All-Desert Sun football: A stacked group makes up our 2023 squad

The 2023 high school football season in the Coachella Valley was one of a kind. For the first time, four area teams reached the CIF Southern Section semifinals in their respective divisions. Just one, Yucca Valley, played in a championship game, but the year marked some of the best seasons in the history of some schools.

Rancho Mirage won an outright Desert Empire League title, becoming the first team to ever do that. Yucca Valley won an outright Desert Valley League title and reached the CIF-SS Division 12 title game, ultimately falling in overtime to Cerritos.

Coachella Valley reached the school's first CIF-SS semifinal since 1968, and Xavier Prep played in just the school's second semifinal in school history. Desert Hot Springs won nine games for the first time in school history, then won a playoff game for the first time. The Golden Eagles ultimately reached the CIF Division 14 semifinals before losing to St. Monica.

We can't forget that Desert Mirage won six games for just the second time in school history, marking a big year for the Rams.

Now, the only thing that is left is to cap the 2023 season with our All-Desert Sun team. Our writers who covered more than 50 games this season put their heads together and determined this squad, with some input from local coaches.

Offense

Quarterback: Yanni Padilla, Rancho Mirage, junior

Padilla didn’t start the season as the Rattlers’ starting quarterback, but he ended it as the DEL offensive player of the year. He surprised many teams with his ability to throw the ball deep, and his calm demeanor and poise under pressure was a catalyst to Rancho Mirage winning the DEL title outright.

Padilla, who stands 5-foot-11 and weighs 160 pounds, finished the season with 1,401 yards and 14 touchdowns, throwing just six interceptions, in eight games. He also ran for 191 yards and a pair of scores. He threw for 273 yards and three touchdowns in an overtime playoff loss to Sonora.

Running back: Aaron Ramirez, Coachella Valley, junior

Ramirez, who spins around and jukes defenders akin to Pro Football Hall of Famer Barry Sanders in his prime, rushed for a staggering 2,528 yards (seventh in the state) and 34 touchdowns this season while leading the Arabs to the CIF-SS Division 12 semifinals. His longest run was for 99 yards, and he averaged a whopping 13 yards per carry.

Only La Quinta’s Chris Toribio and Shadow Hills’ James Toland have rushed for more yards and touchdowns in a single season in the history of high school football in the Coachella Valley.

The 5-foot-6, 150-pound Ramirez also returned a pair of kickoffs for touchdowns and caught 37 passes for 715 yards and six additional scores.

Running back: Myles Harper, Yucca Valley, senior

Harper was the most dominant overall player in the valley this season, rushing for 1,905 yards and 28 touchdowns on an astonishing 12.8 yards per carry while also recording 162 tackles for the DVL champions. He did that while starting just eight games at running back.

The 5-foot-10, 175-pound basketball star displayed a unique blend of athleticism, speed and feel for the game for someone who only began playing high school football last year. His skill set included an unrelenting energy and motor that never seemed to stop.

He ran for 305 yards and four touchdowns against Coachella Valley, 281 and four touchdowns in the first round of the playoffs and a total of 409 yards and three scores, with 29 tackles, in the CIF-SS Division 12 semifinal and championship games.

Offensive line: Ty Murga, La Quinta, senior

The 6-foot-3, 285-pound left guard was a big reason the Blackhawks ran for 2,110 yards and 27 touchdowns despite a revolving door at running back. La Quinta rotated through five different running backs as injuries piled up, yet the one constant was the power run game. Murga was at the forefront of that, dominating opposing linemen with size, quick feet and push off the line.

Offensive line: Elijah Vaikona, Xavier Prep, junior

Vaikona, who stands 6-foot-8 and weighs around 340 pounds, has the size to physically dominate any opposing lineman. His footwork and technique improved dramatically this season, and his vocal leadership in the locker room and in the huddle made him key to the Saints’ run to the CIF-SS Division 10 semifinals.

Offensive line: Carl Brenagh III, Palm Springs, senior

Brenagh, a 6-foot-4, 295-pound interior lineman who played mostly center and guard, took his game to another level this season. With his size and physicality giving him an advantage over most opposing linemen, Brenagh routinely played with a high energy and didn’t stop driving opponents back off the line until often after the whistle.

Offensive line: Aiden Solis, Yucca Valley, senior

The 6-foot-3, 300-pound left tackle was an absolute load, with his down blocking playing a big role in the Trojans rushing for 3,453 yards this season. Solis, known by teammates as "Big Country," stood out on the sidelines because of his size and mullet haircut, but it was his ability to flatten opposing linemen that turned heads the most during Yucca Valley's run to the CIF-SS Division 12 title game.

Offensive line: Marcos Ceja, Coachella Valley, senior

No one rushes for 2,500+ yards on their own and Ceja was a big part of his running back’s historical season. The 6-foot-1, 260-pound right tackle was routinely out front, plowing over linebackers and defensive backs, helping Ramirez break free into the open field. It was noticeable that Ramirez would often wait for Ceja, following right behind him, before finding an opening.

Wide receiver: Mikey Rodriguez, Coachella Valley, junior

Rodriguez set a school single-season record with 69 catches this season, and his 1,054 receiving yards and 15 touchdown catches led the valley. He scored touchdowns in each of the Arabs’ final 11 games and scored five in three playoff games in helping Coachella Valley reach the CIF-SS Division 12 semifinals.

At 5-foot-10 and 160 pounds, Rodriguez is a big-play threat. He caught eight passes that were at least 50 yards long, intercepted three passes and returned a kickoff for a score.

Wide receiver: Edward Johnson, Rancho Mirage, senior

Johnson, a 6-foot, 170-pound deep threat, caught 32 passes for 619 yards and six touchdowns as part of the Rattlers’ vaunted aerial attack that helped Rancho Mirage win an outright DEL title.

His longest reception of the season was for 86 yards, against La Quinta, but he also caught an 85-yard pass in the playoffs, against Sorona.

Wide receiver: Kobee Finnikin, Rancho Mirage, sophomore

With some of the best hands in the valley, the 6-foot, 165-pounder caught 35 passes for 565 yards and six touchdowns for the Desert Empire League champions. He also threw a 35-yard touchdown pass on his lone throw of the season, in a win over Palm Springs.

Having played two years now, with two seasons ahead of him, Finnikin is on pace to break all of the Rattlers’ career receiving records.

Kick returner: Rene Romero, Cathedral City, senior

Romero, a 5-foot-10, 185-pound four-year starter who bench presses 300 pounds, ran for 967 yards and four touchdowns and hauled in 438 yards and three touchdowns receiving this season for the 6-4 Lions. He also hauled in a pair of interceptions playing defensive back.

But his biggest strength was in the return game, where he returned three punts for touchdowns.

Kicker: George Rodriguez, Coachella Valley, senior

Rodriguez finished the season 59-of-64 on point-after attempts and was 4-of-6, with a long of 44 yards, on field goal attempts. Rodriguez also led the valley with 24 touchbacks on kickoffs.

Defense

Defensive line: Kyle Hill, Xavier Prep, senior

A rangy, athletic 6-foot-5, 215-pound edge rusher, Hill recorded 11 sacks, 80 tackles and 18 tackles for loss as a leader of a defense that willed the Saints to the CIF-SS Division 10 semifinals. His strip sack was the play of the game in a dramatic win over Rancho Christian.

Hill is committed to play at UC-Davis.

Defensive line: Gabriel Duran, La Quinta, junior

The DEL defensive player of the year is the latest in a long line of great defensive linemen at La Quinta. Few players in the valley, if any, were as physically aggressive this season as the 6-foot-1, 235-pound defensive end.

Duran finished the season with 37 tackles and six sacks, often tossing opposing players around as easily as rag dolls.

Defensive line: Joseph Natzel, Yucca Valley, senior

Though just 6-foot-1 and 240 pounds, Natzel was one of the most disruptive linemen in the valley, with his quick hands and feet and relentless energy. Natzel recorded 89 tackles, five sacks, a fumble recovery and a valley-leading 30 tackles for loss. Four of those came in the CIF-SS Division 12 championship game.

Natzel was routinely the calming presence in the locker room and the huddle of the DVL champions — a stark contrast to his aggressive play on the field.

Defensive line: Jeremiah Cuahuey, Indio, senior

The 6-foot-4, 220-pound end, who recorded 75 tackles and eight sacks this season, was a matchup nightmare for opposing linemen. His physicality allowed him to overpower smaller linemen and his speed and quick burst off the line gave bigger linemen problems.

Cauhey, who also caught four touchdown passes playing tight end, may have been the biggest reason the Rajahs held DVL opponents to 12.3 points per game.

Linebacker: Abel Flores, Rancho Mirage, senior

Flores, a tough-as-nails, 5-foot-10, 205-pound middle linebacker, was the unquestioned leader of a Rattlers’ squad that won an outright DEL title. He recorded 120 tackles, two sacks, three interceptions and recovered a fumble and a defensive touchdown for a defense that allowed the fewest points in the league.

He tallied 20 tackles against Palm Desert, 14 versus La Quinta, 13 against Xavier Prep and 14 in a playoff game against Sonora. His 338 career tackles is a school record.

Linebacker: Jesus Pazos, Xavier Prep, junior

A big hitter who stands 5-foot-11 and weighs 200 pounds, Pazos played on both sides of the ball this season. But it was on defense, where he racked up 158 tackles, including six for loss, that he shined the brightest. There he added a pair of interceptions, two forced fumbles, a fumble recovery and a blocked field goal at the center of the Saints’ run to the CIF-SS Division 10 semifinals.

On offense, Pazos ran for 446 yards and seven touchdowns, one of which was the game-winner in the final moments against Rancho Christian.

Linebacker: Dawson Johnson, Palm Desert, senior

An athletic, 6-foot-2, 215-pound playmaker, Johnson moved into the linebacker position this season and was a bright spot for an underwhelming Aztecs squad. Johnson recorded 128 tackles, including three for loss, a sack, an interception, a forced fumble and a defensive touchdown, lining up in various spots on the field.

He tallied 24 tackles against Central, 17 versus Rancho Verde and double-digit tackles in eight of Palm Desert’s 10 games.

Defensive back: Jordan Glaspie, Desert Hot Springs, senior

In his lone season playing high school football, Glaspie quickly became an elite playmaker for Desert Hot Springs during the best season in school history. Though just 5-foot-7, the basketball star used his athleticism to record seven interceptions, a fumble recovery and 63 tackles as a locker room leader for the resurgent Golden Eagles.

Offensively, Glaspie became a late-season go-to option in the Golden Eagles’ passing game, catching 23 passes for 499 yards and nine touchdowns.

Defensive back: Braden Cervello, Xavier Prep, senior

Cervello may have been the most valuable player in the DEL this season. The 5-foot-11, 160-pound cornerback recorded 55 tackles, nine interceptions — tied for the fifth-most in the state — finished second in the league in scoring and first in field goals, and seventh in the state with an average of 42 yards per punt. He scored a defensive touchdown and four more on offense.

His presence on defense, where he routinely shut down opposing receivers, was a big reason the Saints held six opponents to fewer than eight points and reached the CIF-SS Division 10 semifinals.

Defensive back: Javin Hudson, Yucca Valley, senior

The vocal, 6-foot-1, 200-pound, hard-hitting safety recorded seven interceptions, a fumble recovery, two forced fumbles and 55 tackles for a stout defense that allowed just 13.3 points per game in four playoff games for the CIF-SS Division 12 finalists. Hudson ended his high school career with a school-record 16 interceptions over three seasons.

This season, he also returned a pair of punts for touchdowns and caught 61 passes for 965 yards and 11 scores, giving him the career school record in all three categories with 148 catches for 2,179 yards and 33 touchdowns.

Defensive back: Austin McDanel, Xavier Prep, junior

From the strong safety position, McDanel, who stands 5-foot-11 and weighs 165 pounds, recorded 95 tackles, three interceptions, two fumble recoveries and a defensive touchdown for a Saints defense that allowed just 12.9 points per game.

Playing running back, McDanel rushed for 409 yards and four touchdowns as a part of a trio of primary ballcarriers for the Saints.

Athlete: Christian Davis, Desert Hot Springs, senior

Davis ran for 1,200 yards and 19 touchdowns for the CIF-SS Division 14 semifinalists. The 5-foot-10, 180-pound Davis also caught a pair of touchdown passes and returned a kickoff 87 yards for a touchdown with 22 seconds remaining to beat Perris on Sept. 1.

The 22 touchdowns Davis scored are the most by a player in a single season at the school since Treilan Hunt scored 29 for the Golden Eagles in 2005.

Athlete: Messiah Smith, Desert Hot Springs, senior

Perhaps no player had a bigger influence on the Golden Eagles' turnaround from 2-8 in 2022 to 9-4 and an appearance in the CIF-SS Division 14 semifinals in 2023 than Smith. In his first season playing quarterback, the 5-foot-11, 165-pound Smith threw for 1,504 yards and 20 touchdowns and ran for 590 yards and 10 additional scores as the leader of the Desert Hot Springs rebirth.

Athlete: Trey Hollis, Shadow Hills, senior

Hollis was a bright spot for Shadow Hills this season. He threw for a school single-season record 1,698 yards and 13 touchdowns and ran for 199 yards and three additional scores. He averaged 221.8 passing yards and threw for 10 touchdowns in five Desert Empire League games.

He also drove the Knights 66 yards in 28 seconds and ran for the game-winning touchdown with 1.1 seconds remaining against Serrano, which was one of the biggest wins of the year in the valley.

Athlete: Jordan Johnson, Palm Springs, sophomore

Johnson, a speedy yet physical 5-foot-9, 185-pound running back, carried the ball 138 times for 1,068 yards and 13 touchdowns for the Indians. Just six players in the history of the storied Palm Springs program have rushed for more yards and touchdowns in a single season.

Johnson also played defense and his interception in overtime sealed a win over Xavier Prep on Oct. 20.

Athlete: Koa Rapolla, Palm Springs, sophomore

Rapolla, a 5-foot-11, 200-pound receiver and linebacker, recorded 104 tackles, five sacks and four forced fumbles on defense and caught 26 passes for 326 yards, rushed for 268 yards and scored nine touchdowns for the Indians. His presence on the field and unique versatility made him one of the most influential all-around players in the valley.

Athlete: Derek Calderon, Coachella Valley, junior

Calderon led the valley with 2,405 yards and 28 touchdowns through the air in helping Coachella Valley reach the CIF-SS Division 12 semifinals for the first time in 55 years. Calderon, who stands 5-foot-8 and weighs around 150 pounds, also led the valley with a passer rating of 107.

He threw for 300 yards against Eldorado (Las Vegas), 311 in the Bell Game win over Indio and 255 in a win over Don Lugo in the CIF quarterfinals.

Athlete: Tyson Ruiz, Xavier Prep, senior

Ruiz, who may be pound-for-pound the toughest player in the valley, caught 28 passes for 351 yards and six touchdowns for the Saints. He also recorded 47 tackles, a sack and three interceptions. He averaged 29.2 yards on kickoff returns and 11.9 yards on punt returns as a three-phase player who helped Xavier Prep reach the CIF-SS Division 10 semifinals.

At 5-foot-7 and 145 pounds, Ruiz, a four-year starter, ended his career with a school record 124 catches for 1,624 yards and 15 touchdowns as a receiver and 172 tackles as a defensive back.

Athlete: Jeremiah Williams, Rancho Mirage, junior

Williams, a 5-foot-10, 185-pound converted linebacker, ran for 918 yards and 12 touchdowns in nine games after stepping into the starting running back role for the DEL champions. He ran for over 100 yards in each of the last two games of the regular season to help the Rattlers clinch an outright league title, before missing a playoff game that Rancho Mirage narrowly lost.

Honorable mention

Noah Barber, Twentynine Palms; Juan Bautista, La Quinta; Jaire Broach, Desert Hot Springs; Aiden Flores, Rancho Mirage; Noah Gannon, Cathedral City; Zach Gibbs, Palm Desert; Jonathan Givens, Palm Springs; Malachi Harper, Yucca Valley; Andrew Medina, Desert Mirage; Cristhian Orozco, Indio; Sebastian Osorio, La Quinta; Jermiah Peffers, Shadow Hills; Jesus Rivas, Desert Mirage; Xavier Rodriguez, Shadow Hills; Pedro Trujillo, Shadow Hills, junior.

This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Check out who made our 2023 All-Desert Sun football team