Friday Night Lights Week 15: Palo Verde shocks CIF and wins title, Yuma Catholic upset at home

Palo Verde wins back-to-back championships after landing #7 seed

YUMA, Ariz., (KYMA, KECY) - Black Friday very rarely features some local teams taking the field and chasing a championship as the football season winds down.

This year, two teams stood standing and chasing a dream - but only one surviving in the end.

And it was almost an opposite turnout from what some might have predicted: the Palo Verde Yellow Jackets stunning southern California with another CIF title the Shamrocks of Yuma Catholic falling at home to a team they beat earlier in the year.

The Rocks season ends in the 4A Quarterfinals after moving up a division, missing out on a shot at three straight title appearances.

The Yellow Jackets on the other hand, completing the ultimate trifecta of defeating the top three seeds - all on the road.

After a tight win at home in the first round, the Jackets had to sneak by #2 La Jolla Country Day and then #3 Coronado last week, ultimately ending in the the upset over #1 Fallbrook Friday night.

This all proving the disrespect received from the CIF and something that fueled them even more.

"We're just a #7 seed, we weren't supposed to be here. We went through the #3, the #2, the #1," senior Carlos Gomez facetiously. "It's not lucky #7. Ain't anything lucky about it. We earned this."

Palo Verde now brings a CIF title back to their community in Blythe, California that has shown out in waves all season - correlating to the motto of "it takes a village" that has resonated amongst everyone under head coach Wally Grant since the beginning.

The Yellow Jackets now await any word on Sunday about playing in the state tournament.