The Panorama Pythons Flag Football team enjoyed a stellar 2025 campaign, having raced off to an astounding 19-0 start, before powering their way to a 25-1 record on the season. Ranked 4th in the CIF L.A. City Section heading into their last regular season game on Thursday afternoon, Panorama faced off against the Sylmar 9-4 Sylmar Spartans on their home field seeking their seventh consecutive win heading into postseason play. After falling behind 7-0 in the first quarter, Panorama rallied with 20 unanswered points with junior quarterback Yadhira Hermenegildo scoring three total touchdowns in the 20-7 win to end their season with a perfect 10-0 record in the Valley Mission League. 

Heading into Thursday, the Pythons defense surrendered only six total points in their previous five games, with four of them resulting in shutouts. The Spartans offense had success moving the ball against Panorama in their first matchup this season, as they put up 25 points in a close 31-25 loss to the Pythons on September 18th. Early on in the first quarter, Sylmar drew first blood as they successfully moved the chains on their opening drive. Sylmar senior quarterback Laylanie Galvez tossed a 13-yard touchdown throw to senior wideout and fellow team captain Yaneli Zuniga-Hernandez to give the Spartans an early 7-0 lead with over 4:00 left in the first quarter. 

Panorama struggled out of the gate offensively, as a three-and-out forced them to punt the ball back to the Spartans. The game moved into the second quarter when momentum swung toward the Pythons, as their defense earned a key fourth down stop to give the ball back to their offense. Panorama got their mojo going offensively courtesy of two key first down receptions from senior playmaker Amanda Zuniga each for large gains to reach goal territory. Hermenegildo reached the end zone two plays later on a 2-yard score to trim the deficit to 7-6 after the failed extra point attempt. 

With 4:18 left in the first half, both defenses stood strong as each team traded punts on their subsequent possessions before each team intercepted the ball on the final two plays of the half. Panorama received possession of the football to begin the second half, where a sack from Sylmar senior Julez Paz forced the Pythons into a fourth and long situation. Hermenegildo proceeded to throw a pass hauled in by Panorama senior Livier Andrade for the successful fourth down conversion. Three plays later, she threw her first touchdown pass of the afternoon to Zuniga to give Panorama their first lead of the game at 13-7 with 6:07 remaining in the third quarter. 

Sylmar re-took the field and began to move the ball deep into Panorama territory on offense, when Zuniga made a monumental play on the defensive side of the ball with an interception. Panorama failed to capitalize off of the mistake from the Spartans, as Paz stunted their next offensive drive with consecutive sacks to force a Pythons punt. The contest moved into the fourth quarter where Sylmar’s struggles offensively continued with Panorama earning another stop on fourth down giving the ball back to the offense. 

Seeking an opportunity to take full control of the game, Panorama rode the legs of Hermenegildo to move the ball down the field while chewing up the clock. She provided a fourth quarter exclamation point with a 40-yard touchdown score, while dodging multiple defenders on the sidelines and staying in the field of play. The touchdown accelerated Panorama to a 20-7 lead with 4:23 left in the game, and their defense shut the Spartans offense once more on their following drive to seal the win. 

Having won seven games in a row heading into the playoffs, the 26-1 Pythons will move on to host the Wilson Mules as the No. 3 seed in the CIF L.A. City Section Open Division Playoffs on Friday at 3:00 pm. Sylmar will travel on the road to face the No. 4-seeded Legacy Tigers in the CIF D1 Playoffs on Wednesday as the No.16 seed

All images by VST photographer David Martinez