Coachella Valley, Yucca Valley rise in Week 7 football power rankings

Another week is in the books, and this week was probably the least eventful in terms of shaking up these rankings. But that doesn't mean that the week's high school football games were uneventful. Desert Hot Springs and Yucca Valley won in blowouts, La Quinta lost to a very good team and Coachella V

What is the story about?

Another week is in the books, and this week was probably the least eventful in terms of shaking up these rankings.

But that doesn't mean that the week's high school football games were uneventful.

Desert Hot Springs and Yucca Valley won in blowouts, La Quinta lost to a very good team and Coachella Valley won its first game of the season, over Indio, in a Bell Game victory that could launch the Arabs onto a win streak.

The team records almost seem meaningless at this point because we know which teams are the best in the valley through six weeks. At least we think we know. Here's our latest take on the 14 teams in the valley and how we believe they stack up.

1. Palm Desert

No change here. The Aztecs (3-2) stay in the top spot following a week off heading into Desert

Empire League play. They'll face Rancho Mirage this week in a game that should be competitive. Based on the challenging non-league schedule, Palm Desert looks like the slight favorite in that matchup.

2. La Quinta

Some will not understand the Blackhawks (1-4) in the 2 spot, but that's OK. La Quinta's only win came against Yucca Valley, but this group has played four very good teams closely in losses. When we've seen the Blackhawks play, we were impressed by their play on the lines under center and on defense, in particular, and those are the areas that we think matter most.

La Quinta quarterback Mason Flores (12) runs the ball against Central in the third quarter in La Quinta, Calif., on Friday, Sept. 18, 2026.

3. Desert Christian Academy

Another team coming off a bye week, the Conquerors (5-0) have blown out all five opponents this season. They competition hasn't been as tough as Palm Desert and La Quinta have faced but DCA also played Yucca Valley and won as handily as La Quinta in that matchup, so we feel that this spot is appropriate. The level of competition gets bumped up a bit this week against Ontario Christian.

4. Rancho Mirage

Coming off a bye week, the Rattlers (4-1) can make a huge statement this week in the game against Palm Desert. Rancho Mirage beat Desert Hot Springs in its previous game, coming back from down 16. So, there's some momentum for this group that makes them a bit of a sleeper, in our opinion.

5. Desert Hot Springs

The Golden Eagles (4-2) rebounded from that loss to Rancho Mirage with a 48-0 win over AB Miller last Friday. Say what you will about the opponent, but rebounding from a devastating loss to shut out an opponent on the road is quite impressive. At least in our opinion.

6. Yucca Valley

The Trojans are now on a two-game win streak after a 63-3 win over Twentynine Palms in the Bell Game. This group is now just 2-4, but the schedule has included tough games against La Quinta, Rancho Mirage and Desert Christian Academy. The Trojans have now beaten Xavier Prep and Twentynine Palms by a combined score of 86-11.

7. Palm Springs

That Indians defense has been a work in progress this season, but Palm Springs (2-3) has a been dynamic at times on offense this season. This week the Indians are at Xavier Prep, and it's an important one.

8. Xavier Prep

The Saints should be at full strength heading into DEL play, and while just 1-4 so far this season there's a lot of talent to like on this team. We'll see how they matchup this Friday against Palm Springs.

9. Shadow Hills

The Knights (1-4) are off to a concerning start this season, and a 42-6 loss to Valley View following a bye isn't encouraging. Still, there's talent on this team and a win this week against a La Quinta squad nursing some injuries would be huge for the Knights.

10. Coachella Valley

Here's a team that could be surging now after a big Bell Game win over Indio on Friday. While it was just the first win of the season for the Arabs (1-4), Coachella Valley played Palm Springs and Rancho Mirage close and the Arabs have battled through some big injuries and some mid-season coaching turnover. After what we saw on Friday, there's no reason to believe that Coachella Valley can't enter the Desert Valley League slate in a couple weeks on a win streak.

Coachella Valley's Victor Sanchez celebrates a win after the bell game in Thermal, Calif., Friday, Sept. 25, 2026.

11. Indio

Last Friday's 28-7 loss to Coachella Valley hurts, and not just because of the loss and the Bell Game win streak that continued for the Arabs. Star senior Damian Durinzi left the game early with a right knee injury and didn't return. Durinzi had already scored a touchdown and intercepted a pass and he also punts and returns kicks, so his absence, if extended, could be devastating for the 3-3 Rajahs.

12. Desert Mirage

The Rams (4-1) are off to the best start in school history, so why aren't they higher in these rankings? Well, the strength of schedule is why. The Rams haven't played a tough scheduled, so it's difficult to know just how good this group is against local teams. A matchup against Coachella Valley next week will give us a better idea.

13. Twentynine Palms

The 63-3 loss to Yucca Valley soured us a bit on a Wildcats (2-4) team that had beaten Big Bear a week earlier. But there's still hope for this team to get into the postseason in the Sun Valley League.