La Quinta football dominates Xavier Prep to clinch outright Desert Empire League title

COACHELLA VALLEY, Calif. (KESQ) -- LQ what, what? LQ, you know!

Rarely do we have a league champion decided during the penultimate week of the regular season, but that was the case Thursday night.

La Quinta defeated Xavier Prep 34-0 to claim the outright Desert Empire League championship for the first time since 2016.

The Blackhawks imrpove to 4-0 in DEL play, while the Saints fall to 2-2.

LQ opened the year 1-0 before dropping four consecutive games to fall to 1-4. However, a challenging early-season schedule appears to have prepared the Blackhawks for league play, where they have emerged as the valley's top team.

The Blackhawks have found success on both sides of the ball, but their offense has been particularly impressive. La Quinta has averaged 40 points per game in league play, showcasing a balanced attack that opponents have struggled to contain.

That offensive production, combined with strong all-around play, helped La Quinta control the game against Xavier Prep from start to finish.

With the victory, they have the title but the Blackhawks still have unfinished business with one game remaining on their regular season schedule.

La Quinta is going to clinch the outright DEL title tonight but I still believe the Blackhawks have unfinished business. Next week they host rival PD in the Flag Game. LQ lost 35-0 last year. I'm sure they'd like to avenge that by retaining the Flag and ending 5-0 in DEL. @KESQ

— Blake Arthur (@BlakeArthur24) October 23, 2026

La Quinta hosts rival Palm Desert on Friday, Oct. 30 in the annual Flag Game, arguably the best football rivalry in the area.

If the Blackhawks win, not only will they have the flag, but also finish with an unblemished record in league play.

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