Coachella Valley's playoff run ends just shy of title game in 42-28 loss to Cerritos
For the first part of Friday’s game against Cerritos High School in the Division 12 semifinals, it appeared that Coachella Valley players were just waiting for Aaron Ramirez to save them. The Arabs’ star running back had done it before during the Arabs’ unforgettable season.
Then, in the second half of a 42-28 loss to Cerritos, he nearly did it again, with some help from Mikey Rodriguez.
Ramirez and Rodriguez each scored twice in the second half, torching the Dons with big plays on the ground and in the passing and return game. But despite a furious second-half rally, a 28-point halftime deficit proved to be just too big to overcome in a CIF Southern Section playoff loss that ended Coachella Valley’s season.
The loss spoiled what would’ve surely been one of the biggest games in the history of the Coachella Valley, between the Arabs and Yucca Valley, in the Division 12 title game, at Coachella Valley High. It would have been a rematch between the first- and second-place teams in the Desert Valley League. Yucca Valley won the first matchup, earlier this season.
It would have been the perfect end to a season that included two canceled games, for lightning and flooding, a trip to play in Las Vegas on little notice, and the school’s first trip to a CIF semifinal since 1968.
“This is going to hurt for a while,” Arabs head coach Bill Johnson said. “It’s tough going on the road consecutive weeks in the playoffs and winning. We needed to play better football at this level.”
While the Dons were not as athletic as the Arabs, they were physical, and they put together a perfect game plan to beat Coachella Valley. With a power rushing attack and an offense that likes to take chunks of time off the clock, Cerritos (8-5) scored on the third drive of the game to take the early lead. The Dons then forced Coachella Valley to play from behind, with desperation.
The Arabs (10-2) knew that was the Dons’ game plan, but Coachella Valley didn’t count on their own offense helping Cerritos execute it. Coachella Valley quarterback Derek Calderon threw an interception that was returned for a touchdown in the first half, then fumbled near the end zone to set Cerritos up for another score.
Cerritos took a four-touchdown lead into the intermission, but Coachella Valley still evidently had some fight remaining. Rodriguez, a junior receiver who had been vocally frustrated about not getting the ball enough in the first half, took the kickoff to open the second half and raced the length of the field for a touchdown.
After a 3-and-out possession from Cerritos, Ramirez quickly scored on an 8-yard run to make it 28-14.
“After the halftime speech that the coaches gave us,” Ramirez said, “we knew we weren’t going to just fold. We knew we were going to get back into this game and give ourselves a chance.”
Cerritos blew a 28-point lead last year against Colton and it began to feel like history would repeat itself, especially when Ramirez scored again, on a 30-yard touchdown catch to make it 28-21.
But Josh Park scored his third touchdown of the night for Cerritos on the ensuing drive and that was the game-winner. Coachella Valley scored again, when Rodriguez caught a 42-yard touchdown pass from Calderon, but Calderon also threw a pair of interceptions in the end zone late in the fourth quarter.
The Dons scored one more time, for good measure, and held on for the win.
“I can’t fully express right now how proud I am of this group and that we showed a lot of heart tonight to get back into this game,” Johnson said.
The moment
Midway through the fourth quarter, with Cerritos holding a seven-point lead, the Arabs stripped the ball and appeared to recover a fumble that would have positioned the Coachella Valley offense to tie the game. After a brief conversation between officials, the Dons’ ballcarrier was ruled down and Cerritos maintained possession.
Whether the ball carrier was indeed down or not is up for debate, but the call by the referees seemed to crush the Arabs’ spirits. The Coachella Valley defensive line had not allowed a running play of more than 20 yards until the next play, then Park scampered for 22 yards. The Dons eventually scored to increase the lead to 14 points late in the fourth quarter.
“I definitely didn’t think he was down,” said Coachella Valley defensive tackle Eduardo Flores, who was among those who tackled the ball carrier. “But the refs must’ve thought he was.”
The stars
Ramirez was, once again, the biggest star for the Arabs. He had topped 300 yards rushing in each of his first two playoff games this season, and while he didn’t do that again he finished with 177 yards rushing and 112 yards receiving, on eight catches, in the game. The Dons didn’t slow him; they merely forced him to find a different way to rack up yardage.
Rodriguez caught eight passes for 84 yards and a touchdown reception, with his other score coming on the kickoff return.
Sophomore Javi Oliva made three big tackles for the Arabs’ defense, which stopped 20 carries at or behind the line of scrimmage.
The takeaway
While this was a gut-wrenching loss for Coachella Valley, particularly given that they would have hosted the CIF title game with a win, it’s not the end of the line for this group. The Arabs will lose just 12 seniors and Ramirez, Rodriguez, Calderon and rising star Ivan Camargo, who was injured and didn’t play Friday, will return to lead the Arabs in 2024.
This playoff run will give them experience, and the way they lost should also given them a chip on their shoulders for next year.
“We’ll be back next year,” Ramirez said. “This isn’t the end. We’ll be back and even more motivated."
"It’s right back to work on Monday.”
*This story has been updated to correct a mistake crediting Ramirez for a 42-year touchdown catch instead of Rodriguez. We regret this error.
Andrew John covers sports in the Coachella Valley for The Desert Sun and the USA TODAY Network. Email him at andrew.john@desertsun.com.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Coachella Valley falls to Cerritos, 42-28, as second half rally falls short
