Gabrielino High School will host El Monte Thursday at 7 p.m. in a game that will decide the Mission Valley League championship. Gabrielino is aiming for its first league title in 25 years and its first CIF bid since 2013, while El Monte, a perennial powerhouse, looks to reclaim the league crown for the first time since 2019.

Last season, Gabrielino and El Monte met in a competitive matchup. Gabrielino led 14–7 at halftime but gave up 21 unanswered points in the second half, losing 28–14. Gabrielino finished with a 4–6 record, while El Monte went 7–5 and reached the second round of CIF before falling to Lynwood High School.

El Monte enters this year’s game at 7–2 overall and 5–0 in league, while Gabrielino holds the same overall record but is 4–1 in league, having suffered a key loss to Arroyo.

Head Coach Lou Gutierrez identified three keys to beating El Monte: “do your job, stop the big plays, and run our offense.”

Team captain Brian Benitez added that the team must “execute and have fun.”

Last week, El Monte defeated rival South El Monte by a score of 38–21, jumping out to a 28–7 halftime lead.

Gabrielino, meanwhile, dominated Marshall 61–0, with many starters resting by the second quarter. The Eagles recorded four rushing touchdowns and four passing touchdowns, with strong showings from both starters and backups.

Gabrielino’s lone league loss came two weeks ago against Arroyo, a setback that added pressure heading into their win over Marshall. The team responded with one of its most complete performances of the season, showing depth on both sides of the ball.

Gabrielino will need to limit mistakes, stop explosive plays, and rely on its balanced offense to match El Monte’s physicality and experience. With playoff implications and school history on the line, tonight’s matchup promises to be one of the biggest in recent Gabrielino football history.