High school football playoffs: 4 local teams advance to second round

COACHELLA VALLEY, Calif. (KESQ) - The road to a championship started Friday night as eight Coachella Valley high school football teams took the field for the opening round of the CIF Southern Section playoffs.

Only one local team will have the advantage of playing at home, with Desert Christian Academy hosting Laguna Hills in Division 7.

The Conquerors are coming off back-to-back undefeated regular seasons and enter the postseason competing in the highest division of any local team.

Desert Christian is the only local team hosting a first-round matchup.

Desert League champion La Quinta will hit the road for a Division 8 matchup, while three local teams will compete in Division 10: Rancho Mirage, Desert Valley League champion Yucca Valley and Desert Hot Springs.

In Division 11, Xavier Prep travels to Banning.

29 Palms will also be on the road in Division 13.

Rounding out the local playoff schedule is Desert Mirage, which has made program history by qualifying for the playoffs for the first time. The Rams will travel to face Knight (Palmdale) in Division 14.

The CIF-SS playoffs are single-elimination, meaning that it's win and advance, or lose and go home.

Stay with KESQ News Channel 3 for continuing coverage of local high school football.