Sports
Damian Walls’ 99-Yard Touchdown Takes No. 1 in NBC Palm Springs Top Three Plays
Week Two of conference play brought plenty of excitement to Friday Night Lights across the Coachella Valley, and fans have officially voted for the NBC Palm Springs Top Three Plays of the Week.
Coming in at No. 3 is Xavier Prep senior wide receiver Kingston Pellum, who made an impressive contested catch against Palm Desert. Despite being double-teamed by the Aztecs' defensive backs, Pellum showed outstanding body control and strong hands to secure the reception.
The clutch catch helped set up Xavier Prep's first touchdown of the game, making it a pivotal moment in the Saints' matchup against Palm Desert.
At No. 2 is Coachella Valley High School senior quarterback Ivan Garza, who delivered an incredible touchdown pass against Desert Mirage in the Date Bowl.
Garza escaped pressure by rolling outside the pocket before launching a perfectly placed pass on the run for a touchdown of more than 30 yards. His ability to extend the play and connect downfield helped power Coachella Valley to a 49-18 victory over Desert Mirage.
Taking the No. 1 spot is Shadow Hills running back Damian Walls, who showed off his passing ability with an unbelievable 99-yard touchdown.
Starting from his own end zone, Walls escaped a sack, rolled out under pressure and released the ball while taking a hit. The pass found his wide receiver, who raced down the field for the long-distance touchdown.
Although Shadow Hills ultimately fell to Palm Springs High School, Walls made his mark on the game with the spectacular passing play and a rushing touchdown of his own.
Congratulations to all the athletes who earned spots in the Top Five and Top Three this week. A special congratulations goes to Walls, whose first-place finish will earn him a special visit from NBC Palm Springs' partners at Honda of the Desert.
Fans can continue following NBC Palm Springs Sports on social media for the latest Friday Night Lights highlights, weekly voting and recognition of the Coachella Valley's top high school athletes.
By: Brett Rosen
October 11, 2026
Latest Instagram Posts
BREAKING NEWS 🚨: Calvin Harris officially rescheduled for Head Trip day 2 #headtripfestival #calvinharris #severeweather #tropicalstorm #indio
Attendees are returning to the Empire Polo Grounds for day 2 of the EDM festival, ‘Head Trip’, after performances were stopped last night due to severe weather. Stay tuned with NBC Palm Springs to see how the weather is affecting festival goers’ plans. #headtripfestival #severeweather #flashfloodalert #760 #nbcpalmsprings
Overnight Flooding Hits Palm Springs Heavy rain brought flooding to Palm Springs overnight, prompting police to shut down Indian Canyon due to flooding. Much of this video shows conditions along the Indian Canyon corridor as water inundated roadways. Drivers are urged to use caution and watch for changing conditions.
BREAKING NEWS: Head Trip Festival in Indio suspended its show Saturday night due to approaching severe weather and lightning. A message displayed on the stage screens announced: “Attention in the festival, this is a lightning alert. The show is suspended due to lightning.” Festivalgoers were told to leave the Empire Polo Club venue and return to their cars and camps. The festival was expected to draw approximately 70,000 attendees overall, though the number asked to leave Saturday night has not been confirmed. It remains unclear when attendees will be allowed back inside or whether scheduled performances, including headliners Calvin Harris and Swedish House Mafia, will proceed as planned. The suspension comes as Tropical Storm Rachel brings rain and potential flooding concerns to Southern California. Stay with NBC Palm Springs for updates. #BreakingNews #HeadTripFestival #Indio #CoachellaValley #TropicalStormRachel WeatherAlert CalvinHarris NBCPalmSprings
BREAKING NEWS: Thalia Hayden and Jerry Steffen break down the latest forecast for Tropical Storm Rachel as it moves through eastern Riverside County Sunday morning. The Coachella Valley could see more than an inch of rain, raising concerns about flooding. The heaviest rainfall is expected from midnight through noon Sunday, with showers tapering off by Sunday evening. Stay with NBC Palm Springs for the latest updates. #TropicalStormRachel #BreakingNews #CoachellaValley #PalmSprings #WeatherAlert FloodWarning SouthernCaliforniaWeather NBCPalmSprings ThaliaHayden JerrySteffen
🌧️ Tropical Storm Rachel is bringing the threat of heavy rain and flooding to the Coachella Valley. Thalia and Jerry break down the hour-by-hour forecast, with the heaviest rainfall expected from midnight through Sunday morning and more than an inch possible in parts of the Valley. Flood watches and warnings remain a concern, with showers expected to taper off by Sunday evening. Stay weather-aware and stay with NBC Palm Springs for the latest updates! ⛈️ #TropicalStormRachel #CoachellaValley #WeatherAlert #NBCPalmSprings
🌊 Tropical Storm Rachel is bringing dangerous surf, flooding and destruction to Southern California’s coast. In Long Beach, parts of the boardwalk have been ripped apart, while a badly damaged home is on the verge of collapse. Newport Beach has declared a local emergency after pounding waves flooded at least 10 blocks of the Balboa Peninsula. Officials are urging people to stay away as the threat continues. 🌧️ #HurricaneRachel #SouthernCalifornia #LongBeach #NewportBeach #CoachellaValley
Who makes the NBC Top 3, winner will be announced Sunday night on NBC Palm Springs, with the player who makes the number one spot winning a $250 prize from @hondaofthedesert! Comment below if it will be 1) Ivan Garza with the deep pass TD, 2) Damian Walls with the 99 yard touchdown throw, 3) Jadarius Hester with the punt return TD, 4) James Madden with the 60 plus yard rushing TD, or 5) Kingston Pellum with the contested catch #hondaofthedesert #fnl #fridaynightlights #fyp #highschoolfootball
Tim O’Brien introduces Game 2 as the Coachella Valley Firebirds take on the San Diego Gulls! #CVFirebirds #FirebirdsHockey #SanDiegoGulls #AHL #hockeynight
Hurricane Isaias is bringing worsening conditions to Gulf Shores, Alabama, with strong tropical storm-force winds and heavy rain. CNN’s Isabel Rosales describes the intense conditions as the storm approaches. #HurricaneIsaias #SevereWeather #Alabama