High School Football Preview: Costa Mesa vs. Western

Costa Mesa vs. Western

When/where: Friday, 7 p.m. at Western High

Key Mustangs: Sr. RB/LB Oronde Crenshaw; Sr. WR/LB Quinton Bell; Sr. OL/DL Marco Zalpa; Sr. TE/DL Joseph Quiroz.

Key Pioneers: Sr. RB/LB Alex Ojelabi; Sr. RB/S Jeremiah Knott; Sr. RB/LB Frankie Jorquez.

Breakdown: The Mustangs will look to start out on a winning note, something they haven’t done in losing 11 straight season openers ... The last Costa Mesa team to win its opener was Coach Dave Perkins’ 2001 squad, which topped Saddleback, 39-13 .... Western defeated Costa Mesa, 10-0, in both teams’ season opener last year. Costa Mesa totaled just 82 yards in that contest ... The Mustangs have never beaten Western all-time. They’re 0-5-1 against the Pioneers, although the last time the teams played prior to last year was in 1999 ... Toby Howell was still the Pioneers’ coach back then. This is his 18th year at the helm.

— Matt Szabo