Costa Mesa football preview

Costa Mesa (0-1) vs. Santiago (0-0)

When/Where: Tonight, 7 at Garden Grove High

Key Mustangs: Sr. RB-CB Mario Smith (136 yards rushing, one TD); Sr. QB-S Nathan Alvis (131 yards passing, one TD, one INT); Sr. CB Marcus Hayes (one INT).

Key Cavaliers: Soph. QB Richard Sagastume; Sr. RB Andrew Huk; Sr. LB Fausto Tajimaroa.

Breakdown: After a competitive effort in last week’s 34-13 loss at Buena Park, Costa Mesa looks for its first victory in the nonleague game against Santiago … Santiago, ranked No. 8 in the CIF Southern Section Southern Division, finished 4-6 last year, and in fifth place in the six-team Garden Grove League … Like Costa Mesa, the Cavaliers have a first-year head coach in Brandon Croft … Costa Mesa lost last year’s nonleague game to Santiago, 26-21, despite nearly rallying from a 19-point deficit … The Mustangs also lost to Santiago in the first round of the Southern Division playoffs in both 2008 and 2009.

—Matt Szabo