Football Game Preview: Palm Desert Aztecs vs. Rancho Mirage Rattlers + How To Watch

Two dominant signal callers in Alfred 'AJ' Rivera Jr. and Julian Hernandez are getting ready to go toe-to-toe. The Palm Desert Aztecs will look to defend their home field on Friday against the Rancho Mirage Rattlers at 7:00 p.m. Given that the two teams suffered a loss in their last games, they both have a little extra motivation heading into this contest.

The home team had won the previous three meetings between Palm Desert and Xavier Prep, and Xavier Prep kept the tradition alive. The Aztecs fell 19-14 to the Saints on Friday. While the Aztecs had to settle for second, they closed the game well in the third quarter, where they outscored the Saints 14-0.

Meanwhile, Rancho Mirage might've scored the first points on Friday, but it was Shadow Hills who claimed the real prize. The Rattlers took an 18-14 hit to the loss column at the hands of the Knights. The Rattlers were up 14-0 in the first quarter but couldn't hold on to the lead.

Although Rancho Mirage took the loss, they still got scores from Pedro Padilla and Aniken Castrejon.

Rancho Mirage didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off two passes before the game was over. Padilla picked up that interception and then proceeded to rub salt in the wound by taking it back the other way for a touchdown. He got in on the action too, converting a pick into a touchdown.

Rancho Mirage's defeat dropped their record down to 3-3. As for Palm Desert, their loss dropped their record down to an identical 3-3.

Palm Desert came up short against Rancho Mirage in their previous meeting back in October of 2024, falling 17-10. Will the Aztecs have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other football content.