Our 2023 high school football predictions: MVPs, league champs and more

It's that time of year when every high school football fan thinks they know everything about the upcoming high school football season.

Welcome to the week before the 2023 high school football season begins in the Coachella Valley.

Sports reporter Andrew John and sports columnist Shad Powers have been out to visit the teams in the valley in recent weeks, and we think we have enough information to make our annual preseason predictions.

As we've said in the past, consider this your one-stop shop for you, the reader, to ignite your ire and disdain for your local paper's high school football coverage. We're really putting our necks out here, because the truth is that none of us have a magic eight-ball. This is all just a best guess and we've been wrong and right a decent amount in the past.

So, let's get right to it.

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DEL offensive player of the year

Give us a favorite and a sleeper.

Andrew: Palm Springs running back Jordan Johnson is my pick. La Quinta running back Aiden Nsubuga may be the best returning offensive player in the DEL and certainly the top running back. He rushed for 1,575 yards and 16 touchdowns last season. But I simply don't think that his team or his offensive line will be as good this season, and those two factors may be enough to prevent Nsubuga from winning this award.

On the other hand, Johnson is a young star who will be running behind a massive offensive line that should dominate. I expect Palm Springs to be one of the top teams in the league this season and to have a powerful run game, which is why I think the sophomore running back has a good chance to win this.

A sleeper? Give me Shadow Hills running back JoJo Diaz. I think the Knights will be a top-three team in the DEL, and if that happens I think the junior running back will play a big role. He's a solid runner who will get plenty of touches this season.

Shad: I'll roll with Nsubuga. He churned up all those yards and touchdowns last year despite sharing carries. In 2023 he'll be the classic workhorse back for the Blackhawks. He told me he's stronger and faster than he was last year and is excited to take on the extra load. I think he's in a position to hit 2,000 yards and if he does, I think he'll be a shoo-in for the offensive player of the year, particularly with so many fresh faces at quarterback around the league this year.

For a sleeper, I'll also look to Shadow Hills, but I'll go with their quarterback Greg Hollis III. He's back after his tumultuous 2022 that included leaving the team early in the season. He's rejuvenated, has something to prove and it appears he has already regained the trust of his teammates. I think he'll play with an edge, he has a talented group of receivers, and new coach David Palmer emphasizes the passing game more than his predecessors.

DVL offensive player of the year

Give us a favorite and a sleeper.

Andrew: Coachella Valley running back Aaron Ramirez should be the favorite. All eyes will be on Ramirez this season, from the moment he steps onto the field at Xavier Prep in the first game of the season. Can he continue to shred opposing defenses when teams game-plan for him? I think he'll find a way. Ramirez ran for 1,873 yards and 30 touchdowns in nine games last season, with teams aiming to stop him, and I think he'll be just as good this year.

I also like Yucca Valley quarterback Michael Ramos, Jr., who can't exactly be called a sleeper here because he accounted for a whopping 42 touchdowns (34 passing, eight rushing) in 10 games last season. Ramos has all of his playmakers back and should have another big season.

Shad: I'll go with Andrew's "sleeper" Ramos as my choice. In a way, the winner of the Yucca Valley vs. Coachella Valley game may also determine who wins the league's offensive player of the year award, but Ramos has all of his weapons back and has swagger about him that I like. Now that he's a junior, I don't think he's going to see too many defensive schemes he hasn't seen before. This team has designs on averaging 40-plus points this year and I think they could do it.

For a DVL offensive sleeper it's hard to get away from Yucca Valley and Coachella Valley with such explosive offenses, but I'll take a big swing and say keep an eye out for Christian Davis of Desert Hot Springs. A transfer from Beaumont, he will be a primary ballcarrier in the Golden Eagles' versatile running game under new coach Roy Provost. He could put up some big numbers as DHS is assembling a potentially potent offense.

DEL defensive player of the year

Give us a favorite and a sleeper.

Andrew: Shadow Hills linebacker Jermiah Peffers is my favorite. I think the Knights will be among the most-improved teams in the valley this season and they should again have a strong defense. Head coach David Palmer is a defensive guy and in Peffers he has the perfect playmaker in the middle of the field. It's a recipe for success.

My sleeper is Abel Flores, a senior linebacker at Rancho Mirage. He led the league in tackles last season and his game is easy to like. My second sleeper, though it feels silly calling him that, is Palm Desert senior Dawson Johnson. He's crazy talented and should be so much better this year as a senior.

Shad: I'm also a Peffers fan, but I'll go with Dawson Johnson at Palm Desert and yes it is silly to call him a sleeper. Ha! Johnson transformed his body during the offseason to move from defensive back into a linebacker role. His combination of speed and size will enable him to go side to side and just make all the tackles for the Aztecs. He should rack up some pretty big numbers and will be counted on heavily as a leader as well.

For a sleeper I'll go with Kyle Hill from Xavier Prep. Like Dawson, this athletic defensive end has five Division 1 scholarship offers, and he wants to show out this year after being sidelined last year with an injury. I expect Hill to find at least 15 sacks and if he can lift the Saints near a league title, he might get some DPOY nods.

DVL defensive player of the year

Give us a favorite and a sleeper.

Andrew: Yucca Valley's Javin Hudson. Hudson was the 2022 DVL defensive player of the year, and while it may be difficult to repeat I do like his chances. Hudson is arguably the best all-around athlete in the DVL, with size, speed and strength to make plays all over the field. I would caution opposing quarterbacks about throwing his direction.

My sleeper pick here is Indio's Cristhian Orozco. If the Rajahs have another great year on the defensive side of the ball, Orozco will be a big reason why.

Shad: I have to go with the best defense in the league that returns almost all of its stars and that's Indio. You mentioned Orozco, who is a great candidate, I'll go with his defensive line mate Miguel Saldana. Saldana, also a top wrestler, is just a problem in so many ways for opponents. He is particularly adept in stuffing the running game, and his football IQ always has him in the right position and he plays with a fire and a confidence that I love. Others might have more tackles or more sacks, but few have as big an overall impact. For a sleeper I'll stay with the Rajahs and go with linebacker Jordan Ramirez-Gomez. He'll be the middle linebacker for Indio scooping up whatever tackles are left behind the defensive line.

Which valley team will make the deepest playoff run?

Andrew: Yucca Valley. I really don't care for this question because playoff success often comes down to matchups and division placement. But my best guess is Yucca Valley because I know that the Trojans have a ton of talent on both sides of the ball, will likely not play in a very high division and they have a chip on their shoulders over how abruptly last season ended.

Shad: Yucca Valley certainly is a logical choice. And this is always a tough one to predict. The correct answer last year was La Quinta, a team that hadn't won a league game in years. I'm going to take a chance on Indio. They got a taste of playoff action last year and lost an agonizing nail-biter. This year I think they are better equipped to win postseason games.

Which player isn't a household name but will be after this season?

Andrew: Johnson, the Palm Springs running back. It's rare for a freshman to start on the football field at Palm Springs High School. Most who manage to do it become truly special players. Add Johnson to that group.

Johnson started last season as a freshman, playing both running back and some linebacker. Coaches and teammates were impressed with his maturity and ability to not be overwhelmed when on the field. This season, expect the speedy, physical sophomore to handle the bulk of the carries behind what should be a stout offensive line.

Shad: I think this is a deep category this year because there are so few returning skill position players across the desert that there will be tons of new breakout stars. Someone to keep an eye on is Derek Calderon, the new quarterback at Coachella Valley. With defenses keying on Ramirez, don't be surprised if Calderon, who likes to throw it deep, doesn't have a stuffed stat line.

Two bold predictions for the season:

Andrew: 1. Coachella Valley’s Aaron Ramirez will rush for 2,500 yards. He lost some key players on his offensive line, but I think he will still have an even better season than he did last year as a sophomore. He's stronger, faster and more experienced, his coach says. He also has even more talent around him, it could be argued, and that won't allow teams to stack the box to stop him.

If he were to eclipse even 2,000 yards this season, Ramirez would become the first player in school history to do it in a single season.

2. Yucca Valley will finish the regular season unbeaten. I can't say that the Trojans will for sure make a deep postseason run, but I think they'll dominate everyone on their schedule, except for Coachella Valley, during the regular season.

Shad: 1. After a year in which the DVL collected a grand total of zero playoff wins, my bold prediction is that this year DVL teams will combine for six playoff wins. Not sure who or how many, but when the dust settles, there will be multiple playoff wins to go around. I think more than one DVL team has a chance at a deep playoff run based on their talent level and what divisions they might be placed in.

2. After a dozen years, the Victory Bell will make its way back to Indio. Coachella Valley has had a stranglehold on the annual rivalry game and has another great team, but Indio has been inching closer and they have an added layer of confidence this year to go with the same stout defense. Last year's game was 13-10 in favor of Coachella Valley. I could see Indio doing enough to finally tip it back to the Rajahs for the first time since 2011.

Projected DEL standings

Andrew's prediction:

1. Palm Springs, 4-1

T2. Shadow Hills, 3-2

T2. Xavier Prep, 3-2

T4. Palm Desert, 2-3

T4. Rancho Mirage, 2-3

6. La Quinta, 1-4

Palm Springs is my pick to win the DEL because I like their big, physical offensive line and the runners who'll be carrying the ball behind it. The Indians have the talent to again have the best defense in the league as well.

Shadow Hills will also have one of the top defenses, with a star in the middle, and I like their offensive line, too. They'll also have one of the best quarterback, running back and receiver trios in the DEL.

Xavier Prep and Rancho Mirage are each loaded with athletes, and if they can stay healthy and get consistency at quarterback, they too could be in the DEL title mix. The Rattlers will have a bit more of a challenge because they are younger, collectively, than the Saints.

That I'm not anointing Palm Desert the favorites in the league this year is not a knock on the program or new head coach Rudy Forti, whom I believe will be successful at the school. But the Aztecs lost stars at quarterback and running back, a record-breaking receiver, an offensive lineman who is now playing at Oregon, another who was a first team all-league performer, and two Division I caliber defensive linemen, one of whom was the 2022 DEL defensive player of the year. Those losses will be difficult to overcome in one offseason.

Like the Aztecs, the Blackhawks have a ton of key losses to account for this year. They return one of the most electric players in the valley at running back, but they’ll need to find replacements for the league’s offensive player of the year and seven other all-league performers.

Shad's prediction:

1. Shadow Hills, 5-0

2. Palm Springs, 4-1

T3. Xavier Prep, 2-3

T3. La Quinta, 2-3

T4. Palm Desert, 1-4

T4. Rancho Mirage, 1-4

More than any year in its existence, I have to say the Desert Empire League is fully up for grabs. I feel like you could make a case for all six teams finishing first, last or in the middle, but I feel like the Knights with the only QB returning with a lot of experience, an offense with a nice balance of run and pass and its usual lockdown defense has the best collection of known commodities on which to base a prediction.

I think Palm Springs will be able to move the ball on the ground behind its impressive line. The other four are hard to separate for me. They all have similar challenges, new quarterbacks looking to gain confidence in the pre-DEL season to be ready to lead when the closing five games arrive. I give La Quinta and Xavier Prep the slight edge with some offensive playmakers returning. Palm Desert may be able to lean on its pedigree and culture of winning, but with so many key losses, I'll have to see it to believe it. I feel like Rancho Mirage is due to rise back up the DEL list, and QB Ty Hershberger does have some starting experience, which in this year's DEL is a rarity. If any of these four teams jump and claim the third-place spot I wouldn't be surprised at all.

Projected DVL standings

Andrew's prediction:

1. Yucca Valley, 7-0

2. Coachella Valley, 6-1

3. Indio, 5-2

T4. Desert Hot Springs, 3-4

T4. Twentynine Palms, 3-4

T6. Cathedral City, 2-5

T6. Banning, 2-5

8. Desert Mirage, 0-7

While injuries could certainly affect this, I feel fairly confident about how things will shake out in the DVL this year.

Yucca Valley returns a group of stars, including the league's offensive player of the year and the league's defensive player of the year. I believe the league title will come down to the Coachella Valley game at Yucca Valley. Both teams are stacked with talent.

Indio and Desert Hot Springs will be the third and fourth best teams in the league. The Rajahs lost a ton of talent and experience but have the coaching staff and confidence to remain competitive. The Golden Eagles, I believe, will be among the most improved teams in the valley this season.

Shad's prediction:

1. Yucca Valley, 7-0

2. Indio, 6-1

3. Coachella Valley, 5-2

4. Desert Hot Springs, 3-4

5. Twentynine Palms, 2-5

T-6. Cathedral City, 1-6

T-6. Desert Mirage, 1-6

T-6. Banning, 1-6

Last year, all three games between the DVL's "Big Three" of Yucca Valley, Coachella Valley and Indio were nail-biters with final scores 40-39, 28-23 and 13-10. So make sure to catch all of them again this year. I think Yucca Valley has the edge heading into the season, but if either the Arabs or the Rajahs upended them, it wouldn't stun me.

Also look for the rise of Desert Hot Springs and a league win or two from Desert Mirage, the Rams' first DVL victory since 2018.

Andrew John covers sports in the Coachella Valley for The Desert Sun and the USA TODAY Network. Email him at andrew.john@desertsun.com.

Sports columnist Shad Powers covers sports for The Desert Sun. Email him at shad.power@desertsun.com.

This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: 2023 high school football predictions: MVPs, league champs and more