Kennedy Claims Tina Trophy in Thrilling 34-24 Victory

In an electric atmosphere at Granada Hills Charter High School, Kennedy defeated Granada Hills 34–24 on Friday night in the battle for the Tina Trophy. The energy was palpable from before the first snap, as the rivalry between the two schools was on full display.

Granada Hills took the ball first and put together a strong opening drive before a botched snap left the Highlanders facing third-and-goal from the 21-yard line. They would turn the ball over on downs after an incomplete pass on fourth-and-goal from the 24. Kennedy went three-and-out on its first drive.

A football player in black uniform kneels on the field reaching for a football, while two opposing players in white uniforms approach from the right. A crowd can be seen in the background.

On the Highlanders second drive, Wale Adeleye spun off a Golden Cougar tackler for a 23-yard gain on third-and-2. They would break through six plays later on the first play of the second quarter when Adeleye found the end zone on a 10-yard touchdown run to give Granada Hills a 6–0 lead with 11:54 left in the second quarter following a failed two-point conversion.

An action shot of a high school football game, featuring a player in a blue jersey with a green helmet evading two defenders in black and gold uniforms, while a crowd dressed in black cheers in the background.

Kennedy turned the ball over on downs on its second possession after starting with good field position. A high snap on fourth-and-1 gave Granada Hills the ball back after the Golden Cougars had driven inside the red zone.

The Golden Cougars’ defense forced a turnover on downs on the Highlanders’ ensuing possession, stopping a fourth-and-2 attempt. Starting from its own 36-yard line, Kennedy marched down the field and eventually found the end zone on a direct snap to Aidyn Peeples for a 7-yard touchdown run. Kennedy failed on the two-point attempt, leaving the score tied 6–6 with 3:56 left in the half.

A dramatic moment in a high school football game, showcasing players in action during a tackle on a well-lit field at night.

On the following Granada Hills drive, Adeleye ripped off a 57-yard touchdown run down the right sideline to help the Highlanders reclaim the lead. After another failed two-point try, Granada Hills led 12–6 with 2:16 left in the half.

Chaz Rodriguez came out firing on the next Golden Cougar drive, completing his first three passes before scrambling for a 14-yard gain to put Kennedy in position to score before halftime. Rodriguez finished the drive off with a 4-yard touchdown run, and after the extra point, the Golden Cougars took a 13–12 lead with 18 seconds left in the half.

A high school football player in a gold uniform dodging a tackle from an opponent in a black uniform during a night game.

The second half started with an onside kick attempt from Granada Hills, but Kennedy was ready for it. Starting with good field position, the Golden Cougars staged a 10-play drive that ended with a 30-yard touchdown pass from Rodriguez to junior wide receiver Max Zepeda down the left sideline. The touchdown gave Kennedy a 20–12 lead after the extra point with 8:03 left in the third quarter.

A football player in a gold uniform evades a tackle while sprinting down the field at night; two defenders in black jerseys are in pursuit.

After a Granada Hills fumble on its next drive, Kennedy took advantage, recovering the ball near midfield. Following a 15-yard completion from Rodriguez to Zepeda and an 18-yard run by Matthew Quintanilla, the Golden Cougars found themselves on the doorstep once again. Rodriguez called his own number, finding the end zone on a 13-yard run to give Kennedy a 27–12 lead with 5:16 left in the third quarter.

Granada Hills responded, putting together an impressive drive sparked by a 50-yard run from senior Troy Verso that set the Highlanders up to get back into the game. On the first play of the fourth quarter, Adeleye capped the drive off with a touchdown to pull the Highlanders within nine. After another failed two-point attempt, Kennedy led 27–18 with 11:58 left in the fourth quarter.

A youth football player in a black uniform with the number 6 runs with the ball, evading two defenders in golden uniforms during a game, while spectators cheer in the background.

The Highlanders forced an interception on the first play of the subsequent drive, as Nicholas Fuentes-House intercepted Rodriguez and gave Granada Hills possession at the Kennedy 20-yard line.

The Highlanders made it down the 3-yard line before a botched snap on third-and-goal pushed them back to the 15 and forced a field-goal attempt. After a false start, the attempt went from 33 yards to 38 yards and was missed, allowing Kennedy to take over with the score still 27–18 and 7:46 left in the fourth quarter.

Kennedy wouldn’t look back.

A football player in a gold uniform runs with the ball, evading defenders in black uniforms during a game under stadium lights.

A football player in a yellow and brown uniform leaps towards the end zone while carrying the ball, with a cheering crowd in the background.

Quintanilla ripped off a 16-yard run and a 24-yard run, sandwiching a 25-yard run by Rodriguez. Quintanilla finished the drive with an 11-yard touchdown run to give the Golden Cougars a 34–18 lead with 5:02 left in the game.

Adeleye scored once more for the Highlanders with 3 seconds remaining, but it was too little, too late. Kennedy took home the Tina Trophy with a 34–24 victory.

For the Highlanders, mistakes proved too much to overcome, according to coach Bucky Brooks.

“In big games, we can’t beat ourselves,” Brooks said after the game. “If we can clean that up, we can certainly be one of the better teams in the city. But we have to make sure that Granada doesn’t beat Granada.”

A high school football player in a black jersey with green accents running with the ball while being pursued by two defenders in yellow and black jerseys on a well-lit field.

After a closely contested first half, the Golden Cougars found a way to separate in the second half, capitalizing on those Highlander miscues.

“Just really proud that we were able to finish — especially in that third and fourth quarter,” Kennedy coach Troy Cassidy said after the game. “We haven’t had guys go four quarters yet this year. So I’m just really proud of them. They pushed to the end.”