Two senior student-athletes from Santa Ynez High School are make plans for the next level.

Joined by their families, teammates, and friends, volleyball player Ben Stuerman and wrestler Santino Alvaro made their intentions known during a signing ceremony on the SYHS campus May 6. Both are headed for similar destinations: smaller NAIA schools on the West Coast.

Stuerman, team co-captain of the Pirates’ boys volleyball team that just won the CIF Central Section Division II championship, is going to Simpson University in Redding, California.

Stuerman, who also played water polo at SYHS, said he got on Simpson’s radar thanks to a couple of former teammates on Flight Academy, his club volleyball team.

“A couple of guys, my very best friends, were up there and said the coach was asking about me constantly,” he said. “I met with the coach (Steven Brasher), and he was really great. Plus, it’s a Christian school and I’m very religious, so that was awesome, and it seemed to good to be true.”

However, it was a visit to the Simpson campus that clinched it for Stuerman.

“I went up and had an amazing tour, and an amazing practice with the team,” he said. “The teammates were awesome, and the area was just really pretty. After that everything just kind of fell into place I had no doubt after the visit that I would be going there.”

Simpson is an NAIA school that competes in the California Pacific Conference with four other in-state college programs. The Red Hawks finished 7-17 overall this season, although they were .500 (4-4) within the CalPac. Stuerman said he plans to study kinesiology at the school and aspires to be a firefighter after graduation.

Alvaro, meanwhile, is coming off a high-school wrestling career that saw him win back-to-back CIF Central Section titles, having won the 126-pound championship this past February. He will continue wrestling at Southern Oregon a public university in Ashland, Oregon.

Alvaro had been hearing about SOU for awhile from a personal connection.

“My sister’s boyfriend went to school there, and she was always telling me how nice it was, and she took me for a visit,” Alvaro said. “It was really nice, and there were a lot of things to do outside of school. It’s real outdoorsy there, and I really liked that.”

The interest in Southern Oregon, as it turns out, was mutual.

“I had contacted a number of schools about joining their program,” Alvaro said. “And Southern Oregon was the one school that got back to me very quickly and showed a lot of interest.”

Alvaro said as far as a major and field of study, he is still undeclared and plans to take general requirement classes his first year while he decides.

The wrestler will be joining an SOU program that finished ninth in the NAIA Championships, it’s best finish in eight years. The Raiders had a 19-3 overall record in duals, including a 12-1 mark in the Cascade Collegiate Conference and a first-place finish in the conference championships.

Before Alvaro and Stuerman signed their letters of intent, they both took the time to thank their respective parents for their part in helping them along in this journey.

The parents of both were pleased with the schools that their sons selected.

“It’s great to see him reach this point — he’s been working toward this since he was 8 and started wrestling,” said Rudy Alvaro, Santino’s father. “We took him up to Southern Oregon and he like it right away; he’s gotten to know those guys up there and I think he’ll do well.”

With Santino ready to leave in a few months for SOU, the Alvaros are expecting more excursions up north.

“We’ll be taking trips, a lot of trips,” said his mother Tracy. “Me might even be looking at houses when we’re up there.”

For Stuerman’s parents, Shawn and Krista Sue, the process was made easier once Ben took a look at Simpson.

“It was a blast, but we just wondering what kind of school would be best for him, but once we went to Simpson we all knew that would be the best for him,” Shawn said.

“I actually went to school at Westmont [in Santa Barbara] years ago and was hoping he’d go there, too,” Shawn said laughing, “but they didn’t have a volleyball team, so that was out. However, we’re all very happy with Simpson.” 

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Santa Ynez High boasts this year’s Mountain League individual Mountain League champion after the Pirates No. 1 player Bryce Wilczak defeated Grant Vanclef of San Luis Obispo 6-3, 6-3 in the finals of the Mountain League CCAA tournament at SLOHS on April 17. 

Wilczak went into the tournament only losing one match this year, which came in the Pirates’ last team match of the season. With the win, he advances to the area tournament, also at SLOHS, on Friday, May 9, where the top players from the Mountain, Sunset, and Ocean leagues will play to qualify for CIF. 

As one would assume, the Mountain League final pitted two of the best players in the league in Wilczak and Vanclef, a situation Wilczak was happy with.

“Grant’s a really good player, and that really helps me stay at the top of my game,” Wilczak said during practice in late April. “I think I sometimes have difficulty, and I don’t want to come off as arrogant, when I’m ‘playing down’ against a lower-ranked player. That wasn’t the case in the league final.”

In fact, while the final match was won in straight sets, the new champion said it wasn’t easy by any means.

“I think we had about nine deuces [40-40 score] during the match and I was able to win most of those,” Wilczak said. “It was a touch and well-played match.”

Wilczak nears the end of what’s been an unusual high school career. He was actually home-schooled in his past grades while concentrating on his tennis, and started becoming a “regular” student in this, his senior year. After graduation, he plans to go to Santa Barbara City College.

“I’m going to stay near home for a couple of years and play with the tennis team there,” Wilczak said. “After that, I’m looking to go to Cal Lutheran and major in business management.”

Wilczak and the Pirates were able to earn a CIF Central Section playoff berth as a team; however, SYHS lost 5-4 to Reedley in the first round. Wilczak (6-0, 6-2) and No. 2 Cooper Haws (6-7 [7-9], 6-4, 10-7) won their singles matches and teamed for an 8-5 victory in doubles, but four singles wins by Reedley clinched the match for it side.

In other Santa Ynez High sports action:

Boys volleyball: SYHS closed its Mountain League season out with a 25-17, 25-21, 25-23 sweep over Arroyo Grande. The Pirates finished 8-0 in league for its first championship since 2017, after going 2-6 in 2024.  

“I am super proud of the team effort to go from fourth last year first this year, ” said Pirates head coach Chip Fenenga. 

Senior setter Manny Sanchez had 37 assists against the Eagles, while Nate Biron hammered 13 kills, Ben Stuerman added 10 and Jadon Bailey had 6.

The Pirates now enter the CIF Central Section Division II playoffs seeded eighth, and will play ninth-seeded McLane on Tuesday, May 6, at SYHS. If the Pirates win that match, then they will have a rematch against Arroyo Grande, who as the No. 1 seed has a first-round bye.

Baseball: SYHS split against Nipomo last week, defeating the Titans 9-5 at Nipomo on April 29, and then losing to NHS 9-1 on May 1 at SYHS. The Pirates stand at 4-6 in the Ocean League and 9-10 overall. SYHS will wrap up the regular season with games against Orcutt Academy on Tuesday, May 6 (away), and Thursday, May 8 (home). 

Softball: The Pirates got their first win of the season April 15 with a 19-1 win over Morro Bay. Head coach Felicity Yanez credited sophomore starting pitcher Maleah Knightley for a superb outing, as she struck out a personal-high 9 strikeouts to earn the win.

The Morro Bay game started a bit of a trend, as SYHS won the next two games, 14-7 over Carpinteria on May 17, and 17-7 over Santa Maria on April 29, its first game after spring break.

The Pirates (2-7 in the Ocean League, 3-10 overall) will close out the regular season with its final home game, against Nipomo, on Tuesday, May 6, and the season finale at Morro Bay on Thursday, May 8.

Boys golf: SYHS played in the sixth Mountain League tournament on Friday, May 2, hosted by Mission College Prep at San Luis Obispo Country Club. The Pirates placed fifth of the five teams present with a 437. Templeton won the team competition with a 392.

Brayden Mlodzik was low man for SYHS with an 81, while Cody Armenta finished two shots behind him at 83. Other scores for the Pirates were Max Andrade, 88; Elijah Navarro, 92; Seb Perez, 93; and Cameron Celestin 96. 

On Wednesday, April 30, SYHS defeated Cabrillo 449-488 in a non-league dual match at the par 72 Mission Club. Mlodzik had a team-low score of 83, with the other Pirates scores being Ernesto Suarez, 86; Seb Perez, 91; Cameron Celestin, 94; Elijah Navarro, 95; Max Andrade, 95; and Sebastian Jacobs, 100.

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More than 500 anglers of all ages dealt with changing weather, fishing under rain, sun, and even rainbows at Cachuma Lake during the Neil Taylor Nature Center’s 28th Annual Fish Derby on April 26-27.

A total of 571 contestants fished Cachuma Lake during the tournament hours and were also able to fish from shore at any time during the Derby, including Saturday night. Nature Center volunteer and retired Division Chief Mike Marlow fired the flare off at 6 a.m. at the harbor to start the Derby on Saturday and it lasted until 12 p.m. Sunday.

The Fish Derby is a benefit fundraiser for the Neal Taylor Nature Center, which is located at Cachuma Lake and offers programs and exhibits on the history, flora, and fauna of Cachuma Lake and the Santa Ynez River Watershed.

The weekend event, planned and operated by 65 volunteers that also included a raffle and children’s activities, brought in over $38,000 through sponsorship, donations, and registrations, with an additional $12,000-plus in merchandise donations for door prizes and raffle prizes.

As for the main part of the derby, lots of fish were caught in all categories, making for happy anglers. The $599 prize for heaviest trout went to Brian McElhiney, 66, from Oxnard, while the heaviest bass went to Kayla Maher, 30, from Lompoc. Kelly Holcomb, 33, from Templeton won the prize for heaviest crappie.

Prizes for the heaviest catfish and heaviest carp were both by children: The $300 Heaviest Carp Caught prize went to Bodhi Druckman, 11, from Goleta, while 7-year-old Max Diamond of Carpinteria, took home the prize for heaviest catfish.

The list of winners for the Neil Taylor Nature Center Fish Derby:

$599 Heaviest Trout Caught

Brian McElhiney, 66, Oxnard 7.63 lbs./25.5”

$300 2nd Heaviest Trout Caught

Jules Hain, 70, Lompoc, 7.58 lbs./24”

$599 Heaviest Bass Caught

Kayla Maher, 30, Lompoc, 4.41 lbs./20.5”

$300 2nd Heaviest Bass Caught

Van Lang, 12, Santa Ynez, 4.41 lbs./19.5”

$599 Heaviest Crappie Caught

Kelly Holcomb, 33, Templeton, 1.9 lbs./15”

$300 2nd Heaviest Crappie Caught

Kyle Perez, 36, Arroyo Grande, 1.68 lbs./14”

$599 Heaviest Catfish Caught

Max Diamond, 7, Carpinteria, 7.8 lbs./24.5”

$300 2nd Heaviest Catfish Caught

Waylon Estes, 8, Santa Maria, 6.35 lbs./24.25”

$300 Heaviest Carp Caught

Bodhi Druckman, 11, Goleta, 11.02 lbs./27.5”

$150 2nd Heaviest Carp Caught

Bryan Belluz, 39, Lompoc, 8.68 lbs./26.5”

$125 Heaviest Fish caught by Girl 11-15 yrs.

Chloe King, 12, Solvang, Bass, 2.73 lbs./17.75”

$100 2nd Heaviest Fish caught by Girl 11-15 yrs.

Allana Gaytan, 13, Lompoc, Trout, 2.69 lbs./19”

$50 3rd Heaviest Fish caught by Girl 11-15 yrs.

Sadie Palmer, 11, Filmore, Bass, 2.38 lbs./16”

$25 4th Heaviest Fish caught by Girl 11-15 yrs.

Hannah Hirsch, 13, Lompoc, Bass, 2.2 lbs./16.5”

$125 Heaviest Fish caught by Boy 11-15 yrs.

Bodhi Druckman, 11, Goleta, Carp, 11.02 lbs./27.5”

$100 2nd Heaviest Fish caught by Boy 11-15 yrs.

George Taylor, 14, Santa Barbara, Trout, 6.01 lbs./25”

$50 3rd Heaviest Fish caught by Boy 11-15 yrs.

Van Lang, 12, Santa Ynez, Bass, 4.41 lbs./19.5”

$25 4th Heaviest Fish caught by Boy 11-15 yrs.

Mateo Pena, 14, Lompoc, Bass, 3.17 lbs./18.25”

$125 The Dutch Wilson Prize (the fish caught by the oldest angler)

James Lemp, 80, Filmore, Trout 6.35 lbs./24”

$250 with $25 ea. to first 10 kids 10 yrs. & under to catch a fish! ($25 prize & 1 rod per kid)

1. Abigail Belluz, 6, Lompoc, Bass, 0.92lbs./13”

2. Blaine Evans, 6, Buellton, Bass, 1.63 lbs./15-3/4”

3. Max Diamond, 7, Carpinteria, Bass, 1.1 lbs./14.5”

4. Adilyn Batchelor, 9, Santa Maria, Trout, 0.35 lbs./13”

5. Duke Harmony, 7, Goleta, Crappie, 0.66/11.5”

6. Remington Abundis, 9, Santa Barbara, Bass, 0.97 lbs./13.25”

7. Waylon Estes, 8, Santa Maria, Crappie, 0.84 lbs./13”

8. Dane Harmony, 5, Goleta, Crappie, 0.84 lbs./12”

9. Ariana Hernandez, 7, Goleta, Bass, 2.07 lbs./17.25″

10. Maxwell Emerson, 10, Auburn, Bass, 1.28 lbs./13.75″

The Fish Derby organizers thank the event sponsors (Bronze Sponsor) Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians, Mechanics Bank, Schafer Family Foundation – In Memory of Johnny, (Royal Coachman) Dr. Bill & Vivien Foran, Stevens & Associates Insurance Agency, Inc, The Filter Factory, Inc, MarBorg Industries, Vague Rods & Mike Lum, (Derby Sponsor) Tracy Angel in Memory of Ray Angel, Jerry & Sandi Witcher, Dr. Lowell & Shirley McLellan, Buellton Rotary Club Foundation, Brian & Kris Kittle, Leo & Patti Sandow, Rotary Club of Los Olivos, ExplorUS, Advenco LLC, James & Christine Gaskin

Rincon Broadcasting. Santa Barbara Currents, News Channel ABC, NBC, FOX & TELEMUNDO TV. The organizers also thank their volunteers and many generous donors!

The Fish Derby will be back again next year at Cachuma Lake, with the dates already announced for July 18-19, 2026. For more info on the derby and the winners, go to www.troutderby.org/2025-winners/

The post They were biting at Cachuma for the Fish Derby appeared first on Santa Ynez Valley Star.

Former Buellton resident Victoria Bernard, a Dos Pueblos High School graduate, is one of six Baldwin Wallace University (Berea, Ohio) women’s wrestling student-athletes and one of 400 total women’s wrestlers across all levels of collegiate wrestling to be named as a National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) Scholar All-American.

To qualify for Scholar All-American honors, a student-athletes must excel both on the mat and in the classroom by meeting one of the following academic and athletic criteria:

• A top eight placer at nationals and at least a 3.0 cumulative grade point average
• Competed in a minimum of 15 matches that are recorded in Trackwrestling and has at least a 3.5 cumulative grade point average
• Was a national qualifier and has at least a 3.25 cumulative grade point average

Bernard, who carries 3.56 grade point average in creative writing, garners her first accolade. This season, she won seven matches, tallying three falls and one technical fall.

BW, who was in its inaugural season, finished the 2024-25 campaign with an overall record of 2-1. The Yellow Jackets finished fourth at the NCWWC Region 4 Championships.

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The Santa Barbara Polo & Racquet Club is thrilled to announce the opening day of the 2025 polo season on Sunday, May 4, marking the beginning of another exhilarating season of world-class polo. With top-tier teams and elite players from around the globe set to compete, this year promises unforgettable moments both on and off the field. Tickets are available now and can be purchased at sbpolo.ticketsauce.com.

“The Santa Barbara Polo & Racquet Club continues to be a premier destination for polo players and fans alike,” said David Sigman, general manager of the Santa Barbara Polo & Racquet Club. “Our stunning location, stellar facilities, and competitive atmosphere make this a truly unique polo experience. Each year, we welcome both returning and new players to take part in one of the most exciting seasons in our club’s history, and we can’t wait to share this experience with our spectators.”

The 2025 season schedule can be found at sbpolo.com/web/pages/weekly-polo-schedule. The season kicks off with the 12 Goal Series (May and June), followed by the prestigious High Goal Series (July and August), and concludes with the 8 Goal Series (September and October). Spectators can enjoy polo all weekend long, starting with the Friday Happy Hour match at 4 p.m., and culminating with the highly anticipated Sunday Polo at 3 p.m (and 4 p.m. for July and August). The Club also offers polo lessons and clinics at its Polo Academy and will host a variety of social events throughout the season.

“We strive to create an unparalleled polo experience for our guests, whether they are seasoned enthusiasts or first-time visitors,” continued Sigman. “From the thrill of the matches to the vibrant social scene, the Santa Barbara Polo & Racquet Club is a place where tradition meets excitement. We look forward to welcoming everyone back for another incredible season.”

SUNDAY POLO

Join us every Sunday from May through October for an unforgettable day at the polo fields! The 2025 Polo Season kicks off on Sunday, May 4, with the Pope Challenge Cup. Gates open at 11 a.m., allowing guests to enjoy pre-match festivities and lunch at the Polo Grill. At 2:30 p.m., fans gather for the Pony Parade, the national anthem, and team introductions, all leading up to the 3 p.m. ball throw-in. Sunday Polo is open to the public, with general admission tickets starting at $35 and a variety of premium seating options available.

For those looking to elevate their Sunday Polo experience, luxury cabanas and fieldside tents are available for reservation, offering a premium way to enjoy the match with friends, family, or colleagues. For groups of 10 or more, the Club offers customized VIP accommodations to ensure a truly special day at the polo fields. Please contact tickets@sbpolo.com.

FRIDAY HAPPY HOUR

Kick off your weekend at the Santa Barbara Polo & Racquet Club! Every Friday at 4 p.m., guests are invited to enjoy complimentary admission to the Friday afternoon match, featuring Happy Hour drink specials and a relaxed, social atmosphere.

POLO GRILL

The Polo Grill offers a front-row seat to all the action with a menu featuring California cuisine, a curated selection of local wines, craft beers, and signature cocktails. Open Fridays at 2 p.m. for Happy Hour Match, and Sundays at 11 a.m. for the main match. For more information, call (805) 617-0808.

POLO BOUTIQUE

The Polo Boutique will reopen on Friday, May 2, offering a curated selection of stylish apparel and accessories. Open on Fridays at 4 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m., the boutique is the perfect place to find chic, sporty fashion, logowearmerchandise, and, of course, plenty of hats perfect for Sunday Polo.

The Santa Barbara Polo & Racquet Club’s 2025 season sponsors include atōst, Palm Tree, Farmers & Merchants Bank, Folded Hills, Grey Goose, Lalo, Montecito Luxury Group, Norman’s Nursery, US Polo Association, and Whittier Trust. For more information about 2025 corporate partnership opportunities, please click here. View the full season schedule by clicking here.

About The Santa Barbara Polo & Racquet Club

The Santa Barbara Polo & Racquet Club is the premier destination for polo on the West Coast. Located on the beautiful American Riviera, the Club offers three high goal fields, a Polo School, boarding facilities, polo lessons and country club amenities including eight tennis courts and a fitness facility, all alongside the Pacific Ocean. The 2025 season opens May 4 and runs through October 12. For more information about the Club and to purchase tickets please visit sbpolo.com.

SBPRC_Photo by David Lominska.jpg

The 2025 polo season will begin Sunday, May 4, at the Santa Barbara Polo & Racquet Club. Photo by David Lominska

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Female spectators take in the action and atmosphere at the Santa Barbara Polo & Racquet Club. Starting Sunday, May 4, the polo matches are open to the pubic, with general admission tickets starting at $35. Photo by David Lominska

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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.

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The Santa Ynez Pirates baseball team has spent the first 11 games of the season trying to figure things out, and second-year head coach Craig Gladstone hopes a little winning streak right before spring break is a good omen for the stretch run of Ocean League play.

“We’ve had our struggles, but I think we’re starting to mesh and winning these last two games has put us in a good mindset for when we pick up play in a couple weeks,” said Gladstone after his team’s 6-3 non-league win over Santa Clara on Friday, March 28.

With the win over the Saints from Oxnard, SYHS improved to 5-6 overall. A day earlier, March 27, the team earned its first Ocean League win, beating Orcutt Academy 10-2.

In the Santa Clara game, the Pirates opened up a 6-0 lead over the first three innings and freshman pitcher Elijah Roberts made it stand up, tossing five scoreless while allowing just one hit and striking out seven. 

“We had an extra game this week, so it was a chance to give Elijah a start and he did great,” Gladstone said about Roberts, who also contributed on the offensive side with two stolen bases and a run scored. “It’s my second year and I think we have a good nucleus of freshman and sophomores to build up this program, and Elijah’s a big part of that.”

Meanwhile, the coach can also rely on some senior leadership, especially with catcher Jaxon Glover, who belted his first home run of the year in Friday’s game, and is batting .400 with 10 RBI on the season.

Another couple of seniors stood out for the Pirates in the win over Orcutt Academy as starting pitcher Kurran Kays pitched 5 innings of 5-hit ball for the win, and Tate Minus who’s actually a stalwart on the mound (1-3 record but with a strong 2.28 ERA), had two hits and two RBI.

After taking a week off due to the school’s spring break, the Pirates will return to Ocean League action on Tuesday, April 8 at home against Santa Maria, and then play the Saints again on Thursday, April 10, at the SMHS field. Each of the last five weeks of the regular season will consist of a home-and-home pair against the same opponent.

Boys volleyball takes first two Mountain League matches

The Santa Ynez boys volleyball team has gotten off to a strong start as its five-set win over San Luis Obispo on Thursday, March 27, gave the Pirates a 2-0 record in the Mountain League and 6-2 record overall

The Pirates defeated the Tigers, last year’s CIF Central Section Division 2 runner-up by the scores of 25-27, 27-25, 23-25, 25-19, 15-7. Ben Stuerman had 18 kills with 5 blocks, Nate Biron 16 kills with 5 aces ), and Anders Dietenhofer 14 kills. Senior setter Manny Sanchez had 61 assists on the night along with 7 digs, and defensively Will Losson and Nate Biron each had 17 digs.

“We passed well tonight with Will and especially Nate just keeping things really steady,” said SYHS head coach Chip Fenenga. “Both Anders and Ben really rallied after a close first set loss and played so maturely the rest of the way.”

Girls beach volleyball stays undefeated in league

SYHS’s beach volleyball squad picked up wins over Paso Robles (3-0 on March 25) and Morro Bay (2-1 on March 27).

In the sweep over Paso Robles, Scarlett Ollenburger/Jordan Gann (SY) defeated Kai Stoltzfus/Pricilla Utter (Paso) 21-5, 21-11; Arelie Perez/Natalie Bailey (SY) defeated Macoy Sill/Kate Harrington (Paso) 21-8, 21-16; and Helina Pecile/Kailyn Snekvik (SY) defeated Khylan McKee/Presley Hienbach 13-21, 21-9, 16-14.

“The girls played some solid volleyball today!” SYHS head coach Melissa Rogers said. “They did a really nice job of staying in system and executing aggressively.  Our offensive game is pretty physical at all three levels, but in order toutilize that physicality, we have to pass and set well.  Today we were firing on all cylinders.  In addition, Scarlett Ollenburger’s jump spin serve was on fire.  She literally took over the game at the 1’s position with her serve.”

SYHS golfer Armenta co-medals at dual vs. Arroyo Grande 

The Santa Ynez boys golf team played a non-league 18-hole match March 26 against Arroyo Grande at the par-72 Alisal River Course. Arroyo Grande won the match 388-422, but Cody Armenta of Santa Ynez was co-medalist with Shane Moncrief of Arroyo Grande, both shooting 74s.

Other Pirates on the links that day included Brayden Mlodzik, 79; Seb Perez, 83; Ernesto Suarez, 92; Max Andrade 94; and Elijah Navarro, 94.

Santa Ynez also began Mountain League play, finishing fifth out of six teams in each of the first two league tournaments.

In the second league event on March 24, at the par-72 Santa Maria Country Club, the Pirates had a team score of 443, led by Brayden Mlodzik with an 80. The low score of the day was from Nate Tartar of Arroyo Grande with a 67.

Other Pirates golfers were Cody Armenta, 86; Seb Perez, 90; Ernesto Suarez, 92; and Max Andrade, 95.

The Mountain League “tour” will stop off at Alisal Ranch, the Pirates’ home course, next Monday, April 7.

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Coming off a runner-up finish in the CIF Central Section playoffs in 2024, the Santa Ynez High beach volleyball has gotten off to a 7-4 to the 2025 season. However, the big news with the program is not only how it’s done so far, but where it’s being done.

After playing their home matches at Sunny Fields Park in Solvang for their first three seasons, the Lady Pirates now have an on-campus sand court to call their own thanks to the efforts and generosity to the Pirates Foundation and others.

“It’s really great to have a place here on campus,” said SYHS head coach Melissa Rogers on the court that’s located in the southwest corner of the campus, right along Highway 246. “Playing our games at the park, every practice, every game, I’d have to take the equipment to the park and back to the school, and that was a pain, so we don’t have to worry about that anymore.

“But mainly, I think it’s the camaraderie and the connection with the school, because now other students supporting us,and checking the team out. They weren’t doing a lot of circling back to Sunny Fields Park to watch us play.”

The school dedicated the new court on March 4, with Pirate supporters and contractors and workers who donated time and materials to make the court a reality. Also, sand was delivered from the Guadalupe Dunes for use on the courts.

“It’s really a great facility, we have the grassy berm, where people can sit up high and get a good view of the action,” Rogers said. “Plus, I like the visibility from the highway, having people drive by and say ‘hey, what’s going on here?'”

Rogers also said the court also makes the program more desirable as a tournament host.

“We tried to get [a tournament] here this year, but couldn’t because we didn’t know when the court would be completed,” she said. “Now that we have it done, we would like to get lots of tournaments.”

With the court now done, the emphasis is on the people who play on it. Now that the SYHS girls basketball season is done, Rogers gets back Helina Pecile, who the coach said is one of her top players. Also, Rogers is high on freshman Scarlett Ollenburger, whom she described as a “huge impact player.”

“She’s supremely talented and will definitely be playing at the next level,” Rogers said. “You will be hearing a lot about her.”

Other key players Rogers noted are Arelie Perez, who returns as a senior after taking last season, and Jordan Gann and Natalie Bailey, whom the coach said have been jelling as a team.

The Lady Pirates will be back in action on Thursday, March 20, to kick off Mountain League play with a home match against San Luis Obispo. Game time is 3 p.m.

Girls basketball eliminated from state playoffs in second round

After making it to the final of CIF Central Section Div. IV, the Santa Ynez girls basketball team earned a berth in the CIF state playoffs, coming back to win its first-round game at home March 4, before losing in the second round two days later.

In the first-round game, the Lady Pirates trailed Serra High of Gardena by 6 points with less than two minutes left, but came back to post a 44-40 win. Rylan Agin scored 13 points, included some key free throws to clinch the game.Leighton Casey was also credited for here play coming off the bench.

In the second-round game, Santa Ynez was beaten by third-seeded Granada Hills Charter 53-29, ending its season despite 13 more points from Agin.

“I’m incredibly proud of their achievements and the dedication they’ve shown throughout this season,” girls basketball coach Jennifer Rasmussen said. “We’re excited to build on this momentum and come back even stronger next year!”

The Lady Pirates finished the season with an 18-12 overall record.

Pirates boys golf loses to Arroyo Grande

The Pirates played a dual match against Arroyo Grande on March 10 at Cypress Ridge golf course, with the Eagles winning 393-449.

Brayden Mlodzik was the top SYHS player, shooting a 76. The other scores were Cody Armenta’s 78, Seb Perez’s 91, Max Andrade’s 101, Ernesto Suarez’s 103, and Elijah Navarro’s 113 

The Pirates will return to Cypress Ridge today, Jan. 18, for the first Mountain League tourney of the season.

Boys tennis wins tournament bracket

The Pirates boys tennis team wins tourney bracket

The Santa Ynez boys tennis team took part in the California Tennis Classic in Clovis the weekend of March 7-8. The Pirates won their bracket after losing their first two matches, but then beat Torres 6-0 and Mission Oaks 3-3 (6-6, 47-46).

Pirates No. 1 singles Bryce Wilczak did not give up a set in the tournament, winning four matches by identical 6-0 scores.

Santa Ynez played a non-league road match against Laguna Blanca on Monday night, and return to league play Thursday at San Luis Obispo.

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While one state playoff-bound basketball team is keeping winter sports alive for at least another day, the spring sports teams at Santa Ynez High are starting up.

The Pirates baseball, led by second-year head coach Craig Gladstone, posted its first win of the year on Saturday, March 1, beating Channel Islands 5-1.

Jaxon Glover drove in two runs, with a run scored and a stolen base, against the visiting Raiders, while Nic Palacios and Dylan Ross had two hits and one RBI apiece. Elijah Roberts earned the complete-game win, allowing a run on five hits and striking out five.

The win on Saturday stemmed a rough start for the Pirates. On Wednesday, Feb. 26, SYHS opened the season at home against Pioneer Valley and lost 11-2 as the Panthers scored nine runs over the last two innings. Glover was a bright spot for the Pirates in that game, going 3-for-3 with three runs and two RBI.

Two days later, SYHS was held to two hits in a 14-2 loss at Mission Prep on Friday, Feb. 28. Roberts and Tate Minus scored runs for the Pirates.

Santa Ynez played Bishop Diego on Monday, and travel to Ojai to face Nordhoff High on Tuesday, March 4.

Girls beach volleyball team beats Dos Pueblos

The Santa Ynez girls beach volleyball team defeated Dos Pueblos in a non-league duel 4-1 on Tuesday, Feb. 18 to even its record at 2-2.

“The girls did a great job of staying in system against a solid DP squad,” said coach Melissa Rogers. “Tough serving, controlling the ball and minimizing our errors were key.”

Match results:

1. Jayden Jones/Halle Rillie (DP) defeated Scarlett Ollenburger/Arelie Perez (SY) 21-14, 21-8
2. Jordan Gann/Natalie Bailey (SY) defeated Grace Posey/Ella Payne(DP) 22-24, 21-18, 15-10
3. Kailyn Snekvik/Lila Cassidy (SY) defeated Eleni Becker/Tanner Love (DP) 21-18, 21-17
4. Scotty Losson/Ella Miller (SY) defeated Atasha Black/Gia Haas (DP) 21-14, 21-10
5. Kendall Herthel/Nora Eliason (SY) defeated Allie Ben-Yaacov/Char Welch (DP) 21-18, 21-16

The Lady Pirates are in the midst of a busy week: They faced off against Santa Barbara on Monday, the start of a four-matches-in-four-days stretch. They face Laguna Blanca today (Tuesday), Nipomo on Wednesday, and St. Joseph on Thursday, all home matches starting at 3 p.m.

One interesting aspect about these matches is that they are all now being played closer to home: A new sand volleyball court has been built next to the west parking lot on campus, so the Lady Pirates can actually play at home after using Sunny Fields Park as their “home” venue in previous years.

Boys tennis gets a win

While coach Jennifer Rasmussen is leading the SYHS girls basketball team through its postseason run, her boys tennis team is getting thing started on their season.

The Pirates eked out a win, 5-4 over Orcutt Academy.

Adam Angel (6-1, 6-1), Andrew Kozlov (6-1, 6-1), and Devin Van Schmus (6-0, 6-0) swept their singles matches, while the doubles teams of Jeremy Shehab/Xavier Lovering (8-4) and Angel/Evan Lemay (8-0) won their crucial matches.

Winter sports squads bow out

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.

Feature Image: Santa Ynez High’s Jaxon Glover connects for a double in the Pirates season opener against Pioneer Valley on Feb. 26. Glover went 3-for-3 in the game. Photo by Mike Chaldu/SYVS

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The Santa Ynez High girls basketball squad battled through three home playoff games as the No. 2 seed to earn the right to play for the CIF Central Section Division IV championship in Fresno.

It was there on a Friday afternoon, Feb. 28, that the Lady Pirates met up with the division’s top seed, Immanuel High of Reedley. The Eagles (27-5), who won their three CIF playoff games by an average of just over 43 points, proved to betoo much for the Lady Pirates, beating them 58-36 at Selland Arena.

With the win, Immanuel captured its second straight section title and raised its season record to 27-5. They showed their No. 1 seeding was no fluke with lopsided postseason wins over McFarland (70-6), Fresno (53-25) and Atascadero (67-29) leading up to the title game. 

SYHS (17-11 on the season) landed in the title game after winning three home games in the tournament, over Pioneer Valley (52-33), Coalinga (48-33), and Torres (49-42).

However, the season is not over yet for the Pirates: By reaching the Central Section title game, SYHS has qualified for the CIF state playoffs, which combines all the federations sections. It was announced Sunday that the team would return home for a first-round game Tuesday night, March 4, against Serra High of Gardena.

The state tourney is split into two sections, Northern and Southern, and the Pirates are seeded No. 6 in the Southern with the Cavaliers seeded No. 11.

Although the result in the Central Section final wasn’t in her team’s favor, SYHS head coach Jennifer Rasmussen took nothing but positives from its time in Fresno.

“We had set goals before the season began, and that was to get farther than we did last year,” said Rasmussen, whose team lost in the second round in 2024. “You always want to win your last game, but getting here and playing together in Fresno was a great experience.

“The girls just enjoyed taking in the environment, riding to the hotel and staying there, entering this big-game atmosphere, coming through the smoke in the player introductions, and playing in a big arena. It was all so surreal.”

It was that feeling that spurred the SYHS players to hang tough against Immanuel, according to Rasmussen.

“We played with them in the first half; we actually had the lead a couple times early, and it was close at halftime,” she said.

Indeed, the Eagles, whose town lies about 25 miles southeast of Fresno, led by only 26-19 at the half, but were able to break it open in the last two periods.

“They played at a very high level,” Rasmussen said. “They were quick and aggressive and just too much too handle, ultimately. But I’m proud of my players, and with the game out of reach late, I was happy to get all the players in so they could experience playing in that kind of situation.”

For the Pirates, Helina Pecile, who’s led the team in most categories this season had 8 points and 6 rebounds and was named Player of the Game for SYHS. Kailani Ladera actually led the team with 13 points and 11 rebounds, while Kylie LaPointe (6 points) and Lexi Molera (5 points, 3 assists) also chipped in.

The section championship game came eight days after the Pirates beat No. 3 Matilda Torres High of Madera 49-42 in the semifinal matchup on Thursday, Feb. 20.

SYHS started that games 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, Pecile made a layup with a foul shot for a three-point play, and then on the next trip down the floor, Molera hit a three-point shot to put the Pirates up 43-35. Pecile hit four clutch free throws to clinch it for SYHS.

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

Ladera led the way for SYHS in that game with 15 points to go along with 9 rebounds and 3 steals. Pecile added 9 points and 11 boards, while LaPoint had 9 points and 4 assists and Rylan Agin chipped in 10 boards and 6 assists.

The Lady Pirates began the postseason on Friday, Feb. 14 with a 52-33 first-round win over Pioneer Valley.

With another playoff game Tuesday, and possibly more after that, Rasmussen and her team are just enjoying the experience.

“We’ve really enjoyed the ride; we set goals that we were able to reach and that’s been so rewarding,” she said. “Throughout the week, and during our time in Fresno, we’ve been getting texts from alumni and former players, and just feeling the love from the community, and for me, the players, all their families, it’s been very rewarding.”

For now, it’s time to prepare for another game. The Pirates are set to tip off against the Cavaliers on Tuesday night (tonight) in the first round state playoff game. Game time was set at 7 p.m., although Rasmussen said the time could be moved up if Serra requested.

The Cavaliers, who come from the L.A. suburb of Gardena and are in the CIF Southern Section, have an overall record of 18-13, but were 8-4 in the Camino Real League, good enough for third place.

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