Well, there was bound to be a bit of a shakeup in these rankings after how Friday played out.
Both of the top teams in last weeks rankings lost on Friday, and No. 3, 4 and 5 in the rankings each improved to 3-0 on the season.
So does that mean we have a new No. 1 for the third consecutive week? You guessed it.
For what it's worth, La Quinta won't drop far because it wasn't a bad loss. Palm Desert won't drop too far, either, because even though the Aztecs were blown out on the road, it was against a really good team with multiple major Division I recruits.
But consider, for a moment, what Rancho Mirage, Desert Hot Springs and Desert Christian Academy are doing. They're each 3-0 and have certainly caught our attention. The Rattlers and Golden Eagles
are beating some quality opponents and the Conquerors are leaving no doubt with blowouts in each win.
So, where do they each fit in this week's rankings? Let's get into it.
1. Rancho Mirage
Yes, the Rattlers (3-0) jump Palm Desert and La Quinta to land the No. 1 spot this week. Why? Well, after beating Yucca Valley and Coachella Valley somewhat comfortably, the Rattlers went out and easily handled a Hemet team that blew out Palm Springs in the first game of the season. Why that matters is because after seeing Palm Springs on Friday, I think the Indians could actually be pretty good this season.
2. La Quinta
I'm sticking with La Quinta (1-1) ahead of Palm Desert, Desert Hot Springs and Desert Christian Academy, despite a 28-16 loss to a very good Citrus Valley (Redlands) team. That wasn't a bad loss, in our opinion, and La Quinta didn't look bad on both sides of the ball, despite the loss.
3. Palm Desert
This is where I think it gets tough. The Aztecs (1-2) lost, 43-0, on the road to a tough Victor Valley team. But is Victor Valley, while having some high-end talent, that much better than the Citrus Valley team that beat La Quinta? I don't think so, and La Quinta kept it close while Palm Desert did not. That said, I still think this Palm Desert team would beat Desert Hot Springs and Desert Christian Academy in a head-to-head.
4. Desert Hot Springs
I think the Golden Eagles (3-0) are looking like the favorite to win the Desert Valley League, and they're unbeaten entering this week's game against Granite Hills. Having seen this Desert Hot Springs team beat Xavier Prep, let me say that they've impressed me with their grit and toughness and the sense of togetherness that they already have early in the season. That carried weight with me.
5. Desert Christian Academy
I think the Conquerors could score a lot of points against several teams in the valley, but I'm still waiting to see how they play in a game that requires more physicality. This Saturday's game against Yucca Valley should be a lot of fun.
6. Palm Springs
Let me tell you, I really underestimated the Indians (2-1) to start the season. This team isn't on the same level as some other Desert Empire League teams, in my opinion, but I think this group is right up there as one of the most dynamic, offensively, in that league. They have a really exciting quarterback in Devin Session and about 3-4 receivers who are capable of torching an opposing defense. But they still need to improve on the offensive line, I think.
7. Shadow Hills
A loss last week to a solid Yucaipa team shouldn't worry first-year head coach Nick King too much, but that's two losses already this season by more than 20 points and that should at least be concerning. I think the Knights (1-2) will bounce back and will get better over the course of the season, but this week's game against Bishop Alemany won't be easy. Fortunately, these tough non-league games should benefit Shadow Hills later this season.
8. Xavier Prep
While an 0-3 start is less than ideal, not giving up last week in a 26-21 loss to Serrano should raise some eyebrows. I genuinely believe that this group is much more talented than they've shown and I think this team could be a sleeping giant in the DEL if they hang in there and keep getting better and get some key players back in time for league.
9. Coachella Valley
The Arabs (0-2) nearly came back to beat Palm Springs on Friday, as Coachella Valley ran for more than 350 yards in the loss. All-league quarterback Ivan Garza left the game in the third quarter with a hamstring injury, and his availability this week against Palo Verde Valley could be crucial.
10. Indio
We talked about Indio being back last week, going 2-0 for the first time since 2007. Then, back to reality this week. A 34-0 loss to Perris on Friday looks like a disaster, but perhaps a loss like that early in the season is a good thing for a group that is still learning that it needs to be dialed in each week to get consistent results.
11. Desert Mirage
The Rams are (checks notes) 3-0 and you can't tell me that it's not a big deal at Desert Mirage. Most impressively, the Rams have allowed just 14 points in three wins. Ten different players have scored touchdowns and I can't recall the last time Desert Mirage has had this momentum heading into Week 4.
12. Yucca Valley
The Trojans dropped to 0-3 this season with a 35-30 loss to Colton. It's not a bad loss, and it could be argued that Yucca Valley deserves to be higher on this list because of its schedule. Losses to Rancho Mirage and La Quinta show that the Trojans have played a tough schedule and it's clear that they have playmakers who can turn their season around quickly.
13. Cathedral City
I caught the Lions last Thursday and while its evident that they aren't one of the top teams in the valley I do like some of the players they have this season. This team is well-coached and they play hard and I think that makes them a dangerous group to play.
14. Twentynine Palms
Following a 49-6 loss to Lakeside, the Wildcats remain at 14 in these rankings. The non-league schedule gets tougher with games against Rubidoux, Yucca Valley and Big Bear on the horizon.
Andrew John covers sports and recreation in the Coachella Valley for The Desert Sun. Email him at andrew.john@desertsun.com. Find him on Instagram at @desertwriter.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: There's a new No. 1 atop our latest football power rankings | Exclusive
