In short: Foothill Knights high school football (Santa Ana, CA), 2026 season: 4-5 in the Epsilon League. Last game: W 35-13 vs Tesoro on October 23, 2026. Next: vs Aliso Niguel, October 30, 2026. Schedule and results, player season stats, stat leaders, unit grades, ScorePirate ranking and the game-by-game log.
The number to watch when Foothill meets Aliso Niguel is Foothill's scoring. Foothill averaged 13.7 points per game over its first 6 games (2-4), #344 in CIF-SS in that timeframe. Over the stretch of 3 games that followed (2-1), the Knights have averaged 32.3 points per game, a 137% rise, #112 in CIF-SS in that window. The schedule deserves some of the credit: Foothill's last 3 opponents have averaged 27.6 points per game, a #271 scoring defense in CIF-SS on the season, against 15.7 points per game, #77 for the first 6. Measured against those opponents' norms (27.6 points per game), Foothill scored 17% 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 #124 in CIF-SS, well below the first 6 (#55), so the recent production comes against lower-level teams overall. Meanwhile, Aliso Niguel's defense has struggled in recent weeks. The Wolverines have allowed 38.3 points per game over their last 3 games (0-3), #344 in CIF-SS during that time. Those games came against some of the better offenses in CIF-SS (30.7 points per game on the season, which would rank #117). Against those norms, Aliso Niguel allowed 25% more than those offenses usually score. Overall, those opponents average an SP Strength Index rating that would rank #60 in CIF-SS, a strong slate. On paper, that is a matchup that favors Foothill. Foothill is 1-1 this season when it scores 29 or more, and 3-4 when it doesn't.
The turnover battle could decide Foothill's next game, against Aliso Niguel, and the recent returns favor Aliso Niguel. Foothill forced 2.0 takeaways per game over its first 5 games (2-3), #57 in CIF-SS through those games. Over the stretch of 4 games that followed (2-2), the Knights have forced 0.2 takeaways per game, an 88% drop, #365 in CIF-SS through that stretch. The schedule doesn't explain it: the opponents in both stretches have averaged about 1.0 per game on the season. Measured against those opponents' norms (1.1 per game), Foothill forced 77% fewer turnovers than those offenses usually give up. Overall, those opponents have been strong teams: their average SP Strength Index rating would rank #91 in CIF-SS. Meanwhile, Aliso Niguel's ball security has been middle of the pack in recent weeks. The Wolverines have committed 1.5 giveaways per game over their last 4 games (1-3), #238 in CIF-SS over that stretch. Those games came against a middle-of-the-pack set of defenses in CIF-SS (1.3 per game on the season, which would rank #210). Against those norms, Aliso Niguel turned it over 17% more than those defenses usually force. Overall, those opponents average an SP Strength Index rating that would rank #91 in CIF-SS, a strong slate. Aliso Niguel offers Foothill a fair measuring stick for whether the trend is real.
NOTES
The biggest worry in Foothill's season has been the direction of its pass defense. Foothill allowed 6.7 yards per pass attempt (493 yards on 74 attempts) over its first 5 games (2-3), #125 in CIF-SS within that period. Over the stretch of 4 games that followed (2-2), the Knights have allowed 11.1 yards per pass attempt (873 yards on 79 attempts), a 66% rise, #332 in CIF-SS across those games. The schedule doesn't explain it: the opponents in both stretches have averaged about 8.7 yards per attempt on the season. Measured against those opponents' norms (8.7 yards per attempt), Foothill allowed 27% more per attempt than those passing attacks usually gain. Overall, those opponents have been strong teams: their average SP Strength Index rating would rank #91 in CIF-SS. On the season, Foothill ranks #279 in CIF-SS in pass defense. Aliso Niguel's passing game, #355 of 377 (4.5 yards per attempt), could be the get-right matchup Foothill needs.
The Knights averaged 5.1 yards per pass attempt (480 yards on 95 attempts) over their first 4 games (1-3), #316 in CIF-SS during those games. Few teams started slower in this department, and few have turned it around as sharply since. In the 5 games since that slow start (3-2), Foothill has averaged 7.5 yards per pass attempt (652 yards on 87 attempts), a 48% rise, #196 in CIF-SS during that period. The schedule deserves some of the credit: Foothill's last 5 opponents have averaged 8.1 yards per attempt, a #230 pass defense in CIF-SS on the season, against 6.7 yards per attempt, #98 for the first 4. Measured against those opponents' norms (8.1 yards per attempt), Foothill threw for 8% less per attempt than those pass defenses usually allow. So the improvement is real, but it still trails what those opponents usually give up. On the season, the Knights rank #291 in CIF-SS in passing. Aliso Niguel's pass defense sits in the middle of the pack, #147 in CIF-SS (7.1 yards per attempt).
Foothill's defense from the opening weeks has gone missing since. Foothill allowed 21.6 points per game over its first 5 games (2-3), #184 in CIF-SS during that stretch. Over the stretch of 4 games that followed (2-2), the Knights have allowed 31.2 points per game, a 45% rise, #285 in CIF-SS over that period. The schedule doesn't explain it: the opponents in both stretches have averaged about 26.0 points per game on the season. Measured against those opponents' norms (26.9 points per game), Foothill allowed 16% more than those offenses usually score. Overall, those opponents have been strong teams: their average SP Strength Index rating would rank #91 in CIF-SS. On the season, Foothill ranks #242 in CIF-SS in scoring defense. Aliso Niguel's offense, #324 of 404 (16.6 points per game), could be the get-right matchup Foothill needs. Foothill is 4-0 this season when it holds opponents under 17, and 0-5 when it doesn't.
Something changed for Foothill's ball security after its first 4 games. The Knights committed 2.2 giveaways per game over their first 4 games (1-3), #352 in CIF-SS over that timeframe. In the 5 games since that slow start (3-2), Foothill has committed 1.4 giveaways per game, a 38% drop, #214 in CIF-SS over that span. The schedule has a lot to do with it: Foothill's last 5 opponents have averaged 1.3 per game, a #210 defense in CIF-SS on the season, against 1.2 per game, #242 for the first 4. Measured against those opponents' norms (1.3 per game), Foothill turned it over 8% more than those defenses usually force. So the improvement is real, but it still trails what those opponents usually give up. On the season, the Knights rank #315 in CIF-SS in giveaways. Aliso Niguel's defense sits in the middle of the pack, #178 in CIF-SS (1.4 per game).
Foothill's defense has given up chunk yardage as the season has progressed. Foothill allowed 5.9 yards per play (1,092 yards on 185 snaps) over its first 5 games (2-3), #140 in CIF-SS in that timeframe. Over the stretch of 4 games that followed (2-2), the Knights have allowed 7.9 yards per play (1,575 yards on 200 snaps), a 33% rise, #280 in CIF-SS in that window. The schedule doesn't explain it: the opponents in both stretches have averaged about 6.8 yards per play on the season. Measured against those opponents' norms (6.9 yards per play), Foothill allowed 15% more per snap than those offenses usually gain. Overall, those opponents have been strong teams: their average SP Strength Index rating would rank #91 in CIF-SS. On the season, Foothill ranks #232 in CIF-SS in yards per play allowed. Aliso Niguel's offense, #345 of 380 (4.6 yards per play), could be the get-right matchup Foothill needs.
TIDBITS (10 found)
• Club Foothill 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 2022, a run of 3.
• Club Foothill is 46-1 all time when holding the opponent under 10 points. Foothill's last loss when holding the opponent under 10 points was October 6, 2006 against Santa Margarita (L, 6-7).
• Club Foothill has gone 4 straight games allowing 6.0+ yards per play (October 2, 2026 through October 23, 2026), going 2-2 over that stretch, the program's longest such streak since 2025 (8 games).
• Club Foothill has gone 4 straight games forcing fewer than 2 turnovers (October 2, 2026 through October 23, 2026), going 2-2 over that stretch, the program's longest such streak since 2026 (14 games).
• Player Ford Wooton has 3 touchdown catches over his last 3 games (1.0 a game, October 9, 2026 through October 23, 2026) -- his most in a 3-game stretch on record.
• Player Quinn Mulkerin has 33 tackles over his last 3 games (11.0 a game, October 9, 2026 through October 23, 2026) -- his most in a 3-game stretch on record.
• Player Anthony Luna has 35 tackles over his last 3 games (11.7 a game, October 9, 2026 through October 23, 2026) -- his most in a 3-game stretch on record.
• Player Jesse Martinez has 25 tackles over his last 3 games (8.3 a game, October 9, 2026 through October 23, 2026) -- his most in a 3-game stretch on record.
• Player Gavin Fenton has gone 3 straight games running for a touchdown, the longest such streak of his career.
• Player Fysher Jamieson has gone 2 straight games throwing a touchdown pass, the longest such streak of his career.
SCHEDULE STRENGTH
Foothill has played one of the toughest schedules in the pool so far (#49 of 405).
Schedule so far · 1 = hardest
#49 of 405
avg opponent rating 18.9 over 10 games · 2 vs top-25 CIF-SS
Laguna H… L 21-31@Tustin L 0-35Norte Vi… W 23-7@El Modena L 10-28Cypress W 21-7@Newport … L 7-48Trabuco … L 42-49Brea Oli… W 20-15@Tesoro W 35-13Aliso Ni…
Each bar is one opponent, placed by where its rating ranks in this pool (tall and red = top 10; short and green = bottom half). Hatched bars are games still to play; the dashed line is today.
MILESTONE WATCH
Foothill
Andrew Katnik needs 6 tackles for 50 (averaging 5.5 a game)
Ben Mason needs 6 tackles for 50 (averaging 5.5 a game)
Trey Cowdell needs 6 tackles for 50 (averaging 4.9 a game)
Win chances are the site's own game projections where one is on file, otherwise the SP Strength Index gap with a small home edge. The realistic range covers 80% of outcomes (10th to 90th percentile).
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 Oct 25; roster and numbers checked Sep 10.
Click a column heading to sort. MIN hides players below that many attempts.
1 CIF-SS title · 2 CIF-SS runner-up finishes · 1 CIF-SS Player of the Year · 1 league title
YEAR
HONOR
2023
Crestview LEAGUE CHAMPION (2-1 in league, shared with VILLA PARK, YORBA LINDA)
2002
CIF-SS Div. VI RUNNER-UP (lost to Los Altos 27-10)
CIF-SS Offensive Player of the Year (VI): MIKE LITI
1983
CIF-SS Southern RUNNER-UP (lost to El Modena 10-7)
1981
CIF-SS Southern CHAMPION (def. El Modena)
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.
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 8/9 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 46.6/100 (-22 yds/gm vs average)
Rush Offense: grade 54.9/100 (+0 yds/gm vs average)
Pass Defense: grade 48.3/100 (-2 yds/gm vs average)
Rush Defense: grade 57.7/100 (-18 yds/gm vs average)
Unit grades: 0-100 league percentile, adjusted for the opponents faced.
FOO's defense has averaged 0.3 takeaways per game over their last 3 games. Their 31-game average is 1.1 takeaways per game. (-70%)
FOO's defense has averaged 11.0 YPA over their last 5 games. Their 30-game average is 8.7 YPA. (+26%)
FOO's defense has averaged 23.9 points allowed per game over their last 7 games. Their 31-game average is 30.9 points allowed per game. (-23%)
(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 -- SEASON OUTLOOK
Every remaining game is projected from schedule-adjusted ratings; already-played games carry their real result. Records are simulated distributions, not a single guess -- MOST LIKELY FINAL is the single most probable record and its own probability, PROJECTED RECORD is the season's expected win total expressed in record form (an average across every simulated outcome, so it can land on a fraction of a game).
Note 2 -- OPPONENT TRACKER -- why some cards have no record shown
Only meaningful for an opponent who is ALSO a tracked team in the library -- an opponent with no games on file here at all shows the date and site alone.
Note 3 -- 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 FOOTHILL (SANTA ANA) sits among 399 section teams on the two Unit Index composites -- Offense Grade 53.4, Defense Grade 53.5.
TURNOVER MARGIN / GAME: FOOTHILL (SANTA ANA) VS THE SECTION
FOOTHILL (SANTA ANA) ranks #298 of 332 section teams in turnover margin per game (-1.00) -- a weakness worth a look.
FOOTHILL (SANTA ANA): SP STRENGTH INDEX BY SEASON
The program's index across 5 seasons on file -- 16.0 in 2022 to 8.7 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.
