RedHawks, Knights fall in key finales

By Ramon Scott
Updated: November 1, 2026

2026 EAST COUNTY PREP FOOTBALL

PALO VERDE VALLEY 32, MOUNTAIN EMPIRE 12

Turnovers derail RedHawks in regular-season finale

BLYTHE — Mountain Empire left its regular-season finale with another productive performance from Elisha Robinson, a costly collection of turnovers and an injury concern at quarterback as the RedHawks turned toward November.

Palo Verde Valley capitalized on those mistakes and rushed for 388 yards and five touchdowns, defeating Mountain Empire, 32-12, Friday night to complete an unbeaten Desert League schedule and claim the outright championship.

The RedHawks finished the regular season 5-4 overall and 1-2 in league. Palo Verde Valley improved to 8-2 and 4-0, reinforcing its standing as a Division V-AA title contender.

Mountain Empire coach Cameron Keller saw reasons to believe his team could compete with that caliber of opponent, provided it stopped giving away possessions.

“The boys proved they can beat a good team, just have to limit turnovers,” Keller said.

The final Mountain Empire statistics recorded four lost fumbles and an interception, with one of the lost fumbles coming in the red zone, according to Keller.

Those empty possessions proved particularly costly against a Yellow Jackets offense that needed just one pass attempt while generating 397 total yards.

Senior Christian Richards rushed for 140 yards and two touchdowns on 16 carries. Junior Ayden Walker added 138 yards and two scores on 13 attempts, while Alex Rodriguez contributed 52 yards and a touchdown on five carries.

For Mountain Empire, Robinson carried 14 times for 131 yards and a touchdown, averaging 9.4 yards per attempt with a long gain of 60 yards. He also led the RedHawks defensively with 11 tackles, including eight solo stops.

Senior quarterback Chance Ross, who left the game with an injury, completed 4 of 7 passes for 57 yards, one touchdown and one interception. He added 31 rushing yards on four carries. His status moving forward was not immediately available.

Senior Amar Mahasin caught three passes for 47 yards and a touchdown, including a 25-yard reception.

Mountain Empire finished with 163 rushing yards and 220 total yards.

An early answer, then separation

The RedHawks initially matched the league leaders.

Richards opened the scoring with a rushing touchdown, but Mountain Empire answered with Robinson’s touchdown run. Neither team converted afterward, leaving the score 6-6 at the end of the first quarter.

The game shifted in the second period.

After forcing a Palo Verde Valley punt, Mountain Empire took possession at its own 16-yard line. A fumble then gave the Yellow Jackets the ball at the RedHawks’ 17, setting up the touchdown that put the hosts ahead 12-6.

Palo Verde Valley forced a Mountain Empire punt on the next possession and added another rushing touchdown. The successful extra point extended the advantage to 19-6 at halftime.

Mountain Empire kept the Yellow Jackets off the scoreboard throughout the third quarter, preserving a chance to rally, although another lost fumble interrupted the RedHawks’ offense.

Palo Verde Valley broke through again early in the fourth, extending its lead to 25-6, then added its fifth rushing touchdown and an extra point for a 32-6 advantage.

Ross and Mahasin accounted for Mountain Empire’s fourth-quarter touchdown, producing the final margin.

Mahasin finished with seven tackles, while junior Angel Avila added six.

November demands a cleaner game

Friday marked Mountain Empire’s first game since its 41-14 victory at Calipatria on Oct. 9. High winds forced the cancellation of the Southwest El Centro game, and a scheduled bye extended the interruption to two consecutive idle weekends.

The RedHawks returned with enough big-play ability to threaten Palo Verde Valley, but their turnovers and difficulty containing the Yellow Jackets’ collection of runners prevented them from sustaining that challenge.

Robinson heads into the postseason with 1,670 rushing yards and 23 rushing touchdowns. Mahasin has 31 receptions for 653 yards and 10 touchdowns, while Ross has passed for 1,015 yards and 13 touchdowns.

That production gives Mountain Empire reason to view itself as a team capable of advancing in Division V-AA. A potential rematch with Palo Verde Valley, which also ended the RedHawks’ season in last November’s semifinals, would require a much cleaner performance.

Keller has followed last season’s 9-3 turnaround and semifinal appearance with another winning regular season. The next step is converting the RedHawks’ offensive opportunities into points while protecting the football against the division’s strongest opponents.

2026 EAST COUNTY PREP FOOTBALL

O’FARRELL CHARTER 14, FOOTHILLS CHRISTIAN 7

Knights’ championship bid stopped short on Senior Knight

EL CAJON — Foothills Christian’s defense gave the Knights a chance to finish their turnaround regular season with a league championship.

O’Farrell Charter’s defense kept them from claiming it.

Despite limiting the Falcons to 146 total yards, Foothills fell 14-7 in Friday night’s Sunset League championship showdown at El Cajon Valley High School.

The Falcons finished 4-0 in league and 5-5 overall, claiming the outright championship. Foothills finished 5-4 and 3-1, denied a title on Senior “Knight” but still carrying a winning regular-season record into November after last year’s 1-9 finish.

For coach Dustin Turley’s Knights, the difference came in turning offensive opportunities into points. Foothills generated 241 total yards, but senior David Stewart’s rushing touchdown and Trevor Embleton’s extra point accounted for its scoring.

Stewart finished with 85 yards on 22 carries, including a 24-yard run. Coming off his 237-yard, three-touchdown performance against Victory Christian Academy, the senior faced a tougher path against a Falcons defense that entered having allowed only 12 points across its first three league games.

O’Farrell completed its four-game Sunset schedule with just 19 points allowed.

The Falcons received rushing touchdowns from Oscar Jones and quarterback Dakobi Coleman. Jones scored on an 11-yard run, his only carry, while Coleman finished with 38 yards on 23 attempts.

Coleman also completed four of six passes for just 19 yards, illustrating how effectively Foothills kept the Falcons’ passing game contained. O’Farrell’s listed rushers combined for 127 yards on 38 carries.

But the Falcons found other ways to influence the game.

Jones returned an interception 45 yards, and Romel Aguilar was credited with two fumble recoveries. Coleman contributed 11 tackles, two passes defended and a forced fumble, supplying a substantial defensive contribution alongside his touchdown.

Foothills junior quarterback Hayden Oleson completed nine of 20 passes for 144 yards, with two interceptions.

Sophomore Liam Dailey supplied the Knights’ longest offensive gain with a 52-yard reception and finished with three catches for 67 yards. Fellow sophomore Isaac Maisonet was credited with six receptions for 64 yards.

Those gains gave Foothills a passing threat to complement Stewart, but the Knights could not produce the additional scoring drive needed to pull even.

Their defense kept the margin manageable.

Junior Drew Mikulsky led Foothills with 12 tackles, including two for loss. Junior Asher Cross added eight tackles and one for loss, while also receiving credit for five pancake blocks on offense.

Sophomore Duke Houston recorded three tackles for loss among his five stops and shared a sack with Wyatt Matlock, who also finished with five tackles. The Knights were credited with eight tackles for loss overall.

The championship disappointment does not erase the progress of Turley’s second season.

Foothills reached the finale with an unbeaten league record and a chance to secure its first winning 11-man regular season since 2010 with a championship attached. The Knights accomplished the winning-season portion, improving from one victory last year to five this fall.

Friday’s defensive effort showed how close they could stay against the league’s best.

O’Farrell supplied the final separation, leaving Foothills one touchdown short.