Santa Ana High School principal Jeff Bishop said his school’s football team and its students were the target of provocative and racially insensitive signs when it played at Aliso Niguel High School on Friday night.

Bishop posted on Facebook that in and around Aliso Niguel’s on-campus stadium he saw posters that included offensive comments, including “Build the Wall,” a reference to President Donald Trump’s campaign promise that a wall would be built on the United States-Mexico border if he was elected. It is a phrase often repeated by crowds at the president’s rallies.

“Build the Wall” has been evaluated to be anti-Hispanic by many who object to Trump’s aggressive immigration statements and policy. Santa Ana’s student body is predominantly Hispanic, while Aliso Niguel’s student body is predominantly white.

After Aliso Niguel won the game 42-21, Bishop posted comments on Facebook late Friday night that praised the Santa Ana team and its coaches for how they handled the situation: “It would have been easy to blame the racist welcome the ‘Saints’ received as they walked into the stadium and read the posters referencing – Trump, ‘We love White,’ ‘Build the Wall’ and various other politically and racially-charged statements.”

Bishop acknowledged Saturday that he did not clearly see the wording of the signs.

“Up on the bleachers, way up on the walls in the corners of the bleachers,” Bishop said, “there was something about Trump. That alone made me think, ‘What is this, a football game or a political rally?’ ”

Aliso Niguel principal Deni Christensen said Saturday she saw two signs her assistant principals removed.

“They were two political signs,” she said. “One said ‘Bring back Obama’ and one said ‘We’re going to Trump you.’ ”

Christensen said a “Trump 2020” sign later was removed. Christensen said she and other Aliso Niguel administrators did not see a “Build the Wall” sign and found no other signs that were of a political or potentially insensitive nature in or near the stadium.

“But it’s not outside the realm of possibility that there were students in the parking lot with signs we did not see,” Christensen said.

Aliso Niguel officials designated Friday’s game as a “Red, White and Blue” theme for the school’s students. Christensen said the theme was to commemorate the upcoming anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks.

Bishop was dismayed that Aliso Niguel’s student section chanted “USA … USA” after Aliso Niguel scored its first touchdown.

“They’re chanting ‘USA’ like it’s a game against another country, like it’s against Germany or against Mexico,” Bishop said.

Bishop met with Christensen at halftime of Friday’s game.

“I told her ‘You’re playing Americans. You’re playing ‘Dreamers,’ ” Bishop said. ” ‘I don’t understand the USA pride thing when you score. And if I hear it one more time, I am walking off the field with the team.’ ”

Christensen said the game’s theme was not created for political statement.

“But we do understand what people may have felt,” she said. “We have deep respect for Santa Ana High School. We will continue to look into things Monday to further evaluate our event.”

Bishop lives about a mile from the Aliso Niguel campus. He said he plans to attend the next Capistrano Unified School District board meeting to express his thoughts.

“I’m not going to the meeting as a principal,” Bishop said. “I’m going as a resident.”

Friday’s game was the first of a two-year arrangement for the schools to play each other in football. The Aliso Niguel-Santa football game in 2019 will be Santa Ana’s home game.