 6.0+ yards per play (October 9, 2026 through October 30, 2026), going 3-1 over that stretch, the program's longest such streak since 2025 (9 games).
• Player Louis Arreola has gone 6 straight games making 10 or more tackles, the longest such streak of his career.
• Player Gavin Garza has gone 5 straight games rushing for 100+ yards, the 3rd-longest such streak of his career. He also had a career-best streak of 7 straight games rushing for 100+ yards, during the 2025 season.
• Player Gavin Garza has gone 3 straight games running for a touchdown, the 3rd-longest such streak of his career. He also had a career-best streak of 17 straight games running for a touchdown, during the 2025 season.
• Player Matthew Barrientes has gone 2 straight games throwing a touchdown pass, the 2nd-longest such streak of his career. He also had a career-best streak of 5 straight games throwing a touchdown pass, during the 2026 season.
• Player Aidan Quintos has gone 2 straight games throwing a touchdown pass, the longest such streak of his career.
• Player Ruben Sanchez has gone 2 straight games catching a touchdown pass, the 2nd-longest such streak of his career. He also had a career-best streak of 3 straight games catching a touchdown pass, during the 2025 season.
MILESTONE WATCH
Costa Mesa
Louis Arreola needs 12 tackles for 125 (averaging 14.1 a game)
Every player with a stat on file, listed only where he has one. Open the arrow beside a name for his game-by-game line. Stats through the Oct 30 game; last updated Nov 2; roster and numbers checked Oct 6.
Click a column heading to sort. MIN hides players below that many attempts.
CIF-SS Div. VIII RUNNER-UP (lost to Trabuco Hills 44-6)
Section and state results and Players of the Year: CIF-SS Record Book. League finishes judged from league schedules on file (2022-2025 seasons); earlier league titles are not on file.
WEEK WRAP-UP
Costa Mesa beat Katella 42-0 on the road on Friday, October 30, its 2nd straight win. Costa Mesa split 334 yards between 193 on the ground and 141 through the air.
Gavin Garza ran 16 times for 153 yards and 2 touchdowns and caught 1 pass for 14 yards. Aidan Quintos completed 4 of 5 for 75 yards and 2 touchdowns. Vance Kirby caught 1 pass for 41 yards and added 6 tackles and 1 for loss on defense.
Season complete at 5-5 with no games on file beyond a normal 10-game regular season -- read as no postseason appearance. This library still has no playoff-round/bracket source, so this label comes from game count alone, not a confirmed bracket result.
CM — 2026 OVERALL AVERAGES
SPLIT
GP
PPG
OPP PPG
YPG
OPP YPG
PLAYS/G
OPP PLAYS/G
OVERALL
10
26.3
18.3
276.1
234.2
44.0
44.8
HOME
6
22.5
22.2
243.2
247.6
42.8
43.4
ROAD
4
32.0
12.5
325.5
212.0
45.8
47.0
PPG/OPP PPG use every played game on file. YPG/PLAYS-PER-GAME columns only ever come from games with a full box score on file, which can be a smaller sample than GP -- see the coverage note below when that's the case for this team.
Averages use only games with that number on file (defense 8/10, sacks allowed 9/10 games). SACKS ALW comes from the opponent's box score; TO FORCED is takeaways; TO MAR is takeaways minus giveaways, and its bottom cell is the season total. Dashes mean not on file.
UNIT INDEX
Pass Offense: grade 42.6/100 (-30 yds/gm vs average)
Rush Offense: grade 61.7/100 (+15 yds/gm vs average)
Pass Defense: grade 52.4/100 (-6 yds/gm vs average)
Rush Defense: grade 55.3/100 (-13 yds/gm vs average)
Unit grades: 0-100 league percentile, adjusted for the opponents faced.
LAST YEAR
CM finished 2025 at 9-2. Made the playoffs (1 postseason game(s) on file; exact round/result not available). Notable win: 37-14 over ANAHEIM (ANAHEIM finished 54% that season). Toughest loss: 21-29 to ESTANCIA (8-point margin).
"N/A" stands in for a box score that does not have stats entered. A total followed by a count in parentheses covers only the games with that stat on file.
TALKING POINTS (15 storylines)
CM HAS PERFORMED BEST THIS DATA SET WHEN...
• CM averages 6.0+ yards per play (.880), and has won 2 straight when doing so
• CM rushes for 150+ yards (.840), and has won 2 straight when doing so
• CM commits fewer than 2 giveaways (.808), and has won 2 straight when doing so
• CM averages 8.0+ yards per attempt (.941), and has won 5 straight when doing so
• CM's defense has averaged 1.4 YPA over their last 3 games. Their 27-game average is 6.4 YPA. (-77%)
• CM's defense has averaged 4.7 points allowed per game over their last 3 games. Their 33-game average is 17.2 points allowed per game. (-73%)
• CM's defense has averaged 39.0 pass yards per game over their last 3 games. Their 27-game average is 137.0 pass yards per game. (-72%)
• CM's offense has averaged 15.2 YPA over their last 3 games. Their 32-game average is 9.2 YPA. (+66%)
• CM is 17-0 (.999) when it wins the turnover battle
• CM's offense has averaged 0.3 giveaways per game over their last 3 games. Their 33-game average is 0.8 giveaways per game. (-59%)
• CM's defense has averaged 3.0 YPP over their last 3 games. Their 29-game average is 5.9 YPP. (-49%)
• CM's defense has averaged 150.5 total yards per game over their last 3 games. Their 29-game average is 282.9 total yards per game. (-47%)
• CM holds its opponents under 6.0 yards per play while forcing 2+ takeaways
• CM holds its opponents under 6.0 yards per play and under 100 rushing yards
• CM averages 8.5+ yards per attempt (CM's own median) (.938)
• COSTA MESA has pitched a shutout in 2 straight games (10/26/26–10/30/26). It has not reached 3 straight in the last 4 years of games on file (2023-present).
• COSTA MESA has held the opponent under 14 in 2 straight games (10/26/26–10/30/26). It has not held the opponent under 14 in 3 straight since 8/22/24–9/6/24 (2024).
• COSTA MESA has scored 40+ in 2 straight games (10/26/26–10/30/26). It has not scored 40+ in 3 straight since 9/5/25–10/2/25 (2025). It has reached 3 straight 2 times in the last 4 years and has reached a high of 4 straight (2025) in that span.
• COSTA MESA has had a 100-yard rusher in 5 straight games (10/2/26–10/30/26). It has not had a 100-yard rusher in 6 straight since 9/11/25–10/30/25 (2025). It has reached 6 straight 2 times in the last 4 years and has reached a high of 7 straight (2025) in that span.
CM's defense has averaged 1.4 YPA over their last 3 games. Their 27-game average is 6.4 YPA. (-77%)
CM's defense has averaged 4.7 points allowed per game over their last 3 games. Their 33-game average is 17.2 points allowed per game. (-73%)
CM's defense has averaged 39.0 pass yards per game over their last 3 games. Their 27-game average is 137.0 pass yards per game. (-72%)
CM's defense has averaged 3.0 YPP over their last 3 games. Their 29-game average is 5.9 YPP. (-49%)
CM's defense has averaged 150.5 total yards per game over their last 3 games. Their 29-game average is 282.9 total yards per game. (-47%)
CM's defense has averaged 1.0 takeaways per game over their last 3 games. Their 33-game average is 1.5 takeaways per game. (-33%)
CM's defense has averaged 3.6 YPC over their last 3 games. Their 29-game average is 5.2 YPC. (-31%)
CM's defense has averaged 111.5 rush yards per game over their last 3 games. Their 29-game average is 155.3 rush yards per game. (-28%)
(moved to the Appendix, Data Export 1, to keep this section shorter -- the full spreadsheet-paste table is there unchanged)
APPENDIX
Full-length explanations and full-size data exports for the shortened notes and relocated tables referenced throughout this report, numbered in the order their pointers appear above.
Explanatory Notes
Note 1 -- MOST IMPORTANT NUMBERS -- how a number is scored
Every split this report computes is scored on how strong the number is and how much it sets this team apart from its opponent and the rest of the field, and the top 5 per team are listed. A condition needs at least 8 occurrences to count.
Full Data Exports
Data Export 1 -- TRENDS — TAB-SEPARATED (10 columns)
Where COSTA MESA sits among 399 section teams on the two Unit Index composites -- Offense Grade 62.8, Defense Grade 50.6.
YARDS / PLAY ALLOWED: COSTA MESA VS THE SECTION
COSTA MESA ranks #70 of 347 section teams in yards per play allowed (4.96) -- a strength worth a look.
COSTA MESA: SP STRENGTH INDEX BY SEASON
The program's index across 5 seasons on file -- -17.0 in 2022 to -6.2 in 2026.
These graphs were chosen by the program from this season's most notable numbers. Build your own -- any stat against any other, for any mix of teams, seasons or players, with a JPEG download -- in the Graph Builder.
