Historic win: Desert Hot Springs edges Indio for first 4-0 start in school history

Ever since he took over at Desert Hot Springs High School, first-year head football coach Roy Provost has been saying, "This is a whole new DHS," to anyone who would listen.

Now Provost can point to something "new" that should make everyone a believer.

After Thursday night's dramatic 12-7 victory over Indio, the Golden Eagles are now 4-0. That's new for sure. Desert Hot Springs has never been unbeaten through four games in the school's 24-year history.

"Feels great. I have the belief in these guys that they could do it and they pulled it off," Provost said after an emotional team huddle following the win. "It's a tremendous effort all the way through, top to bottom, players and coaching staff. I couldn't ask for a better group to start my head-coaching career. It's a new DHS. I've said it from the beginning, and we're trying to put the new DHS on the map."

Friday's win was a nail-biter and a testament to the never-say-die mentality of this year's Golden Eagles. Quarterback Messiah Smith connected with teammate Jaymere Broach on a 20-yard touchdown pass with 23.3 seconds remaining in the game to give the Golden Eagles their first lead, which they were able to secure four plays later and nail down the win.

Smith said he had been visualizing that play all night.

"I was reading that corner all game, and I felt like I was going to throw it up there and my boy was going to come down with it and he did," Smith said. "I'm so happy right now -- 4 and 0, baby!"

As for Broach, he picked a good time to haul in his first catch of the game.

"I had butterflies the whole time, but I caught that ball, turned around and I was in the end zone," said Broach, who happens to be coach Provost's godson. "Then, I was just happy and jumping, even crying a little. We're not the same DHS. We're 4-0. That's all I can say."

Remember, this squad the Golden Eagles beat is an Indio team that made the playoffs last year and beat Desert Hot Springs 42-0. It's another indicator of just how much this DHS team has grown.

While the Golden Eagles are making history, it's been a frustrating year so far for the Rajahs who entered the season with high hopes after a stellar 2022 that included the school's first playoff trip in decades.

Indio now falls to 0-4 and will need to find an offensive spark if they have designs on returning to the postseason. The Rajahs have scored only 20 points this season and have been shut out twice.

The game

The Rajahs entered the game 0-3, but the first Desert Valley League game offered a chance for them to hit the reset button. Defense is their hallmark and the way they were playing in the first half, it felt like 2022 all over again when they had a remarkable five shutouts in seven DVL games.

Linebackers Cristhian Orozco and Israel Negrete were living in the Golden Eagles' backfield, not letting star running back Christian Davis get going at all.

Both teams struggled to score, but with 20 seconds left in the half, Indio QB Elijah Gutierrez hit Jeremiah Cuahuey on a pretty 30-yard touchdown strike to give Indio a 7-0 lead at halftime.

Desert Hot Springs avoided the shutout late in the third quarter, when Smith just barely made it into the end zone on a 5-yard touchdown run on fourth down. But the extra point was blocked, which felt like a big play in the game as both offenses were struggling.

Indio entered the fourth quarter with a slim 7-6 lead.

Desert Hot Springs started its game-winning, 80-yard drive with about six minutes left in the game. Smith, who had been bottled up most of the night, started to get hot, connecting on a fourth-down pass to Dominick Ambal for a first down and later in the drive a crucial 20-yard completion to Joel Glaspie on 3rd and 16.

Indio used a roughing the passer penalty and a 15-yard completion to give itself a chance in the final seconds, but two desperation pass attempts fell incomplete, the clock ran out and the Golden Eagles began to celebrate, while Rajahs players laid on the field in disbelief.

"We knew it would be a battle and Indio is one heck of a team, so to come out of here with a win, that's doing something," Provost said.

The stars

Messiah Smith, DHS quarterback: After being held to just one completion on 10 attempts in the first half, Smith got it going in the second half, completing 10 of 15 passes and finishing with 151 yards passing and one touchdown to go with the 5-yard rushing score.

Cristhian Orozco, Indio linebacker: Orozco was a dominant force on defense, with five tackles for loss and a strip and fumble recovery. He also was used as a power running back and had 33 yards rushing on six carries.

Jordan and Joel Glaspie, Desert Hot Springs wide receivers: Whenever Smith needed a big play, he went to a Glaspie. Jordan had three catches for 47 yards and Joel had two catches for 36 yards. Joel also had an interception that stopped a second-half drive by the Rajahs.

The chatter

Smith on making history at 4-0: "It feels amazing. This is my senior year, my first two years we went 2-8, now we're 4-0. The seniors, juniors, sophomores, freshmen everybody is putting on the line this year."

Provost on the win: "It means a lot to us, of course, but we've really had tremendous support around school and around the community. It's all part of what I mean when I say a whole new DHS."

Next up

The DVL schedule-makers didn't do a lot of favors for the Golden Eagles as their first three league games are all road games against last year's top three DVL teams. They've got Indio out of the way. Next Friday they are at Coachella Valley and the Friday after that they are at Yucca Valley.

Indio, meanwhile, stays home on Friday to host the Desert Mirage Rams.

Shad Powers is a columnist for The Desert Sun. Reach him at shad.powers@desertsun.com.

This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Desert Hot Springs edges Indio for first 4-0 start in school history