Costa Mesa Football Preview

Costa Mesa vs. Santiago

When/where: Thursday, 7 p.m. at Jim Scott Stadium

Key Mustangs: Jr. MLB/FB Oronde Crenshaw (18 tackles; 11 yards rushing); Sr. RB/CB Justin Smith (28 yards rushing; 13 tackles); Sr. QB Noah JeyaRajah (28 yards passing, 14 yards rushing).

Key Cavaliers: Jr. QB/SS Richard Sagastume; Sr. OL/DL Martin Bui; Sr. RB Jesus Padilla

Breakdown: The Mustangs (0-1) will try to rebound from a 10-0 season-opening loss to Western, while Thursday’s game is the nonleague season opener for Santiago ... Costa Mesa is expected to be without senior left guard Oscar Reyes, who broke his ankle prior to the Mustangs’ season opener ... Costa Mesa defeated Santiago, 42-7, last year behind 266 rushing yards ... The Mustangs also sacked Santiago’s returning quarterback, Sagastume, nine times in that contest ... Santiago leads the all-time series with Costa Mesa, 9-8, and had won five straight against the Mustangs before last year’s game ... Costa Mesa’s victory over Santiago last year began an eight-game winning streak.

— Matt Szabo