Kennedy is 1-9 against Shafter since February of 2017 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Tuesday. The Kennedy Thunderbirds will head out on the road to square off against the Shafter Generals at 6:15 p.m. Both teams come into the match bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
Even though Kennedy has not done well against McFarland recently (they were 0-9 in their previous nine matchups), they didn't let the past get in their way on Friday. Kennedy enjoyed a cozy 53-39 win over McFarland. The win was just what Kennedy needed coming off of a 50-27 defeat in their prior matchup.
It was another big night for Kayleen Maes, who dropped a double-double on 26 points and 18 rebounds. As a matter of fact, that's the most points she has scored all season. Imaree Curry was another key contributor, dropping a triple-double on 11 points, 11 rebounds, and ten assists.
Meanwhile, Shafter entered their tilt with Tulare Union with five consecutive wins but they'll enter their next game with six. Shafter strolled past Tulare Union with points to spare on Saturday, taking the game 57-42. Given Shafter's advantage in MaxPreps' California basketball rankings (they are ranked 242nd, while Tulare Union is ranked 553rd), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.
Kennedy's win ended a six-game drought at home dating back to last season and bumped them up to 8-9. As for Shafter, they are on a roll lately: they've won 12 of their last 13 contests, which provided a nice bump to their 14-5 record this season.
Kennedy was taken down by Shafter 48-20 in their previous meeting back in February of 2023. Thankfully for Kennedy, Ariana Vega (who dropped a double-double on 22 points and 13 rebounds) won't be suiting up this time. Will that be enough to change the final result? Check MaxPreps.com after the match to find out.
