Week 9 High School Football Preview: Costa Mesa vs. Saddleback

When/where: 7 p.m. Friday at Costa Mesa High

Key Mustangs: Sr. G/DE Aruna Bijanjan; Jr. RB Bryan Hernandez; So. DE Erick Ibarra; Sr. LB Marcos Aguilar

Key Roadrunners: Sr. RB/DE Joseph Melgoza; Sr. WR/S Jaime Valdovinos; Jr. DE Kristian Valenzuela

Breakdown: This is the homecoming game for Costa Mesa, and the Mustangs appear to have their best chance to avoid an 0-10 season if they can beat Saddleback in the Orange Coast League game … Costa Mesa (0-8, 0-3 in league) lost to Calvary Chapel 36-10 last week at Segerstrom High, and the 10 points were actually a season-high for the Mustangs … Saddleback (1-7, 0-3), coming off a 45-0 loss to Santa Ana, picked up its only win on Sept. 13 when it blanked Century 8-0 … Both Costa Mesa and Saddleback failed to score against Santa Ana and Orange in league play … Costa Mesa has lost three of its last four league meetings with Saddleback, including last year’s 35-3 setback … The Mustangs conclude their season on Oct. 26 when they play at rival Estancia in the Battle for the Bell game.

[email protected]

Twitter: @mjszabo