12/18/2025
Mario Millan has moved to second place in All-Time wins in the city of Delano.
Having hit the century mark earlier this year, the Thunderbirds State Championship victory pushed Millan past legendary coach Gene Beck, for whom Delano High School’s stadium is named after.
47 of Millan’s total wins came during his tenure as coach of the Delano Tigers, which lasted from 2008-2013
After departing from DT, Millan served as a coordinator under Kennedy’s Dennis Moody and helped transformed a once derelict program into a championship one at the Div. 6 level.
In Millan’s first season as head coach in 2018, the Thunderbirds beat an undefeated Shafter squad in the Div. 5 valley title game after having been blown out earlier in the season.
His 2022 championship came in equally unthinkable fashion, when Kennedy made a title run in Div. 3. Beating schools three times the Thunderbirds size such as Sunnyside in the title game.
Having won at the highest possible level in relativity to Kennedy’s population size, a Div. 3 Central Section title seemed to be the cap that Millan would be held at.
During the 2025 season, mid-season losses against Wasco and Shafter cast doubt on the teams ability to see playoff success given they’d most-likely rematch against either team in the post season.
However, Millan and the Thunderbirds went on a run that was nothing short of magical. Coasting to a Central section title with an average margin of victory that stood at 21 points.
Entering the CIF Div. 3-A Southern Section title, Kennedy was considered a heavy underdog against a Carson squad that seemed more athletic and played a totally different style of football.
However Kennedy’s power run offense stunned the SoCal champions en route to an upset that landed them in the title game.
The Thunderbirds then did what was once thought impossible in the city of Delano, winning a CIF Div. 3-A state championship. Winning at the highest possible level against the NorCal champions McClyclonds High School.
Millan’s resume now stands at 110 wins, three central section championships (in Div. 3 & 5 respectively) and now a Div. 3-A State Championship.
