Pirates fall to top-ranked Immanuel in Central Section title game, will return home to face Serra on Tuesday
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.
