The Kennedy Thunderbirds suffered their biggest loss since November 28, 2023 on Tuesday. They were dealt a 56-28 loss at the hands of Shafter. Kennedy has struggled against Shafter recently, as their matchup on Tuesday was their sixth consecutive lost matchup.
When it comes to explaining why Kennedy lost, one person who can't be blamed is Valeria Payan. Despite the final result, she scored 14 points along with eight rebounds. As a matter of fact, that's the most points Payan has scored all season. The team also got some help courtesy of Devani Ochoa, who scored two points along with two steals and two blocks.
Kennedy struggled to get the ball back on offense and finished the game with only three offensive rebounds. They were crushed by their opponents in that department as Shafter pulled down 30 offensive rebounds.
Sydnee Macias was a one-man wrecking crew for Shafter as she dropped a double-double on 23 points and 15 rebounds. That's the first time this season that Macias scored 15 or more points. Kyla Schooley was another key contributor, scoring six points along with four steals.
Kennedy's defeat dropped their record down to 8-10. As for Shafter, they have been performing incredibly well recently as they've won 13 of their last 14 matches, which provided a nice bump to their 15-5 record this season.
Kennedy will look to defend their home court on Thursday against Chavez at 6:30 p.m. Chavez will be looking to extend their current four-game winning streak. As for Shafter, they will head out on the road to take on Wasco at 6:15 p.m. on Thursday. The squads are rolling into the game with opposing streaks: Wasco has struggled recently with five losses in a row, while Shafter will arrive with seven straight victories.
