GRANADA HILLS — Quarterback Diego Montes has electrified Valley gridirons since his varsity debut as a freshman. Now a senior, he showed the poise of a veteran Friday night, engineering touchdowns on Kennedy’s final three drives to secure a 23–16 comeback win over rival Granada Hills and keep the coveted Tina Trophy in Cougar hands.

Separated by just three miles, the two schools clash annually for the trophy. And this year’s rivalry game lived up to the hype.

Granada Hills head coach Bucky Brooks knew Montes would stress a defense that had struggled to contain the pass. But the Highlanders came out swinging. Towering 6’6″ edge rusher Jusawn Davis (one sack, three TFL) was in Montes’ face all night, holding him to just 32 total yards in the first half. Nearly all of it on Kennedy’s opening drive.

Montes flashed his trademark magic early, on 26 yard scramble to push Kennedy deep into Granada territory, but the drive stalled and they settled for a field goal. Despite trailing 3–0, Granada’s defense jogged off the field to high-fives, having proven they could both blanket the pass and stuff the run.

Granada’s offense, led by elusive scatback Dean Rosales, pounded the ground game. But Kennedy’s defense, anchored by Montes’ cousin James Montes, kept Rosales and fellow back Michael Osuna to short gains, never letting them break loose. This despite Brooks deploying All-City nose tackle Jayden Garcia as a lead blocker, who detonated into Kennedy’s line on every snap.

Still, it was Granada’s defense that owned the first half. No one rattles a Montes-led offense. But with Davis, Garcia, and blitz-happy junior linebacker Noah Rios wreaking havoc, Montes couldn’t find any rhythm. Lucky for the Cougars, neither could a Highlander offense that managed two punts and two turnovers on downs. Kennedy clung to a 3-0 halftime lead.

After the break, Granada struck first. Garcia bulldozed open lanes that Rosales and Osuna ripped through for chunk yards. Osuna finished the drive with a four-yard scoring run midway through the third quarter. Rosales powered in the two-point conversion to give the Highlanders an 8–3 lead.

Down for the first time all night, Kennedy’s offense flatlined. Davis kept wrecking plays, Granada bottled up Montes, and bruising back Josue Sandoval got nowhere. Two empty drives left the Cougars still trailing 8–3 entering the fourth.

Then came the turning point. On 2nd-and-19 from midfield, chaos closing in, Montes dodged the Highlander fearsome rush and launched a desperate bomb. Sophomore Jayden Carter hauled it in before being dragged down at the 6-yard line. Two plays later, Montes barreled into the end zone. The two-point try failed, but Kennedy was back in front, 9–8.

Perhaps sensing Montes had caught fire, Brooks gambled on 4th-and-3 near midfield and came up short. Kennedy capitalized fast. A roughing-the-passer penalty helped before Montes capped the quick drive with an 18-yard sprint to stretch the lead to 16–8 with 4:08 left.

But Granada was not done, their game plan had been effective. Brooks, “It’s a rivalry game. It comes down to the end. Our whole goal was get into the 4th quarter, see what happens. We got it there.”

After a Kennedy pooch kick backfired, giving the Highlanders great field position, Rosales and Osuna churned downfield with the latter punching in his second touchdown from four yards out. Gritty QB Jonathan Hernandez powered in the two-point run to tie it 16–16.

The Cougars took over at their own 25 with just :54 on the clock. Granada shifted into a prevent defense and it backfired. “They dropped into pass coverage, too soft in my opinion,” Montes said. “I expected them to keep coming, but as soon as I broke off that 30-yard run, I knew we could do it.”

Kennedy advanced to the Granada 30, where Montes connected with his old middle school buddy Carlos Gonzalez on a deep crossing route for the game-winning touchdown. Sealing a 23-16 victory and keeping the coveted Tina Trophy at Kennedy for another year.

Kennedy head coach Troy Cassidy reflected on the game-winning touchdown drive, “(Gonzalez) is a senior that’s waited his time. Didn’t start his first game until last week and he makes the winning touchdown catch against Granada.” Kennedy moves to 3-1 and begins league play against 4-0 Van Nuys this coming Friday @ 7PM.

While the loss moves to 1-3, don’t sleep on the Highlanders. If Brooks has figured out the defensive side of the equation, they’re going to be a dangerous team that will challenge for the West Valley League crown. They’ll get one more tune-up game Friday versus Fairfax before a marquee clash with 4-0 Taft, led by another standout quarterback Nathan Swinson.

All photos by VST senior photographer Benjamin Becher