LA HABRA – La Habra scored touchdowns on all six of its first-half possessions to put the game out of reach by halftime in a 48-21 win over La Mirada in a nonleague football game Thursday at La Habra High.
The Highlanders will take a 4-1 record into their first Epsilon League game in two weeks. La Mirada is 1-4 going into its Gateway League opener in two weeks.
La Mirada cornerback Max Rankin hauls in a long pass for a touchdown against La Habra in a non-league football game at La Habra High School in La Habra on Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024. (Sam Gangwer, Contributing Photographer)
La Habra quarterback DJ Mitchell is lifted up after scoring a touchdown against La Mirada in a non-league football game at La Habra High School in La Habra on Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024. (Sam Gangwer, Contributing Photographer)
La Habra runningback Kevika Martinez scoots into the endzone for a touchdown against La Mirada in a non-league football game at La Habra High School in La Habra on Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024. (Sam Gangwer, Contributing Photographer)
La Habra running back Bobby Brooks is brought down after gaining some yards against La Mirada in a non-league football game at La Habra High School in La Habra on Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024. (Sam Gangwer, Contributing Photographer)
La Habra quarterback Kenneth Saucedo breaks through the line on a keeper play against La Mirada in a non-league football game at La Habra High School in La Habra on Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024. (Sam Gangwer, Contributing Photographer)
La Habra wide receiver Blake Rogers hauls in a pass against La Mirada in a non-league football game at La Habra High School in La Habra on Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024. (Sam Gangwer, Contributing Photographer)
La Habra head coach Frank Mazzotta talks to his players during Thursdays game against La Mirada in a non-league football game at La Habra High School in La Habra on Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024. (Sam Gangwer, Contributing Photographer)
La Habra quarterback Kenneth Saucedo, right, breaks away for a large gain against La Mirada in a non-league football game at La Habra High School in La Habra on Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024. (Sam Gangwer, Contributing Photographer)
La Habra quarterback DJ Mitchell breaks out for several yards on a keeper play against La Mirada in a non-league football game at La Habra High School in La Habra on Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024. (Sam Gangwer, Contributing Photographer)
La Habra runningback Bobby Brooks scores on a short run against La Mirada in a non-league football game at La Habra High School in La Habra on Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024. (Sam Gangwer, Contributing Photographer)
La Habra defensive end Ulavai Fetuli, number 11, is tackled after making an interception against La Mirada in a non-league football game at La Habra High School in La Habra on Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024. (Sam Gangwer, Contributing Photographer)
La Habra runningback Kevika Martinez breaks away for a gain against La Mirada in a non-league football game at La Habra High School in La Habra on Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024. (Sam Gangwer, Contributing Photographer)
La Mirada quarterback Santino Garcia keeps the ball and gains some yards against La Habra in a non-league football game at La Habra High School in La Habra on Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024. (Sam Gangwer, Contributing Photographer)
La Mirada quarterback Santino Garcia scrambles away from La Habra defenders in a non-league football game at La Habra High School in La Habra on Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024. (Sam Gangwer, Contributing Photographer)
La Mirada quarterback Santino Garcia falls across the goal line to score a touchdown against La Habra in a non-league football game at La Habra High School in La Habra on Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024. (Sam Gangwer, Contributing Photographer)
La Mirada wide receiver Jordan Lauago, number 25, is brought down after making a catch against L Habra in a non-league football game at La Habra High School in La Habra on Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024. (Sam Gangwer, Contributing Photographer)
The nearly full moon rises behind the bleachers during the La Habra and La Mirada football game at La Habra High School in La Habra on Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024. (Sam Gangwer, Contributing Photographer)
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La Mirada cornerback Max Rankin hauls in a long pass for a touchdown against La Habra in a non-league football game at La Habra High School in La Habra on Thursday, Sept. 19, 2024. (Sam Gangwer, Contributing Photographer)
La Habra sophomore quarterback DJ Mitchell completed 11 of 15 passes for 115 yards and a touchdown. He rushed for 158 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries.
Mitchell shares quarterback time with senior Kenny Saucedo, who completed all five of his passes for 53 yards and a touchdown and rushed for 93 yards. Saucedo, who also plays safety, had a fourth-quarter interception.
Bobby Brooks ran for two touchdowns for La Habra as did Kevika Martinez. Blake Rogers and Ulavai Fetuli had touchdown receptions for the Highlanders. Fetuli also had an interception.
La Habra junior linebacker Noah Barajas had two sacks.
Postgame with La Habra sophomore QB DJ Mitchell who passed for 115 yards and a TD and rushed for 158 yards and a TD in a 48-21 win over La Mirada… pic.twitter.com/AbowaHTcvC
La Mirada junior quarterback Santino Garcia completed 16 of 28 passes for 213 yards and a touchdown. Garcia also rushed for a touchdown. Jordan Lauago scored on a 60-yard run.
After that great first half the Highlanders were not nearly as efficient or productive. They went three-and-out on their first possession of the second half, later failed to convert on fourth down, lost the ball on a fumble and punted again.
La Habra coach Frank Mazzotta, the team’s head coach since 1998, said he saw it coming. La Habra and La Mirada are neighborhood rivals which led to some unsportsmanlike penalties and personal foul calls during the contest.
“It got sloppy,” he said. “This is a weird game. It’s the local teams playing, they all know each other and it turned a little bit into a backyard brawl.”
Martinez scored on an 8-yard run just 1:54 into the game. The point-after attempt failed, pretty much the only Highlanders error of the first half, leaving them with a 6-0 lead.
Brooks scored on a 5-yard run, Martinez scored on a 3-yard run, Mitchell threw a 13-yard touchdown pass to Rogers, Saucedo threw an 8-yard touchdown pass to Fetuli after Fetuli had made his interception, and Mitchell scored on a 6-yard run with 15 seconds left in the second quarter for a 41-14 halftime lead.
Brooks added a 25-yard touchdown run in the third quarter to make it 48-14.
Garcia a few minutes later connected with Max Rankin on a 68-yard touchdown pass, a well-thrown deep ball that hit Rankin in stride .
La Habra, No. 17 in the Orange County Top 25, plays its first game in the new Epsilon League on Oct. 3 at home against El Dorado.
Mazzotta said the Highlanders, who dominated the Freeway League for years, winning 16 league championships in the past 17 years, are looking forward to the challenge of the new group.
“We’ve got to get better at everything,” Mazzotta said. “We’ve got some great quarterbacks in our league. We’ve got to get better at the (defensive) back end and we’ve got to get better at catching the football and making those plays.”
La Mirada opens Gateway League play on Oct. 4 with a home game against Downey.
