With a playoff win on the line, Kennedy rose to the challenge on Friday. They simply couldn't be stopped as they easily beat the Washington Union Panthers 63-25. The Thunderbirds might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won seven contests by 28 points or more this season.
Kennedy got their win on the backs of several key players, but it was Cristian Hernandez out in front who rushed for 191 yards and three scores. Hernandez really tore up the turf during one magnificent 94-yard run. Another rusher making a difference was Jace Demacabalin, who rushed for 203 yards and a pair of TDs on only 11 carries.

Thunderbirds
| 11/21/25 vs Washington Union | 539 |
| 11/14/25 @ Golden West | 392 |
| 11/07/25 vs Paso Robles | 413 |
| 10/31/25 @ Chavez | 371 |
| 10/24/25 vs Taft | 403 |
| + 9 more games |
They were just one part of a punishing run game: Kennedy was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 539 rushing yards. That's the most rushing yards they've posted since back in November of 2024.
Another reason for the win was Kennedy's imposing defense, which managed to get into the backfield for three sacks. The team can thank three different players for their defensive prowess: Anthony Lara, Jorge Avila, and Eduardo Trujillo, who each picked up one sack apiece. Noah Ferrel got in on the action too, converting a pick into a touchdown.
The victory (which was Kennedy's fifth in a row) raised their record to 10-3. Those wins came thanks in part to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 55.8 points over those games. As for Washington Union, they moved to 9-4 with that loss, which also ended their three-game winning streak.
Looking ahead, Kennedy will face off against Independence at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. The Thunderbirds will need to watch out since the Falcons have now posted at least 31 points in their last three games. Washington Union does not have any more games scheduled as of now.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps