In short: La Mirada Matadores high school football (La Mirada, CA), 2026 season: 7-3 in the Gateway League. Last game: W 40-14 vs Mayfair on October 30, 2026. Schedule and results, player season stats, stat leaders, unit grades, ScorePirate ranking and the game-by-game log.
The biggest worry in La Mirada's season has been the direction of its defense. La Mirada allowed 7.0 points per game over its first 3 games (3-0), #19 in CIF-SS in that timeframe. In the 7 games since that hot start (4-3), the Matadores have allowed 32.4 points per game, a 363% rise, #316 in CIF-SS in that window. The schedule has a lot to do with it: La Mirada's last 7 opponents have averaged 29.0 points per game, a #143 offense in CIF-SS on the season, against 24.4 points per game, #216 for the first 3. Measured against those opponents' norms (29.0 points per game), La Mirada allowed 12% more than those offenses usually score. The level of competition matters too: in ScorePirate's SP Strength Index, the last 7 opponents average a rating that would rank #109 in CIF-SS, well above the first 3 (#269), so the dip has come against better teams overall. On the season, La Mirada ranks #225 in CIF-SS in scoring defense.
La Mirada's pass defense from the opening weeks has gone missing since. The Matadores allowed 5.8 yards per pass attempt (808 yards on 140 attempts) over their first 5 games (4-1), #60 in CIF-SS during that time. In the 5 games since that hot start (3-2), La Mirada has allowed 11.4 yards per pass attempt (1,170 yards on 103 attempts), a 97% rise, #342 in CIF-SS through those games. The schedule has a lot to do with it: La Mirada's last 5 opponents have averaged 9.9 yards per attempt, a #72 passing attack in CIF-SS on the season, against 7.7 yards per attempt, #178 for the first 5. Measured against those opponents' norms (9.9 yards per attempt), La Mirada allowed 15% more per attempt than those passing attacks usually gain. The level of competition matters too: in ScorePirate's SP Strength Index, the last 5 opponents average a rating that would rank #115 in CIF-SS, well above the first 5 (#201), so the dip has come against better teams overall. On the season, the Matadores rank #234 in CIF-SS in pass defense.
Something changed for La Mirada's defense after its first 5 games. La Mirada allowed 5.1 yards per play (1,297 yards on 253 snaps) over its first 5 games (4-1), #63 in CIF-SS through that stretch. In the 5 games since that hot start (3-2), the Matadores have allowed 8.9 yards per play (1,645 yards on 185 snaps), a 73% rise, #323 in CIF-SS over that stretch. The schedule has a lot to do with it: La Mirada's last 5 opponents have averaged 7.6 yards per play, a #106 offense in CIF-SS on the season, against 6.4 yards per play, #205 for the first 5. Measured against those opponents' norms (7.6 yards per play), La Mirada allowed 18% more per snap than those offenses usually gain. The level of competition matters too: in ScorePirate's SP Strength Index, the last 5 opponents average a rating that would rank #115 in CIF-SS, well above the first 5 (#201), so the dip has come against better teams overall. On the season, La Mirada ranks #213 in CIF-SS in yards per play allowed.
The Matadores forced 2.7 takeaways per game over their first 6 games (5-1), #15 in CIF-SS within that period. Few teams started faster in this department, and few have cooled off as sharply since. Over the stretch of 4 games that followed (2-2), La Mirada has forced 1.0 takeaways per game, a 62% drop, #214 in CIF-SS across those games. The schedule has a lot to do with it: La Mirada's last 4 opponents have averaged 1.2 per game, a #208 offense in CIF-SS on the season, against 1.5 per game, #277 for the first 6. Measured against those opponents' norms (1.2 per game), La Mirada forced 19% fewer turnovers than those offenses usually give up. The level of competition matters too: in ScorePirate's SP Strength Index, the last 4 opponents average a rating that would rank #85 in CIF-SS, well above the first 6 (#207), so the dip has come against better teams overall. On the season, the Matadores rank #34 in CIF-SS in takeaways.
La Mirada's ball security has cleaned up its ball security as the season has developed. La Mirada committed 2.3 giveaways per game over its first 6 games (5-1), #370 in CIF-SS during those games. Over the stretch of 4 games that followed (2-2), the Matadores have committed 1.3 giveaways per game, a 43% drop, #224 in CIF-SS during that period. The schedule doesn't explain it: the opponents in both stretches have averaged about 1.4 per game on the season. Measured against those opponents' norms (1.4 per game), La Mirada turned it over 8% 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 #85 in CIF-SS, well above the first 6 (#207), which makes the improvement more impressive. On the season, La Mirada ranks #347 in CIF-SS in giveaways.
TIDBITS (7 found)
• Club La Mirada 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 2026, a run of 3.
• Club La Mirada is 64-0 all time when scoring 40+ points in the games on file (64 such games).
• Club La Mirada is 61-2 all time when averaging 7.0+ yards per play. La Mirada's last loss when averaging 7.0+ yards per play was November 7, 2025 against Beckman (L, 21-41).
• Player Matt Ybarra has 31 tackles over his last 3 games (10.3 a game, September 11, 2026 through October 9, 2026) -- his most in a 3-game stretch on record.
• Player Isaac Cuevas has gone 5 straight games throwing a touchdown pass, the longest such streak of his career.
• Player Riley Gonzales has gone 3 straight games recording two or more tackles for loss, the longest such streak of his career.
• Player Kaiden Wardlow has never had a game recording 100+ receiving yards for La Mirada, over a 16-game career on record. His career high is 79, set September 11, 2026 against Brea Olinda (L, 28-49).
MILESTONE WATCH
La Mirada
Matt Ybarra needs 4 tackles for 50 (averaging 9.2 a game)
Isaac Cuevas needs 156 passing yards for 1,000 (averaging 168.8 a game)
Ryan Gonzales needs 7 tackles for 50 (averaging 7.2 a game)
Fernando Orozco needs 8 tackles for 50 (averaging 7.0 a game)
Christopher Sowell needs 1 sack for 5 (averaging 0.8 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 9 game; last updated Oct 31; roster and numbers checked Oct 6.
Click a column heading to sort. MIN hides players below that many attempts.
3 CIF-SS titles · 7 CIF-SS runner-up finishes · 1 CIF State title · 4 CIF-SS Players of the Year
YEAR
HONOR
2016
CIF-SS Division 3 RUNNER-UP (lost to Edison 44-24)
2015
CIF STATE III-AA CHAMPION (def. Campolindo 27-3)
CIF-SS Southeasst CHAMPION (def. La Serna 45-20)
CIF-SS Defensive Player of the Year (Southeast): TITUS DIXON
CIF-SS Offensive Player of the Year (Southeast): SEI-J LAUAGO
2009
CIF-SS Southern CHAMPION (def. Garden Grove 49-27)
CIF-SS Offensive Player of the Year (Southern): J.T. TORRES
2001
CIF-SS Div. VI RUNNER-UP (lost to Mayfair 22-9)
2000
CIF-SS Offensive Player of the Year (VI): ERIK MEYER
1998
CIF-SS Div. IX RUNNER-UP (lost to Mayfair 28-14)
1997
CIF-SS Div. VIII RUNNER-UP (lost to Laguna Hills 56-14)
1995
CIF-SS Div. VIII RUNNER-UP (lost to Temescal Canyon 34-21)
1994
CIF-SS Div. VIII RUNNER-UP (lost to Bloomington 48-32)
1992
CIF-SS Div. VIII CHAMPION (def. San Marino 28-7)
1984
CIF-SS Central RUNNER-UP (lost to Fullerton 17-7)
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
La Mirada beat Mayfair 40-14 on the road on Friday, October 30, its 2nd straight win.
Season complete at 7-3 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.
LM — 2026 OVERALL AVERAGES
SPLIT
GP
PPG
OPP PPG
YPG
OPP YPG
PLAYS/G
OPP PLAYS/G
OVERALL
10
30.7
24.8
300.8
326.9
48.0
48.7
HOME
5
29.6
21.6
304.5
301.2
36.5
45.2
ROAD
5
31.8
28.0
298.3
359.0
55.7
53.0
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 (offense 5/10, defense 9/10, sacks/INT 7/10, sacks allowed 9/10, turnovers 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 35.9/100 (-43 yds/gm vs average)
Rush Offense: grade 52.3/100 (-5 yds/gm vs average)
Pass Defense: grade 34.0/100 (+19 yds/gm vs average)
Rush Defense: grade 63.8/100 (-31 yds/gm vs average)
Unit grades: 0-100 league percentile, adjusted for the opponents faced.
LAST YEAR
LM finished 2025 at 4-7. Made the playoffs (1 postseason game(s) on file; exact round/result not available). Notable win: 24-21 over TROY (TROY finished 83% that season). Toughest loss: 5-17 to TESORO (12-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)
LM HAS PERFORMED BEST THIS DATA SET WHEN...
• LM holds its opponents under 100 rushing yards (.999), and has won 7 straight when doing so
• LM holds its opponents under 7.0 yards per play (.769), and has won 6 straight when doing so
• LM holds its opponents under 5.0 yards per carry (.778), and has won 6 straight when doing so
• LM forces 1+ takeaways (.600), but most recently lost to La Serna when doing so
• LM's defense has averaged 0.0 takeaways per game over their last 3 games. Their 30-game average is 1.4 takeaways per game. (-100%)
• LM holds its opponents under 7.3 yards per play (LM's own median) (.769)
• LM's offense has averaged 2.0 giveaways per game over their last 3 games. Their 30-game average is 1.4 giveaways per game. (+46%)
• LM holds its opponents under 141.5 rushing yards (LM's own median) (.692)
• LM's defense has averaged 292.5 pass yards per game over their last 5 games. Their 26-game average is 206.9 pass yards per game. (+41%)
• LM's offense has averaged 186.4 pass yards per game over their last 10 games. Their 26-game average is 136.8 pass yards per game. (+36%)
• LM holds its opponents under 7.7 yards per attempt (LM's own median) (.615)
• LM holds its opponents under 205.0 passing yards (LM's own median) (.615)
• LM is 8-3 (.727) when it wins the turnover battle
• LM averages 5.7+ yards per play (LM's own median) (.615)
• LM's defense has averaged 107.1 rush yards per game over their last 10 games. Their 26-game average is 158.2 rush yards per game. (-32%)
LM's defense has averaged 0.0 takeaways per game over their last 3 games. Their 30-game average is 1.4 takeaways per game. (-100%)
LM's defense has averaged 292.5 pass yards per game over their last 5 games. Their 26-game average is 206.9 pass yards per game. (+41%)
LM's defense has averaged 107.1 rush yards per game over their last 10 games. Their 26-game average is 158.2 rush yards per game. (-32%)
LM's defense has averaged 4.4 YPC over their last 10 games. Their 26-game average is 6.2 YPC. (-30%)
LM's defense has averaged 11.4 YPA over their last 7 games. Their 26-game average is 9.5 YPA. (+20%)
(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 LA MIRADA sits among 399 section teams on the two Unit Index composites -- Offense Grade 47.4, Defense Grade 54.2.
RUSH YARDS / GAME: LA MIRADA VS THE SECTION
LA MIRADA ranks #331 of 356 section teams in rushing yards per game (59.0) -- a weakness worth a look.
LA MIRADA: SP STRENGTH INDEX BY SEASON
The program's index across 5 seasons on file -- 9.2 in 2022 to 10.7 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.
