Rancho Mirage Rattlers Open Season Strong as Young Core Looks to Build for the Future

A new season brings a new opportunity for the Rancho Mirage Rattlers.

After finishing 3-7 overall and going 0-5 in Desert Empire League play last season, Rancho Mirage is looking to turn the page in 2026 with a young and talented roster.

Head coach L.D. Matthews, who has led the Rattlers program for more than a decade, believes this year's group has plenty of potential — especially among its sophomores.

Matthews said the team has one of the most talented groups of sophomores he has ever coached, creating excitement around a program determined to return to its disciplined style of football.

“We're going to have a lot of young players that are going to get opportunities to start and to make their first start,” Matthews said. “The future is extremely bright and we're ready to go.”

The Rattlers wasted little time showing that potential.

Rancho Mirage opened the season on the road against Yucca Valley High School and came away with a convincing 19-7 victory, giving the team an early boost after last year's difficult campaign.

While the Rattlers are focused on developing their young players, Friday Night Lights is also bringing a new opportunity for high school football players across the Coachella Valley.

In partnership with Honda of the Desert, the station is replacing its traditional Athlete of the Week competition with a new Top Play of the Week feature.

Anthony Caridi, general manager of Honda and Toyota of the Desert, explained that the goal is to get more players, families, coaches and fans involved.

Instead of selecting a player of the week, fans will be able to submit videos of the best plays from that week's games. A panel will narrow the submissions down to five finalists, and then the public will have the opportunity to vote for the top play.

The player responsible for the winning play will receive a $250 Visa gift card.

Caridi said the competition is looking for all types of big-time moments, including spectacular catches, defensive plays and other game-changing highlights.

Fans can submit their videos after Friday night's games through the station's newsroom or social media channels.

The new contest begins this week, giving Coachella Valley football fans a chance to help determine the top highlight from each Friday night.

As for Rancho Mirage, the Rattlers hope their strong season-opening win is just the beginning of a much brighter year.