Eagles, Mesa collide

The commemorative “Greenbusters” T-shirts worn by Estancia High rooters for tonight’s Battle for the Bell football game against crosstown and Orange Coast League rival Costa Mesa, borrow the logo from the “Ghostbusters” movie.

But, unlike the catch phrase made famous by the movie’s theme song, there remains uncertainty around the answer to the question “Who you gonna call?”

Estancia Coach Mike Bargas is the man posing the query, as it relates to the availability of senior tailback Alex Abalos tonight at 7 at Estancia High.

But Costa Mesa head man Jeremy Osso is equally interested in the reply, as it figures to affect his defensive plans.

Abalos, who has 1,011 rushing yards and seven touchdowns for the Eagles (4-2), ranked No. 9 in the CIF Southern Section Southern Division, missed nearly three quarters of last week’s loss to Ocean View after injuring his left knee.

The severity of the injury was downgraded late in the week, but his status remains unclear, Bargas said Thursday.

“We’re going to start Sean Davis [at tailback],” said Bargas, who will likely need to see how Abalos warms up before deciding on whether he will play.

Osso said he has prepared for any scenario.

“We’re hearing [Abalos] is going to play and we expect nothing less,” Osso said. “But we’re preparing to play the Estancia team, not a certain player. And we expect them to run the same system, regardless of who is lined up in the backfield.”

The Eagles figure to need Newport-Mesa’s leading rusher. Without Abalos last week, the Estancia offense stalled in a 20-10 setback to Ocean View.

“He’s a different back than whoever else they might put back there,” Osso said of Abalos. “He’s shifty.”

Ocean View beat Costa Mesa (3-3), by a 27-3 margin on Oct. 2.

It’s the 43rd edition of the rivalry clash, in which Estancia holds a 24-17-1 series lead.

The Mustangs earned a 14-7 win last season, ending a four-game Estancia winning streak in the series and triggering a 4-0 league campaign.

Mesa shared the Orange Coast League title with Estancia in 2007.

“Whenever these teams come together, it’s always fun,” said Osso, who has been on both sides of the rivalry. A 1996 Estancia graduate, he played in two of the games (a win and a loss), and he was an assistant coach for four seasons at his alma mater. He was an assistant for four seasons at Mesa and is in his fourth as the Mustangs’ head coach.

“All my high school friends are from Estancia, so I get [teased] a lot,” Osso said.

Bargas said his team comes in with more humility, after having its four-game winning steak snapped against Ocean View.

“That was a stinging loss, so we have things to prove this week,” Bargas said. “We don’t have a false sense that we are a bunch of world-beaters.”

Both coaches have a healthy respect for one another’s personnel.

In addition to Abalos, Davis, a senior Newport Harbor transfer who starts at inside linebacker, and junior defensive end-tight end Omar Gutierrez, the Eagles’ only All-Newport-Mesa performer last season, have been consistent standouts. Gutierrez has 8.5 sacks this season and has 18.5 in his 16-game varsity career.

“Gutierrez jumps off the screen when you watch video,” Osso said. “He’s a great football player.”

Bargas had high praise for Mesa’s talented corps of skill players that include senior receiver-wing Brian Waldron, tailback Tyler Sheffner, receiver-wing Josh Erno, quarterback Todd Davis and receiver Luis Gomez.

“All of them are good athletes,” Bargas said. “We have to worry about everybody. Last year, it was stop [Antwon] Byrd and you were in pretty good shape. This year, they are spreading the wealth, so you have to play a complete game on defense.”

Todd Davis has helped the running game, Osso said. The senior has thrown for 715 yards and four touchdowns, completing 51 of 104 with just two interceptions.

Estancia quarterback Alek Kirshner has completed 35 of 71 for 353 yards and three TDs, with two interceptions.

Sheffner earned 175 of his 297 rushing yards last week in a 48-34 win over Century, while Erno has 265 yards on the ground this season.

Waldron (20 receptions for 333 yards) and Gomez (16 for 226) have been Davis’ primary targets.

Matt Carlyle (13 catches for 116 yards) and Alex Calabrese (12 for 107) are the Eagles’ leading receivers.