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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.

Article Topic Follows: Friday Night Lights

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