Desert Mirage is 0-9 against Coachella Valley since September of 2015 but things could change on Thursday. The RAMS will challenge the Mighty Arabs at 7:00 p.m. Desert Mirage has given up an average of 32.5 points per game this season, but Thursday's game will give them a chance to turn things around.
Desert Mirage is headed into the game out to prove that what happened against Twentynine Palms on Friday (when they were outscored in every quarter) was just a minor bump in the road. The RAMS came up short against the Wildcats, falling 38-14. The RAMS were in a tough position after the first half, with the score already sitting at 28-8.
Although Desert Mirage took the loss, they still got scores from Omar Martinez and Daniel Avila.
Meanwhile, Coachella Valley suffered their closest defeat since August 31, 2024 on Friday. They fell just short of Valley View by a score of 21-18.
Desert Mirage will need to focus on slowing down Ivan Camargo, one of several Coachella Valley players who made an impact when they last played. He picked up 157 receiving yards and one score, and also rushed for 103 yards and a pair of TDs on only 14 carries. Camargo's longest reception was for an impressive 62 yards, which helps to explain his lofty yards per catch total. Ivan Garza was another key player, throwing for 257 yards and one touchdown.
Coachella Valley's loss dropped their record down to 1-5. As for Desert Mirage, their defeat dropped their record down to 3-3.
Thursday's matchup might be decided on the ground. Desert Mirage has been unstoppable on the ground this season, having averaged 300.5 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Coachella Valley struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 161.5 rushing yards. There's a good chance Thursday's contest turns into a tough fight on the ground.
Desert Mirage was taken down by Coachella Valley 48-6 in their previous matchup back in October of 2024. Thankfully for the RAMS, Aaron Ramirez (who rushed for 117 yards and a pair of TDs on only 11 carries, and also caught one score) won't be suiting up this time. Will that be enough to change the final result? There's only one way to find out.
