Football Game Preview: Esperanza Aztecs vs. Brea Olinda Wildcats + Official Tickets

Esperanza is 1-8 against Brea Olinda since October of 2015 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Friday. The Aztecs will welcome the Wildcats at 7:00 p.m. Esperanza will be strutting in after a victory while Brea Olinda will be coming in after a loss.

Esperanza took a loss when they played away from home last Friday, but their home fans gave them all the motivation they needed on Friday. They snuck past Westminster with a 27-21 win. The victory continues a trend for the Aztecs in their matchups with the Lions: they've now won three in a row.

Esperanza didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off three passes before the game was over. The picks came courtesy of Eddie Matthews and Joseph Fields. Matthews got in on the action too, converting a pick into a touchdown.

Meanwhile, Brea Olinda fought the good fight in their overtime contest against Segerstrom on Friday but wound up with a less-than-desirable result. They took a 14-7 hit to the loss column at the hands of the Jaguars. The matchup marked the Wildcats' lowest-scoring game so far this season.

Esperanza will need to focus on slowing down Ryan Nero, one of several Brea Olinda players who made an impact when they last played. He picked up 122 receiving yards and one score. Nero was no stranger to the big play, cutting upfield on a catch that went for 66 yards.

Even if they lost, Brea Olinda's defense still kept up the pressure with five sacks. In that department, Nolan Santana was the leader with two. He also set a new season-high mark in total tackles with 14. Brea Olinda got some further help from Grant Ahn: he picked up a sack and made six total tackles (2.0 for loss).

Esperanza's win bumped their record up to 4-5. As for Brea Olinda, their defeat was their first in the league, dropping their league record down to 3-1 and their overall record down to 6-3.

Esperanza couldn't quite get it done against Brea Olinda in their previous matchup back in November of 2024 as they fell 36-29. Will the Aztecs have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other football content.