In short: El Cerrito Gauchos high school football (El Cerrito, CA), 2026 season: 6-4 in the Tri-County - Rock League. Last game: L 0-2 vs De Anza on November 6, 2026. Schedule and results, player season stats, stat leaders, unit grades, ScorePirate ranking and the game-by-game log.
The biggest shift in El Cerrito's season has come in its defense. El Cerrito allowed 23.0 points per game over its first 5 games (3-2), #60 in Section in that timeframe. In the 5 games since that slow start (3-2), the Gauchos have allowed 3.0 points per game, an 87% drop, #3 in Section in that window. The schedule deserves some of the credit: El Cerrito's last 5 opponents have averaged 18.1 points per game, a #85 offense in Section on the season, against 29.6 points per game, #35 for the first 5. Measured against those opponents' norms (18.1 points per game), El Cerrito held those offenses 83% below what they usually score. The level of competition matters too: in ScorePirate's SP Strength Index, the last 5 opponents average a rating that would rank #81 in Section, well below the first 5 (#24), so the recent production comes against lower-level teams overall. On the season, El Cerrito ranks #11 in Section in scoring defense.
El Cerrito's offense has come a long way since the season's early weeks. The Gauchos averaged 22.9 points per game over their first 7 games (4-3), #59 in Section during that time. Over the stretch of 3 games that followed (2-1), El Cerrito has averaged 31.0 points per game, a 36% rise, #33 in Section through those games. The schedule deserves some of the credit: El Cerrito's last 3 opponents have averaged 28.0 points per game, a #78 scoring defense in Section on the season, against 18.9 points per game, #33 for the first 7. Measured against those opponents' norms (28.0 points per game), El Cerrito scored 11% more than those defenses usually allow. The level of competition matters too: in ScorePirate's SP Strength Index, the last 3 opponents average a rating that would rank #85 in Section, well below the first 7 (#36), so the recent production comes against lower-level teams overall. On the season, the Gauchos rank #54 in Section in scoring.
Something changed for El Cerrito's run defense after its first 4 games. El Cerrito allowed 4.4 yards per carry (449 yards on 103 rushes) over its first 4 games (2-2), #28 in Section through that stretch. In the 6 games since that slow start (4-2), the Gauchos have allowed 3.4 yards per carry (328 yards on 97 rushes), a 22% drop, #10 in Section over that stretch. The schedule deserves some of the credit: El Cerrito's last 6 opponents have averaged 5.0 yards per carry, a #70 rushing attack in Section on the season, against 6.2 yards per carry, #46 for the first 4. Measured against those opponents' norms (5.0 yards per carry), El Cerrito held those rushing attacks 32% below their usual yards per carry. The level of competition matters too: in ScorePirate's SP Strength Index, the last 6 opponents average a rating that would rank #65 in Section, well below the first 4 (#28), so the recent production comes against lower-level teams overall. On the season, El Cerrito ranks #8 in Section in run defense.
One of El Cerrito's most reliable areas lately has been its defense. The Gauchos allowed 5.4 yards per play (879 yards on 163 snaps) over their first 3 games (1-2), #31 in Section within that period. In the 7 games since that slow start (5-2), El Cerrito has allowed 4.3 yards per play (959 yards on 222 snaps), a 20% drop, #5 in Section across those games. The schedule deserves some of the credit: El Cerrito's last 7 opponents have averaged 6.0 yards per play, a #70 offense in Section on the season, against 7.6 yards per play, #29 for the first 3. Measured against those opponents' norms (6.0 yards per play), El Cerrito held those offenses 28% below their usual yards per snap. The level of competition matters too: in ScorePirate's SP Strength Index, the last 7 opponents average a rating that would rank #60 in Section, well below the first 3 (#33), so the recent production comes against lower-level teams overall. On the season, the Gauchos rank #9 in Section in yards per play allowed.
TIDBITS (5 found)
• Club The last time El Cerrito went a game allowing 7.0+ yards per play was August 30, 2024 against Amador Valley (L, 16-38). Since then El Cerrito has gone 33 straight games holding the opponent under 7.0 yards per play, a school-record 33 straight in the 5 seasons on record.
• Club The last time El Cerrito went a game averaging 8.0+ yards per attempt was November 1, 2024 against Pinole Valley (L, 0-49). Since then El Cerrito has gone 25 straight games being held under 8.0 yards per attempt, a school-record 25 straight in the 5 seasons on record.
• Club The last time El Cerrito went a game rushing for 100+ yards was November 1, 2024 against Pinole Valley (L, 0-49). Since then El Cerrito has gone 25 straight games being held under 100 rushing yards, a school-record 25 straight in the 5 seasons on record.
• Club El Cerrito is 20-0 all time when scoring 40+ points in the games on file (20 such games).
• Club El Cerrito is 19-2 all time when forcing 1+ turnover. El Cerrito's last loss when forcing 1+ turnover was September 12, 2025 against Vacaville (L, 13-27).
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 23 game; last updated Nov 7; roster and numbers checked Sep 3.
Click a column heading to sort. MIN hides players below that many attempts.
Season complete at 6-4 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.
EC — 2026 OVERALL AVERAGES
SPLIT
GP
PPG
OPP PPG
YPG
OPP YPG
PLAYS/G
OPP PLAYS/G
OVERALL
10
25.3
13.0
52.0
262.6
9.0
55.0
HOME
4
16.0
16.0
--
266.7
--
55.7
ROAD
6
31.5
11.0
52.0
259.5
9.0
54.5
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 (offense 1/10, defense 7/10, sacks/INT 1/10, sacks allowed 8/10, turnovers 8/10 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 11.6/100 (-99 yds/gm vs average)
Rush Offense: grade 69.9/100 (+36 yds/gm vs average)
Pass Defense: grade 63.8/100 (-23 yds/gm vs average)
Rush Defense: grade 87.0/100 (-87 yds/gm vs average)
Unit grades: 0-100 league percentile, adjusted for the opponents faced.
LAST YEAR
EC finished 2025 at 13-2. Made the playoffs (5 postseason game(s) on file; exact round/result not available). Notable win: 40-14 over SALESIAN COLLEGE PREPARATORY (SALESIAN COLLEGE PREPARATORY finished 83% that season). Toughest loss: 14-20 to SAN RAMON VALLEY (6-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)
EC HAS PERFORMED BEST THIS DATA SET WHEN...
• EC holds its opponents under 8.0 yards per attempt (.722), and has won 4 straight when doing so
• EC forces 1+ takeaways (.833), and has won 9 straight when doing so
• EC holds its opponents under 6.0 yards per play (.722), and has won 4 straight when doing so
• EC holds its opponents under 150 rushing yards (.667), and has won 3 straight when doing so
• EC's offense has averaged 0.0 pass yards per game over their last 3 games. Their 7-game average is 62.7 pass yards per game. (-100%)
• EC's defense has averaged 3.0 points allowed per game over their last 3 games. Their 34-game average is 14.6 points allowed per game. (-79%)
• EC's offense has averaged 52.0 total yards per game over their last 3 games. Their 10-game average is 246.1 total yards per game. (-79%)
• EC's offense has averaged 52.0 rush yards per game over their last 3 games. Their 10-game average is 202.2 rush yards per game. (-74%)
• EC's defense has averaged 64.0 pass yards per game over their last 3 games. Their 23-game average is 130.1 pass yards per game. (-51%)
• EC's offense has averaged 1.1 giveaways per game over their last 12 games. Their 23-game average is 0.7 giveaways per game. (+49%)
• EC's defense has averaged 3.4 YPA over their last 3 games. Their 23-game average is 6.1 YPA. (-44%)
• EC's defense has averaged 1.5 takeaways per game over their last 3 games. Their 23-game average is 1.0 takeaways per game. (+44%)
• EC is 7-1 (.875) when it wins the turnover battle
• EC's defense has averaged 135.0 total yards per game over their last 3 games. Their 24-game average is 215.5 total yards per game. (-37%)
• EC's offense has averaged 5.8 YPC over their last 3 games. Their 10-game average is 8.9 YPC. (-35%)
• EL CERRITO has held the opponent under 14 in 5 straight games (10/9/26–11/6/26). It has not reached 6 straight in the last 4 years of games on file (2023-present).
EC's defense has averaged 3.0 points allowed per game over their last 3 games. Their 34-game average is 14.6 points allowed per game. (-79%)
EC's defense has averaged 64.0 pass yards per game over their last 3 games. Their 23-game average is 130.1 pass yards per game. (-51%)
EC's defense has averaged 3.4 YPA over their last 3 games. Their 23-game average is 6.1 YPA. (-44%)
EC's defense has averaged 1.5 takeaways per game over their last 3 games. Their 23-game average is 1.0 takeaways per game. (+44%)
EC's defense has averaged 135.0 total yards per game over their last 3 games. Their 24-game average is 215.5 total yards per game. (-37%)
EC's defense has averaged 122.0 rush yards per game over their last 5 games. Their 24-game average is 90.9 rush yards per game. (+34%)
EC's defense has averaged 3.1 YPP over their last 3 games. Their 24-game average is 4.3 YPP. (-27%)
(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 EL CERRITO sits among 109 section teams on the two Unit Index composites -- Offense Grade 55.1, Defense Grade 72.8.
EL CERRITO: SP STRENGTH INDEX BY SEASON
The program's index across 5 seasons on file -- 17.0 in 2022 to 7.9 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.
