SYHS golfer Brayden Mlodzik shoots career best in Pirates dual match against Sierra Pacific
The Santa Ynez boys volleyball is on a great run in the middle of its Mountain League schedule and hopes to put itself in good shape for the upcoming CIF Central Section playoffs.
After a three-game sweep over non-league opponent Cabrillo (25-12, 25-14, 25-9) on Tuesday, April 8, the Pirates stood at 4-0 in the Mountain and 13-3 overall. SYHS has won seven straight regular matches; it’s only recent blemish was the Bishop Diego Tournament in Santa Barbara on Saturday, April 5, where the Pirates won four (two-out-of-three-sets) matches before losing to host school Bishop Diego, 25-22, in a one-set final.
The success shouldn’t be all that surprising: SYHS is in the second year of the return of Hall-of-Fame coach Chip Fenenga, who actually established the boys volleyball program in 1992 and won seven CIF Southern Section championship in his first stint coaching the boys. He recently won his 500th as boys coach, and also won 199 in a previous stint as girls volleyball coach.
“Oh, I’ve had good players,” Fenenga said with a laugh after the Cabrillo game. The coach said the key with this year’steam is its defense.
“We’re very good defensively,” he said. “We are just able to force teams to get out of their game and make mistakes.”
Sophomore outside hitter Nathan Biron agrees.
“Our defense is like no other on the Central Coast,” he said. “It’s our backbone. It allows us to get our setters to pitch it out to our hitters.”
According to senior team captains Manny Sanchez and Ben Suerman, a pair whom Fenenga calls “the backbone and heart of the team,” has been a team that been very in sync.
“Our communication is how we’re doing so well,” Sanchez said. “We’re better this year at talking and making sureeveryone knows what they’re doing.”
Suerman said that extends outside the court.
“The morale on this team is amazing,” he said. “It’s the closest team I’ve ever been a part of.”
The Pirates played at Templeton on April 10, and will close out its regular season with three home games, against San Luis Obispo (April 15), Atascadero (April 17), and Arroyo Grande (April 17), all starting at 6 p.m. After that, the team will find out where it will be placed in the CIF Central Section playoffs; the Pirates were placed in Division at the season’s start, but could be moved up to Division I
“We have great expectations for CIF whether or not we go Division I or II,” Sarumen said. “We’ve scouted the teams up in the Central Valley in the Fresno and Clovis area; they’ll be tough, but were excited about playing some heavier-hitting teams.”
SYHS golfer shoots personal-best score in dual match
Santa Ynez senior golfer Brayden Mlodzik shot a career-low one under par 71 as the Pirates boys golf team defeated Sierra Pacific 403-458 in a non-league dual match on April 9 at the Alisal River Course in Solvang.
Mlodzik’s score beat his previous low by one stroke, and he has had a solid scoring average of 77 through 12 rounds this season, according to head coach Sara Ovadia.
Mlodzik also shot 78 for the Pirates’ low score in the fourth Mountain League tournament of the season, this one hosted by SYHS on the Alisal course. The Pirates shot a team low in league with a 426, with placed them fourth on the day.
San Luis Obispo was low team with 386, one stroke Arroyo Grande, who had the medalist in Ned Tarter with a score of 70.
Beach volleyball squad loses tough one to Arroyo Grande
The SYHS girls beach volleyball squad lost another tight one to Arroyo Grande, whom they lost to in the CIF Central Section final last year.
In this matchup, on April 1, the Eagles beat the visiting Pirates 2-1. Arelie Perez and Natalie Bailey teamed up for the Santa Ynez win, defeating Bixby Hardy and Diana Sorondo 21-14, 21-18.
The Pirates’ Scarlett Ollenburger and Jordan Gann won their first game against AG’s Bella Strickland and Grace Kennedy 21-13, but lost the second game 21-16, and the decided third game, 15-8. Helina Pecile and Kailyn Snekvik also went three games, with Elizabeth Trimble and Isla Smith, as AGHS took the first game 23-21, SYHS won the second 21-15, and the Eagles’ duo won the decider 15-10.
“AG has great ball control and does a really good job of limiting their errors,” said SYHS head coach Melissa Rogers.”In addition, they are a tough serving team. Our 1’s and 3’s struggled today with their serve receive and as a result did not get into system consistently enough to pull out a win.”
However, Rogers had praise for her winning duo.
“On the 2’s court, Arelie Perez and Natalie Bailey cruised to victory, playing a very solid match,” Rogers said. “They are playing very dominant volleyball right now. Their strengths and weaknesses really complement one another.”
The Pirates (4-1 in league, 12-5 overall) followed up that match with wins over San Luis Obispo (2-1) and Bishop Diego (5-0). They will end the regular season with a home game against AGHS, and then await their first CIF opponent.
