Few players, if any, have the two-way resume of Desert Christian Academy junior Judah Garrison. Just look at the statistics.
Garrison, a 6-foot, 170-pound receiver and defensive back, has caught 15 touchdown passes and intercepted 17 passes in two years of high school football, playing mostly against players two and three years older. For that reason, Garrison checks in at No. 8 on The Desert Sun's preseason Elite 11 countdown of the top players in the Coachella Valley in 2026.
Last season, Garrison was arguably the most important player on a Conquerors team that finished the regular season 10-0, won a league title and reached the CID Southern Section playoffs.
This year could be Garrison's best season yet. The Conquerors brought back several key players from last year's team and may be even bigger and deeper than a year ago. Garrison is also bigger, stronger and faster and should have ample opportunities to shine.
Desert Christian Academy will play a tougher regular season this year, and that will provide Garrison with an opportunity to prove that he perhaps deserves to be even higher on this list.
Andrew John covers sports and recreation in the Coachella Valley for The Desert Sun. email him at andrew.john@desertsun.com. Follow him on Instagram at @desertwriter.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: One of the desert's best two-way players lands at No. 8 on the Elite 11