The historic California “Battle for the Bell” rivalry between the Costa Mesa Mustangs and Estancia Eagles entered its 56th chapter on Friday August 28, 2026. Coming into the matchup, the Eagles of Estancia had dominated this rivalry by riding a four-game winning streak and claiming victory in 11 of the previous 12 encounters. For Estancia, the annual showdown at Jim Scott Stadium was an opportunity to cement their neighborhood supremacy and open their season with an emotional statement while the Mustangs were trying to desperately rewrite history and put an end to their current four-game losing streak against the Eagles.

In the 2026 installment of the “Battle for the Bell,” Costa Mesa would indeed turn the tide in the rivalry by dominating Estancia  from start to finish. The Mustangs would score a rushing touchdown on their opening drive and not look back after that, as their offense kept their foot on the gas for the entirety of the game. Their offense racked up 437 total yards of offense and finished with six touchdowns to emphatically end their four-game losing streak against Estancia, by a final score of 41-7. The games’ MVP, Costa Mesa running back Gavin Garza showed out with an impressive 112 yards rushing and two touchdowns on the night. The “Battle for the Bell” is one of Orange County’s most iconic community traditions, tracing all the way back to 1966. Even with last night’s tough loss, Estancia continues to lead the all-time series.

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MVP

Gavin Garza
Costa Mesa

SCHOLAR ATHLETES

Daniel Escobar

Estancia

Daniel is an amazing student- athlete who has worked tirelessly to earn his right to be on the football field. His maximum effort on and off the field has created great success. Daniel is very focused on his studies and intends on taking more STEM classes in his Senior year to eventually attend a major four-year college to major in engineering. His humility and hard-working attitude have made him a worthy recipient.
Aidan Quintos

Costa Mesa

Aidan is a leader on and off the field. He has played Varsity football and baseball for the past 3 years and has still found a way to maintain a 4.5 GPA. rumor has it in math class, Aidan teaches the teachers. We are very proud of Aidan Quintos and no matter what he chooses to do in life he will be successful.

GAME SUMMARY