UPDATE: The Santa Ynez High boys basketball and girls soccer teams were eliminated in the second round from their respective CIF Central Section playoffs on Wednesday night, Feb. 19. The boys basketball team lost 61-43 to North High in Bakersfield in Division III. The girls soccer team fell 4-1 at Santa Maria High, also in Division III. In both cases, the SYHS teams lost to the top seeds in the division. The SYHS girls basketball team won their second-round matchup on Tuesday, Feb. 18. For the story on that, go to santaynezvalleystar.com/santa-ynez-girls-basketball-beats-coalinga-moves-into-cif-division-iv-semifinals/

Santa Ynez High winter sports teams had a successful weekend to start the CIF Central Section postseason on Feb. 14 and 15, as the girls basketball, girls soccer and boys basketball squads all earned first-round wins.

Pirates boys hoops gets by Lemoore

After winning the Sunset League with a perfect 8-0 record, the Santa Ynez boys hoopsters earned an eighth seed in Division III and hosted No. 9 Lemoore in its first-round game on Feb. 15.

The Pirates rode a strong fourth period to a 55-52 win over the Tigers for their 11th straight win. The game was a tight one through the first three quarters as SYHS held a 37-36 lead going into the last period. In the fourth, the Pirates rallied to open up as much as a 10-point lead before a late Lemoore run made it close at the end.

Jude Pritchard, the Pirates’ top scorer for the season at 15.9 points per game, put in a team-high 17 points against Lemoore, while Jaydon Mendoza added 11. Lucas Ollenburger, who had a key three-pointer in the fourth period of the playoff game, ended up with 8 points and 7 rebounds, while Ikenna Ofiaeli had 9 points and a team-high 9 rebounds.

“It was a heck of a matchup,” head coach Rod Caughell said about the contest. “I was concerned going in because they’re strengths tend to be our weaknesses, but we were able to break their press, and hit some big 3’s to pull it out.”

The Pirates now get an even bigger test in the second round, facing No. 1 seed Bakersfield North on Wednesday, Feb. 19. The Stars finished 24-6 and placed second in the South Yosemite Mountain League with a 24-6 record. Game time in Bakersfield is 6 p.m. 

Girls hoops handles Pioneer Valley

The Santa Ynez High girls basketball team, after finishing third in the Sunset League with a 5-5 record (15-10 overall), earned the No. 2 seed in the Division IV bracket and in its first-round game on Friday, Feb. 14, defeated nearby No. 15 seed Pioneer Valley 52-33.

The Lady Pirates defeated the Jaguars from Santa Maria with a balanced attack, as Kailani Ladera scored a team-high 11 points, along with 8 rebounds, and Lexi Molera added 10 points and 5 steals. Helina Pecile totaled 9 points, 5 rebounds and 5 steals, while Elena Sleiman pulled down a team-high 14 rebounds.

“The girls came out strong tonight,” said head coach Jennifer Rasmussen, whose team made it to the second round of the postseason for the third straight year.

SYHS will return to the Pirate gym Tuesday, Feb. 18, for its next game, against No. 7 seed Coalinga at 5 p.m. Coalinga, known as the Horned Toads, finished 24-5 with an 8-2 record (second place) in the West Sierra League.

Girls soccer overpowers Sierra Pacific

The Santa Ynez High girls soccer team finished the regular season with a 7-9-2 record and 2-5-1 in the Sunset League, placing third. The Lady Pirates were one of four Sunset team to be placed in the Division III bracket.

In its first-round game, the No. 8 seed Pirates excelled with a 4-0 victory over No. 9 Sierra Pacific of Hanford on Saturday, Feb. 15, at SYHS.

Ella Gotschall, Grace Vazquez, Isabella Rubio, and Hannah Ricci scored for SYHS.

“Everything just came together tonight,” said head coach Rob Cantrell. “We’re good at generating opportunities, but we’ve haven’t finished them in recent games. Tonight, we did.”

The win moves the Lady Pirates to a second-round matchup on Wednesday, Feb. 19, with a familiar opponent — Sunset League rival and No. 1 seed Santa Maria. The Saints won the league with a 7-1 record, and were an impressive 20-2-2 record overall. The Saints have beaten the Pirates twice this season, 5-1 decision in Santa Maria, and 3-1 at Santa Ynez earlier this month.

“They’re going to be tough, and they’re definitely a No. 1, but I don’t worry about seeds, we just play whoever comes against us,” Cantrell said. “They handled us pretty well at their place, but we played them pretty tough in our second match, so you never know.”

Game time Wednesday at Santa Maria High will be 6 p.m.

Boys soccer finishes second in Sunset League

The SYHS boys soccer team ended its season with a 2-1 loss to Lompoc, with Jackson Elliott tallying to lone Pirate goal.

The Pirates finished with a 3-3-2 record in the Sunset League, placing second, and a 5-12-3 record overall. They did not receive a postseason berth.

For the season, Elliott was the top scorer with 7 goals and 14 points. Marcos Rivera tallied 6 goals with an assist for 13 points, and Evan Ellason had 3 goals and a team-high 3 assists for 9 points. In goal, Diego Medina had an 0.863 goals against average.

The post Three SYHS teams get past CIF first-round tests appeared first on Santa Ynez Valley Star.

SANTA BARBARA — Santa Barbara Community Rowing’s junior racing team enjoyed a strong start to their 2025 spring racing season, finishing with notable wins at the President’s Day Invitational Regatta in Long Beach on Feb. 1.

Diego Stephenson, a Dunn school junior, brought home gold in the Youth Men’s Single, which is a testament to his hard work and focus, said Coach Gracie Barbara.

“He’s picked up a lot of speed this year,” Barbara said. “The youth category is tough and Diego has been putting in extra work outside of our scheduled practice, and it’s great to see it showing in his results. We’re all really happy for him and excited to see what he can do the rest of the season.”

SBCR’s Jacie Dingman, a Santa Ynez High School freshman, came home with gold, winning the U17 Women’s Single.

And then Dingman and her longtime doubles partner, Elsa Loya (homeschooled and Classical Resource Learning Center junior) added another gold medal to the tally for SBCR, winning the Youth Women’s Double. 

Dingman and Loya finished seventh in the nation at the 29th Annual USRowing Youth National Championships in Florida last year, and appear to be on track to reprise another successful racing season this year. 

Equally as exciting was the debut race for SBCRs five new novice rowers, who took silver in Men’s U15 Quad. They include brothers William and Campbell Allen, (Goleta Valley Junior High), John Asher (Laguna Blanca), Finn McCauley (Montecito Academy), and Aidan Chase (Montecito Academy).

As Barbara said, “Their success is noteworthy because this is the first time these kids have raced together in this lineup, and it can be intimidating, especially when their average age is 2 years younger than their competitors. These are 12- and 13-year-olds going up against some 13- and 14-year-olds, which is tough. But they worked together and came away with a terrific result. And I hope it inspires other kids to join their ranks.”

“We are still a small team and we are always looking for more middle and high schoolers,” Barbara continued.”Rowing is still relatively unknown in Santa Barbara County, but it’s a great community; we row on a beautiful lake;and our kids are fast. What more do you need? And a lot of these kids will go on to row in college, so it’ll be fun to see what the future holds for them. 

“There’s a lot of potential here to build a bigger, top-tier junior team, and I’d love to see our program grow to 20 or 30 kids out on the water all together.”

Barbara herself rowed in high school and college and knows that rowers are admired for their discipline, work ethic, and leadership skills.

Santa Barbara Community Rowing is the only rowing organization in Santa Barbara County, based at Cachuma Lake. If you are interested in donating to the club, or learning more about rowing, SBCR offers summer camps for youth ages 11 and over, as well as Learn to Row programs throughout the year for adults and kids. For more information visit rowsbc.org

The post Santa Barbara Community Rowing experiences success at Long Beach President’s Day Regatta appeared first on Santa Ynez Valley Star.

By Mike Chaldu

After three straight home playoff wins, the Santa Ynez High girls basketball squad is headed to Fresno next Friday, Feb. 28, to play for the CIF Central Section Division IV championship.

The No. 2 seed Lady Pirates outlasted No. 3 Matilda Torres High of Madera 49-42 in the semifinal matchup Thursday, Feb. 20, at the SYHS gym.

SYHS started off strong, jumping out to a 7-0 lead in the opening minutes and went to halftime with a 28-19 lead. The Lady Pirates started the third period moving up the lead to 31-19. After that, though, the visiting Toros ran off a 12-2 run to pull within 33-31.

SYHS was able to stave off Torres’s charge and with 5:34 left, Helina Pecile made a layup with a foul shot for a three-point play, and then on the next trip down the floor, Lexi Molera hit a three-point shot to put the Pirates up 43-35. Pecile hit four clutch free throws to clinch it for SYHS.

The playoff run has been enjoyable for the team this year, according to head coach Jennifer Rasmussen, especially after the disappointment last year when the Pirates were the top seed and lost in the second round.

“After last year, we made a goal that we would get past the second round, and we did so,” Rasmussen said. “We definitelywanted to win tonight, but if we hadn’t, at least we had gotten past that level. And I think that took off the pressure tonight.

“We just fought, we played together, and the girls just really focused on what we worked on in practice and played like a team.”

That focus will be tested Feb. 28 in Fresno, as the Pirates face top-seeded Immanuel High of Reedley. Game time will be 2 p.m. at Selland Arena.

The Eagles have shown so far their No. 1 seeding has been earned as they have posted lopsided wins over McFarland (70-6), Fresno (53-25) and Atascadero (67-29) on their way to the title game. Immanuel was 26-5 in the regular season and placed second in the Tri-County-Kings Canyon League with a 7-1 record.

Two days before the win over Torres (Feb. 18), SYHS defeated Coalinga 48-33 in a second-round win over at the SYHS gym.

Sophomore Kailani Ladera led the way for SYHS against Coalinga with 15 points to go along with 9 rebounds and 3 steals. Junior Helina Pecile added 9 points and 11 boards, while senior Kylie LaPoint had 9 points and 4 assists and junior Rylan Agin chipped in 10 boards and 6 assists.

The post Santa Ynez girls basketball beats Torres to gain berth in CIF Division IV final appeared first on Santa Ynez Valley Star.

Santa Ynez High School got to celebrate some more CIF championship athletes on Jan. 23 as members of the Pirates girls golf team received their championship rings during a lunchtime ceremony in the high school’s meeting room.

The ceremony was anything new to the team, as they had the same ceremony last year after winning the title in 2023.

Administrators and family members, joined the golfers as they were introduced one-by-one by head coach Sara Ovadia and assistant coach John Nicholas and given their rings. The team members were Caralyn Barber, Katherine Becerra, Kacy Caplan, Sierra Freedman, Savannah Hudley, Mackenzie Phelan, and Addison West.

The squad successfully defended its CIF Central Section Division 2 title Oct. 29 in Visalia. The Pirates beat runner-up Atascadero by five shots, shooting a team score of 483. Cabrillo (522) and Lompoc (523) finished fourth and fifth, respectively. 

Ovadia also coaches the boys golf team, who has also won the last two CIF Central Section championships. The boys will soon start their season in hopes continuing the Pirates golf program’s amazing run.

The coach said her program is fortunate to have players coming in with prior golf experience.

“We had a few kids who played before high school, and that experience has built a solid nucleus for our team,” Ovadia said. “Then as they progressed, freshman would come in and our established players have been good at pushing them along. We’ve also had a couple who came from other sports who realized, if they put the effort in, could find success in this sport rather quickly.”

Ovadia will soon get started with the boys golf season, which starts March 4 with a match against Santa Barbara atSanta Barbara Golf Club. The Pirates play their first home match on March 6 against Cabrillo at the Alisal River Course in Solvang.

Boys basketball beats Nipomo for seventh straight win

The Santa Ynez boys basketball team is on a roll, as the Pirates defeated Nipomo 76-25 at home. Lucas Ollenburger led SYHS with 18 points in that game, along with 7 rebounds, while Jude Pritchard and Wesley Satterthwaite added 11 points each.

Before the Nipomo game, the Pirates posted a couple of non-league victories. On Jan. 28, they beat Orcutt Academy 78-42, with Ollenburger scoring 18 points in that game, while Pritchard (16 points) and Ikenna Ofiaeli (15) also had high scoring ouputs.

SYHS (15-8, 5-0 in the Sunset League) will return to action tonight (Feb. 4) at Righetti, who is just one game behind the Pirates at 4-1 in league. The Pirates close out the regular season with home games against Morro Bay (Feb. 7) and Cabrillo (Feb. 11). After that, Santa Ynez will find out its postseason seeding.

Pirates boys wrestling finishes dual-match schedule undefeated

The Santa Ynez boys wrestling team defeated host Nipomo 46-35 in its final dual match, finishing 5-0 in duals. The Pirates’ Carter Franson (pin), Curren Lane (pin) and Neal Cunningham (tech fall) posted wins, while the other SYHS winners were by forfeit.

On the girls side, Santa Ynez held an exhibition dual match against Nipomo. Team captains Malia Ortiz and Ariela Contreras, as well as junior Mary Carpenter, picked up wins for the Lady Pirates.

It was an emotional night for the Lady Pirates as they wrestled their final team event with Ortiz, the sole senior to take the mat against Nipomo, picking up a first-round fall, finishing her career undefeated in league duals. 

“Malia has been a captain, role model and dominant force on the team throughout her high school career and has set the bar high for future Lady Pirates,” girls wrestling head coach Chantalle Castellanos said.

Girls basketball battling in Sunset League

The SYHS girls basketball team played the two best teams in the Sunset League and unfortunately, lost them both.

The Lady Pirates fell to first-place San Luis Obispo 58-48 on Jan 31. However, SYHS got a good effort from Helina Pecile, who had 15 points and 12 rebounds, while Kylie LaPointe added in 9 points and 6 rebounds.

Three days before that, the Lady Pirates fell to second-place Cabrillo 47-27, with LaPointe leading SYHS with 10 points.

Santa Ynez (12-9, 3-4 in the Sunset League), will play their final home game tonight, against Lompoc, and will close out the regular season with road games at Paso Robles (Feb. 7) and Templeton (Feb. 11).

Soccer programs get mixed results last week

The Pirates boys soccer team defeated St. Joseph 2-0 on  Jan. 31, with goals scored by Cristian Sandoval and Abraham Corrales. SYHS (5-11-3, 3-2-2 in Sunset League). The team is in second place in the league, pending its regular season finale Feb. 7 at Lompoc.

On the girls soccer side, SYHS lost a close one to Cabrillo 3-2 on Jan. 28, with Hannah Ricci and Grace Vazquez scoring the Pirate goals. SYHS (6-8-1, 2-4 in the Sunset League) closes out its regular season with home games against Pioneer Valley (Feb. 4) and Santa Maria (Feb. 7). 

The post SYHS girls golf squad gets their CIF championship rings appeared first on Santa Ynez Valley Star.

The Santa Ynez Valley Union High School District hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony for its brand-new, state-of-the-art locker room facility. The event occurred on Friday, Jan. 17, and tours of the new locker rooms were open to the public.

Several distinguished guests attended the ceremony, including SYVUHS District Board President Chris Johnson, Board Members Jose Juan Ibarra and Sheri Noble, Coach Jenn Rasmussen and Coach/Athletic Director Josh McClurg. These individuals have been instrumental in supporting students and student-athletes throughout the district. The event celebrated the district’s ongoing commitment to enhancing facilities and providing a supportive environment for students to excel both on and off the field.

The new locker rooms represent a significant investment in the high school’s facilities. They offer modern amenities designed to meet the needs of all students. With updated lockers, storage, showers, and team meeting spaces, the facility demonstrates the district’s dedication to fostering teamwork, school spirit, and equity in athletic resources.

“This new locker room is a testament to our commitment to our students’ growth and success,” said Johnson. “We are proud to provide a facility that not only meets the needs of our students but also reflects the pride and unity of our entire school community.”

“Quality facilities are important for the success of all our students,” stated SYVUHS Principal/Superintendent Dr. Kimberly Sheehan. “Thank you to the community for supporting Santa Ynez High School as a top-performing high school both academically and athletically.”

The post Santa Ynez High School holds ribbon-cutting ceremony for new locker room appeared first on Santa Ynez Valley Star.

The Pirates boys soccer is off to a decent start in Sunset League play, gaining a win and a tie after a league-opening loss.

Santa Ynez traveled to St. Joseph on Jan. 14, where the teams played to a 3-3 tie. Vince Guerrero scored two goals in the first half, one a put-back shot after Marcos Rivera hit the crossbar, and the other off a corner kick that had been cleared by the St. Joseph defense, to give the Pirates a 2-1 halftime lead. Saint Joseph scored twice in the second half for the lead, but Rivera forced a tie, scoring came from a direct free kick.

Four days earlier, the Pirates earned their first league win by beating Atascadero 1-0. Guerrero had the lone goal in that one: Teammate Austin Willis sent a shot that hit the post, but Guerrero was in perfect position to knock it into the net, according to head coach Hector Garcia.

The Pirates, now 1-1-1 in the Sunset League, and 3-9-2 overall, next play Lompoc today (Tuesday) at home and travel to Templeton on Friday.

So far this season, Rivera is the team leader in goals with 5, with Jackson Elliott and Austin Willis having 4 apiece.

Boys basketball

The Pirates boys hoopsters had a big night in their league opener, shutting down host Nipomo 72-24 on Jan. 14. Jude Pritchard (15 points) and Mason Skidmore (14) scored in double figures, while Ikenna Ofiaeli had 7 points and 9 rebounds.

The win broke a two-game losing streak for Santa Ynez, who will travel to Morro Bay today for the first of three road games. The Pirates return home Jan. 29 for a game against Dunn.

Girls basketball

The SYHS girls basketball team have gotten off to a slow start in Sunset League, dropping their first two games of the league schedule.

Their latest was a 55-31 loss to San Luis Obispo on the Pirates’ court on Jan. 14. Lailani Ladera led SYHS with 8 pts, while Helina Pecile had 6 points and a team-high 12 boards.

SYHS opened the league schedule with a 49-30 loss at Cabrillo on Jan. 10. Pecile had 10 points, 5 boards, and 4 steals, while Kylie LaPointe and Lexi Molera had 7 points apiece.

With a record of 0-2 in the Sunset League and 9-7 overall, the Pirates played Lompoc last Friday (Jan. 17) and will play Paso Robles.

Girls soccer

The Pirate girls earned their first Sunset League win of the year with a 3-1 win over Cabrillo on the SYHS turf. Grace Vasquez was the Player of the Match with two goals. Isabella Rubio added another scored.

Santa Ynez, with a record of 1-1 in league and 5-5-1 overall played at Pioneer Valley on Friday, Jan. 17, and will go to Santa Maria on Tuesday, and return home against Lompoc on Thursday, Jan. 24.

The post It’s a win, loss, and tie for Pirates boys soccer so far in Sunset League play appeared first on Santa Ynez Valley Star.

Manu Duah, a 2024 graduate of Dunn School in Los Olivos and standout soccer player, was selected as the No. 1 overall pick in the MLS SuperDraft by expansion team San Diego FC. The historic selection on Dec. 20 follows Duah’s signing of a three-year Generation adidas developmental contract, making him the highest-selected athlete in UC Santa Barbara’s history across all sports drafts.

Duah, a dynamic defensive midfielder originally from Ghana, played spectacularly during his just-completed freshman season at UCSB, where his speed, technique, and ability drew national attention. His historic achievement is the culmination of years of dedication that began on the fields of Dunn School, where he was known for his remarkable talent and leadership.

“From the moment Manu arrived at Dunn, he stood out—not just as a gifted player, but as a driven and humble individual,” said Dunn School Director of Athletics Kelsey Sullivan. “Manu’s journey is a testament to his hard work and talent. We were delighted to have him in the kind of supportive environment at Dunn that fosters both athletic and personal growth.”

Duah is the second Dunn School boys soccer alumnus to be drafted No. 1 overall in the MLS SuperDraft. He joins Abu Danladi, also from Ghana, who was selected first by Minnesota United in 2017 after an illustrious career at UCLA. Like Danladi, Duah developed his skills at Dunn under the guidance of top-tier coaches and a program committed to excellence.

“Having two No. 1 picks in the MLS Draft is an extraordinary achievement for Dunn School and speaks to the strength of our soccer program,” said Dunn Head of School Kaylan Balaven. “Manu and Abu represent the very best of what our school strives for: developing well-rounded individuals who excel in their passions and inspire others.”

Duah’s selection is also a landmark moment for San Diego FC, as he becomes the first-ever pick in the franchise’s history. “Being the first pick for an expansion team is an honor,” Duah said. “I’m grateful for the support I’ve received from my coaches, teammates, and the Dunn community. Dunn gave me the foundation to dream big and work hard, and I’m excited for this next chapter.”

During his time at Dunn, Duah was instrumental in leading the Earwigs to multiple CIF-Southern Section playoff berths, earning accolades for his technical prowess and sportsmanship. His coaches recall his tireless work ethic and ability to inspire his teammates.

“Manu was more than an extraordinary player — he was a leader,” said Dunn alumnus, former professional player, and current head coach Sahid Conteh, who also starred at UCSB. “He set a standard that elevated everyone around him.”

Manu’s journey from Dunn School to UCSB and now to the MLS has inspired the next generation of student-athletes at Dunn. As the school celebrates this milestone, it reaffirms its commitment to nurturing talent and character across all disciplines.

About Dunn School:

Dunn is a boarding and day school (grades 6-12) in Los Olivos. Founded in 1957, Dunn School has remained true to its mission of providing Whole Student Education, empowering students to reach their fullest potential for a life of learning and responsible leadership.

The post Dunn School’s Manu Duah selected No. 1 overall In MLS Superdraft by San Diego FC appeared first on Santa Ynez Valley Star.

As the new year, and the winter sports season, is upon us, one of Santa Ynez High School’s newest athletic programs, girls wrestling, is continuing to grow, which is satisfying to head coach Chantalle Castellanos.

“We are in our fourth year now; we started in 2021,” she said. “We were just coming back from COVID, and the next year it really opened up, it was the first year we didn’t have to deal with testing and all that crazy stuff.”

It was also a chance for the girls to wrestle other girls, Castellanos said.

“This [a girls program] has really brought it to the forefront,” she said. “Before, you had girls talking about doing this, but kind of off to the side. Now you see many of them come in, and culturally, not expect them to be doing something like this. But they do, and it really empowers them.”

One example of that is senior wrestler Malia Ortiz, who is coming off a junior year in which she won a CIF Central Section division title.

“Malia was our captain last year, and she is the ideal lead-by-example person,” Castellanos said. “She doesn’t lead verbally so much, she’s very quiet. But, by example, if I need something, I don’t have to tell her ‘Hey, could you …’ She knows what needs to be done.”

Ortiz will be a top competitor on a team that has 12 girls this year, a bigger team than the program has had, according to Castellanos. Another wrestler the coach is high on is Ariella Contreras.

“Ariella is a junior this year, and this year or next year, I really see it happening for her,” Castellanos said. “She has three brothers who were in this program, and she’s very technical, but also an emotional competitor, which has its ups and downs. Sometimes it’s the timing for athletes, but I think it’s going to work out for her.”

The Pirate girls just finished competing in the California Invitational in Morro Bay on Jan. 4, and will travel to San Luis Obispo High on Wednesday, Jan. 8, for it first dual match of the season against the Tigers.

Meanwhile, the Santa Ynez boys wrestling program has gotten its season in gear. The Pirates defeated St. Joseph 55-23 in their first dual match of the season on Dec. 18.

Coach Raul-Omar Sandoval feels positive about his overall squad this year (“They’re a great group”) and is gearing up for the annual Pirate Invitational this weekend, Friday and Saturday, Jan. 10-11, at SYHS.

Sandoval said Ben Flores, Joey Duarte, and Andrew Badger are the individuals he expects to excel this year. All three had win in the dual meet, Flores and Duarte by pinfall.

Boys basketball squad places third in the Carpinteria Tournament

During the holiday break, the Pirates boys basketball team traveled south to take part in the Carpinteria Tournament Dec. 20-23. There, SYHS defeated Channel Islands 74-35, lost to Arroyo Grande 60-37, and then beat Foothill Tech 56-44 to earn third place in the tourney.

Mason Skidmore and Jude Pritchard led a balanced scoring attack with 14 points each in the final game against Foothill Tech, while Pritchard (23) and Lucas Ollenberger (21) topped the 20-point mark in the first game against Channel Islands.

The Pirates went back to Carpinteria on Jan. 4 for their second non-conference game against the Warriors, and won again 80-65. Skidmore and Pritchard again led the way with a team-high 17 points each, while Jayden Mendoza added 15, and Ikenna Ofiaeli has 14 points, 9 rebounds and 4 blocked shots.

Santa Ynez (8-6) had a game against Bishop Diego on Monday night (Jan. 6) and closes out its non-conference schedule at home vs. Mission Prep on Tuesday, Jan. 7, before starting its Sunset League season at Nipomo on Jan. 14.

Girls basketball takes Silver Bracket title at Arvin tournament

Right after Christmas, the Santa Ynez High girls basketball team traveled north for the Arvin Holiday Showcase and went 3-0 to capture the Silver Bracket championship, ending with a 45-26 win over Bakersfield. The Lady Pirates’ first two wins were against Hanford (59-36) and Lindsay (68-28).

Helina Pecile was named the tournament MVP for the Silver Bracket, scoring in double figures for each game. She had 12 points and 9 rebounds in the game against Bakersfield, and had 16 points in the game against Hanford. Kylie LaPointe had 8 points and 8 steals in the title game, and scored 17 against Lindsay.

Santa Ynez returns to action Tuesday, Jan. 7, at Mission Prep, and then will start Sunset League play at Cabrillo on Friday, Jan. 10.

Boys soccer hits the win column

After a rough start to the season, the Pirates boys soccer fashioned a little winning streak before going on the holiday break.

Santa Ynez earned its first win of the season on Dec. 17, beating Morro Bay 3-1. Austin Willis scored twice on penalty kicks (Evan Eliason and Luis Garcia drew the fouls) and Eliason scored off an assist from Marco Rivera to give the Pirates a 3-0 lead at halftime. Jack Peterschick was named the man of the match by coach Hector Garcia for his strong defensive play.

Two days later, the Pirates went to Mission Prep and beat the Royals 6-0. Rivera and Jackson Elliott had two goals apiece, with Eliason and Cristian Sandoval (the man of the match) adding a goal apiece. Goalkeeper Diego Medina earned his first shutout.

Santa Ynez (2-8-1) is back in action Tuesday, Jan. 7, at home against Templeton.

The post SYHS girls wrestling program growing by the year appeared first on Santa Ynez Valley Star.

The Central Coast Athletic Association released its All-League teams for the Sunset League football season, with Santa Ynez High junior quarterback Jude Pritchard receiving a top honor.

Pritchard was named Offensive Player of the Year by the CCAA on the year-end team. Pritchard, a junior in his second year as starter for SYHS, has proven himself as quite a double-threat, throwing for 1,661 yards and 12 touchdowns, and also rushing for 513 yards and 6 TDs. Both yardage totals were team highs for the season.

Other Sunset League honorees included San Luis Obispo senior QB Jace Gomes (MVP), Righetti senior linebacker and SLO senior linebacker Hayden Hall (Co-Defensive Players of the Year), Righetti senior player Derek Reynoso (All-Purpose Player of the Year), and SLO head coach Pat Johnston (Coach of the Year). San Luis Obispo was league champ with a 4-0 record in league, 10-2 overall.

In addition to Pritchard, 11 Pirates were recognized with first- or second-team honors, or honorable mentions.

For offense, senior Alex Thompson earned first-team honors at offensive line. SYHS second-team selections were senior Davis Gandolfo (offensive line), senior Luke Gianis, senior Griffin Bruner (running back), and junior Diego Pulido (kicker). Senior Sebastian Perez got honorable mention for offensive line.

For defense, senior Ben Flores (linebacker) and senior Ryder McClurg (defensive back) received first-team honors.Junior Levi Snow (defensive line), senior Luca Clifton (linebacker), and senior Max Andrade (defensive back) were named to the second team. Junior Javier Nungary (defensive line) was an honorable mention.

SYHS hires coaches for spring sports

The Santa Ynez Valley High School District announced on Dec. 11 two coaching hires for spring sports.

Allen Pinoli was named as the Santa Ynez High track and field head coach after serving as the interim head coach for 2024-25, where he stepped in after the season had already started and filled the vacated position. Pinoli also serves as an assistant varsity football coach for the Pirates, where he is in his fifth season as the running backs coach. 

“Allen has great passion and enthusiaism for coaching and life in general.  He has a phenominal rapport with his athletes and has shown an ability to coach all levels of talent,” SYHS Athletic Director Josh McClurg said. “He is well known and respected in the local community, having grown up in the Valley and is the owner/operator for Pinoli’sMechanical.  I am extremely excited to have Allen on permantly as a head coach and I look forward to him continuing to re-build the track program.”

Pinoli attended Santa Ynez High School and graduated in 1995. He was a four-year football player and member of the back-to-back league champion teams of ’93 and ’94.  He was the county Player Of The Year in 1994 as well as first-team All CIF-SS and first team all-league. Pinoli’s track career was just as impressive. He was a four-year varsity track athlete and made CIF every year.  He earned all-league honors in the 4×100 and 300 Hurdles.  He was Los Padres League Champion in the 300 hurdles in 1995. 

Allen  has also been a huge part of our local Pirate YFL program.  He has coached the last five years and has alsoserved on the YFL board of directors. 

Also, on Tuesday, Dec. 10, Santa Ynez Valley High School Board approved Felicity Caballero-Montez as the softball head coach.  Montez has spent the last four years bringing a private pitching coach in the area and coaching for LGSA (Lompoc Girls Softball Association).

“Felicity brings a new youthful energy to our softball program,” McClurg said. “She has already organized an exciting, young coaching staff that is ready to get working.  We are excited to welcome Coach Montez to Pirate family.”

Montez attended Cabrillo High School, where she started at pitcher and second base for the Conquistadores. She also played travel ball for local coach Benny Garcia and subsequently graduated from Cabrillo in 2016.

Girls basketball downs Nipomo before break

The Santa Ynez High girls basketball team defeated Nipomo 53-34 on Dec. 10 to raise their record to 6-4.

The team is now on a two-week break before traveling to Bakersfield for the Arvin Holiday Classic on Dec. 26.

Rylan Agin was the top scorer against Nipomo, with 17 points, while adding 7 rebounds, and 3 assists. Helina Pecile contributed 13 points, 11 boards, and 5 steals, and Lexi Modera had 12 points and 4 rebounds.

SYHS had another big win on Dec. 6, beating Santa Barbara 51-28. Agin led a balanced scoring attack with 12 points, while Elena Sleiman added 10 points, and Pecile had 8 points and 10 rebounds.

“The team put on a strong performance, showcasing both offensive depth and defensive intensity,” said head coach Jennifer Rasmussen after the game. “This was a dominant all-around performance by the girls.”

Boys basketball suffers first loss

The Pirates boys basketball team suffered its first loss of the season on Dec. 10, falling to Lompoc 55-50 and dropping their record to 4-1.

A week before, SYHS beat Templeton 61-27 as Pritchard, now with the basketball team, led the way with 14 points andJayden Mendoza added 10.

The Pirates played in the Morro Bay tournament over the weekend(results not available at press time) and will travel to Carpinteria for their tournament on Dec. 20. 

Feature Image: Santa Ynez High quarterback Jude Pritchard (center) waits for the snap during a game against Pioneer Valley earlier this year. Pritchard was named Sunset League Offensive Player of the Year in the season-ending all-league announcements. Star File Photo                     

The post Pirates’ Jude Pritchard named Sunset League football Offensive Player of the Year appeared first on Santa Ynez Valley Star.

The Santa Ynez High School boys and girls soccer teams came into the 2024-25 season in similar situations: Both lost key players due to graduation.

As of Dec. 11, both teams have struggled out of the gate as they work on new lineups and test themselves against a tough pre-league schedule, but look to hit their peak when Sunset League play starts.

Boys look to mesh the old with the new

After going 11-8-1 and playing in the first-round of the CIF playoffs in 2023-24, the boys team is was still looking for it first win as of Dec. 11 starting off 0-6-1, with it’s only non-loss being a 1-1 tie at Cabrillo High on Dec. 5. The Pirates did have games against Nipomo on Dec. 12

“From my perspective, it’s a transitional year,” Garcia said after his team’s 1-1 tie at Cabrillo on Dec. 5. “We have a lot of new faces coming up from JV, and we just have to get them to mesh with the returning players.”

One player Garcia is looking to take the leadership mantle is senior Evan Eliason, who had eight assists for the Pirates last year.

“Evan’s one of my captains and I think he’s going to be a great mixing point from what we had before to what’s new, and I think he’s going to lead,” Garcia said.

One of the players that’s “new,” is freshman Fernando Roman, whose play impresses the coach.

It was Roman who had the goal to salvage a tie with Cabrillo, taking away the ball from a Conquistadore defender to force a one-on-one with the goalie and scored just after halftime.

“He’s like a machine, he scored in our game against Santa Barbara [a 2-1 SYHS loss on Dec. 2],” Garcia said. “He just doesn’t stop; doesn’t know the word ‘no.’ We’re expecting big things from him, but we’re not putting too much of a workload on him yet.”

The coach is also pleased with the play of Austin Willis, who joined the squad just after football season ended.

“He joined us as a freshman last year, but he didn’t play like a freshman — he played like an upperclassman,” Garcia said. “And this year, he came straight from football and stepped it up right away. I look for him to be one of my pillars.”

Garcia also had praise for his goalkeeper, Diego Medina, and midfielder Marcos Rivera.

The Pirates are back in the Sunset League this year, battling with Templeton, Atascadero, Lompoc, and league newcomer St. Joseph.

“I think it’s a pretty good league; I think Lompoc’s going to be tough, but I think we’ll be competitive,” said Garcia. “I’m really looking forward to the CIF playoffs, because we’re in an appropriate division [for school size], and with the competition we have beforehand; it could set us up.

Girls soccer ready to tackle new challenges

Despite an overall 10-13-2 record in 2023-24, the Santa Ynez Valley excelled in league play, going 6-2-2 for a third-place finish in the Sunset League and reaching the second round of the CIF playoffs.

This year, the Lady Pirates have started out 2-4 after a 2-0 win over Mission Prep on Dec. 11, with Ella Gotschall and Hannah Ricci scoring goals for SYHS. The other win was the season opener against Nipomo, where the Pirates beat the Titans 3-0, with Grace Vasquez, Presley Pinoli, and Val Jimenez tallying goals.

In between, SYHS went down to Newport Beach for the Back Bay Invitational, where they lost all three games there.

“It was a pretty intense tournament,” said head coach Rob Cantrell. “We played some really tough teams, but we competed.”

However, the scheduling of good opponents is something that they’ve done for the good of the team.

“It’s really no good to pick out opponents who aren’t as experienced and don’t test us,” Cantrell said. “We need those challenges to strengthen us for the league competition.”

It already seemed like a challenge for the Pirates to go into the season after losing 10 players to graduation, but the coach wasn’t worried.

“We actually had a very big roster last year,” Cantrell said. “So a lot of those people are coming back, and we are a real close-knit team in age now, when last year we had a lot of seniors and them some who were very young. There can be a gap. But this year the chemistry of the team is solid.”

Cantrell is going in with a lot of players he feels he can depend on.

“Bella Duarte and Simone Hamaoui are my captains, and they’re really solid,” he said. “And Grace Vasquez is going to do a lot of work for us. She’s really getting some quality minutes.”

The coach also had praise for freshman Mia Pulido sophomore Campbell McClurg, as well as his goalkeeping tandem of Maddie Cruickshank and Devyn Hazard.

Santa Ynez is again in the Sunset League this year along with Lompoc, and three new schools — Cabrillo, Pioneer Valley, and Santa Maria — joining them, but to Cantrell, it’s just another challenge.

“We have some new teams to face in league this year, but I think we’re up to the tesk,” Cantrell said. “We are the smallest school in the area as far as enrollment, but we are always ready to rise to the challenge.”

The Pirates have two road games this week, against Morro Bay tonight and Arroyo Grande on Friday. After Christmas break, SYHS will start league play on Jan. 7 at Lompoc.

The post After graduation losses, Pirate soccer squads look for younger players to step up appeared first on Santa Ynez Valley Star.