The Central High School Spartans of El Centro came into the 2026 fall football season as one of the Imperial Valley’s most watched teams, and through the first seven weeks they have delivered plenty of drama. After a rugged non-league slate and a five-game win streak, Central opened Imperial Valley League play on Oct. 2 with a 34-10 loss at Imperial, dropping to 5-2 overall. With defending league champion Holtville arriving at Cal Jones Field on Thursday night, the Spartans’ season now hinges on how quickly they can reset.
The campaign opened with a harsh lesson. On Aug. 21, Central traveled to San Diego County to face La Costa Canyon and was shut out 35-0. One week later, the Spartans answered on the road at Palm Desert, escaping with a 33-30 win that steadied the ship. September brought momentum: a 19-6 win over Mt. Carmel on Sept. 4, a 44-7 rout of Southwest EC on Sept. 11, a hard-fought 14-7 win over La Quinta on Sept. 18, and a 28-12 victory at Rancho Christian on Sept. 25 that pushed the record to 5-1.
Game-by-Game Schedule
Friday, Aug. 21 — at La Costa Canyon (Mavericks) — L 35-0. A shutout loss to open the season against a strong San Diego Section opponent.
Friday, Aug. 28 — vs Palm Desert (Aztecs) — W 33-30. A nail-biter. Central held on for a three-point road victory that started the win streak.
Friday, Sept. 4 — vs Mt. Carmel (Sundevils) — W 19-6. The defense carried the night, holding Mt. Carmel to six points while the offense did enough.
Friday, Sept. 11 — vs Southwest EC (Eagles) — W 44-7. A dominant home performance; Central rolled up 307 rushing yards, according to MaxPreps stat entries.
Friday, Sept. 18 — vs La Quinta (Blackhawks) — W 14-7. A defensive slugfest that kept the streak alive. (Note: La Quinta’s 27-26 win over Central the previous Thursday was the freshman game, not varsity.)
Friday, Sept. 25 — at Rancho Christian (Eagles) — W 28-12. Central’s fifth straight win, closing the non-league slate at 5-1.
Friday, Oct. 2 — at Imperial (Tigers) — L 34-10. The IVL opener went sideways. Imperial quarterback Urena threw three touchdown passes to build a 34-3 lead before Central’s Hernandez connected with Fidel Camarena Jr. on a 45-yard touchdown late. Central fell to 5-2, 0-1 in league.
Thursday, Oct. 8 — vs Holtville (Vikings) — 7:00 p.m. PDT. League play continues at Cal Jones Field against the defending 2025 IVL champions. A must-win for Central’s title hopes.
Friday, Oct. 16 — vs Calexico (Bulldogs). Central returns home for another league matchup against a 1-4 Calexico side.
Friday, Oct. 30 — at Brawley (Wildcats). The regular season closes on the road at Brawley, which stood 2-4 in early October.
Season Notes
The five-game win streak from Aug. 28 to Sept. 25 showed this team’s ceiling: a defense capable of suffocating opponents (six points allowed to Mt. Carmel) and an offense that can win shootouts (33 points at Palm Desert) and grinds (14-7 over La Quinta). The Imperial loss exposed the gap between Central and the IVL’s best, but with four league games on the schedule and three still to play, the championship is not decided.
What’s Next
The Oct. 8 home date with Holtville is the biggest game left on the slate. A win keeps Central alive in the IVL race; a second league loss would leave the Spartans needing help. Calexico and Brawley close the regular season, and playoff seeding in the San Diego Section will follow.
