Volleyball
The Santa Ynez Boys’ volleyball team had a strong week with three-game sweeps over both Santa Maria and Morro Bay. On April 12, the Pirates hosted the Saints and came away with a 25-12, 25-15, 25-18 win. “It was a complete team effort tonight with everyone getting an opportunity to play and contribute,” said coach Chip Fenenga.Chris Gil and Austin Lippincott started as hitters and were able to keep the Saints off balance with strong front-row play. When the Pirates needed a kill, the usual suspects of Wyatt Garley (10 kills), Josh Avery (7 kills), Clay Adam (7 kills) and Mitchel Oaks (6 kills) were found by setters Russ Fenenga, Dane Bolitho and Kristian Squires. “We had a great team energy and positive feel on the court with people supporting each other,” said Fenenga. With the bench cheering, Caio Motta subbed in during the tight third game, adding a stuff and the final point – a kill from a Squires middle set.
On April 14, Santa Ynez out-played a determined Morro Bay squad with 25-18, 25-20, 25-16 wins. “We knew going in that this would be one they would try to steal, but we were well prepared,” said Fenenga. “The plan early was to set the outsides against the taller Morro Bay middles and that seemed to work well.” Oaks blasted 11 kills and setter Fenenga (11 assists and 3 digs) found Bolitho on the right side for 9 kills. The Pirates had a season-low unforced errors, with only 4 missed serves and 13 hitting errors. With the game tied at 17 and a loud crowd cheering Morro Bay on, Squires turned the second match with three consecutive serves for points, including 2 aces. Garley finished the match out serving, but was helped by two solo stuff blocks by Michael Stinson. In game three, Andrew Palmer’s serves and Squires setting (10 assists) to Avery (9 kills) gave the Pirates a big cushion. “Kristian had a great match with his serve in the second game and set decisions in the third game. Morro Bay was so worried about Garley (12 kills) and Adam (9 kills) outside that they didn’t commit their middle. Josh was a hitting machine, crushing five in a row at one point. We passed really well and stayed composed with some pressure put on us to come away with a very good win,” said Fenenga. “Right now Palmer, Adam, Garley and Fenenga just vacuum up the back row, getting 18 of the 24 digs.” Bolitho had a complete match with 16 serves, 22 assists, 9 kills and 3 digs in addition to positive court leadership.
Swimming
Pirate swimmers took home two school records while both girls and boys teams placed at the Santa Barbara County Championships at Righetti High School on April 16. Jared Butler took first place in the 200IM with a time of 2:04.41, breaking a Santa Ynez school record. He also took 3rd in the 100 Breast with a time of 1:05.01, breaking yet another school record. “Two school records in one day, not too bad,” said coach Jake Kalkowski.Righetti High School placed 1st in county with 673, with Santa Ynez boys coming in 2nd with 354. The girls placed third (300) to Righetti (504) and St. Joseph (434). Jena Deming took third in the 100 free with a 1:04.93. In the 200 free relay, both the boys and girls teams took 3rd. The boys’ Greg Hatchell, Adam Parlato, Thomas Huddle and Jared Butler finished with a time of 1:39.53. The girls’ Jen Snow, Jenny Andreas, Kylie Petersen and Holly Walter time was 1:57.69.
In the girls 400 free relay, Pirates Andreas, Deming, Merrill Weber and Walter with a time of 4:21.88 placed third. Hatchell, Lukas Lastra, Parlato and Butler took 2nd with a time of 3:38.01.
The meet on April 15 against Santa Maria was a one-sided win on all levels. The boys won 146-25 and the girls 135-17. “There was only one race on each side (boys and girls) that we had a 4th place. Otherwise we went 1, 2, 3 for each race,” said Kalkowski. The next meet is at 3:30 at home Thursday, April 28, against Lompoc.
Track and field
The Santa Ynez Pirates brought home a meet record, two individual wins and a dozen varsity medals from the Russell Cup, April 16, at Carpinteria High. The 4x400 team of Kenny Savinsky, Connor Reck, Steven Fields and Cody Uhrig took down the record held by Oak Park since 1989 with a time of 3:23.85.First-place finishes were had by Cat Truax in high jump, clearing 5’2 and Connor Reck, who took in the 400 in 49.6. Reck also took 2nd in 800 at 1:56.82. Eric Sheldon brought home a silver medal for his 42.19 run in the 300 hurdles.
Third-place finishes were also had by Cody Uhrig in 2 events; the 100 (11:33) and 200 (22.77) meter runs, Sheldon in the triple jump (42.07) and Kaci Mexico with her pole vault of 10.0. Mexico also took 4th in 200 (26.64), an event she had run only once before. Also taking forth was Kayte Krivulka in discus with a throw of 110.11 and Parker Johnson in the pole vault (13.6). Lexy Borrel finished just out of the medals with her 5th-place finish of 13.11 in the 100.
Thirty-plus teams competed in the all small schools event. The Pirate boys’ placed third as a team, with the ladies coming in 7th (with the same number of points as the 6th-place finishers.)
Head coach Brian Wallace was not on hand to witness the event, as he was in Boston readying for the marathon, which he ran on April 18. “I would just say that it is every bit as hard as you have heard. I was happy to run my personal-best time. The fans were great,” said Wallace.
“Brian was an animal, finishing in 3:12:50 for an unknown place,” teased David Jackson. “The world record was broken, American record was broken, and Brian was in the race! Pretty great. He made our Pirate pride stronger.”
Softball
When they’re hot, they’re hot. When they’re not, they are making errors and giving up unearned runs. Despite the turbulence, the Lady Pirates are 8-8-1 overall and 3-2-1 in league.On April 4, the team lost to Carpintaria 4-6 on the Warriors’ field. The Pirates succumbed to their own three errors – giving Carpinteria 4 unearned runs. “On a positive note,” said coach Gretchen Savidan, “Carly Taylor hit her 6th home run of the season.”
Things took a turn for the better April 6, when the Pirates took down Santa Barbara, 12-0, and then two days later battered the Santa Maria Saints, 17-5. Both were away games. But the young Pirate team, boasting only one senior, lost both their focus and the game against Nipomo 13-1 on April 13, at home, making 8 errors.
Heather Kunkle, the team’s pitcher is giving free pitching lessons to young girls after our practice each week. “It’s a really good thing what she is doing for these young aspiring pitchers,” said Savidan.
Tennis
Pirate tennis suffered a tough 12-6 loss in non-league play against the Division 1 Dos Pueblos team. The Pirates were 13-3 overall and 10-0 in Los Padres League play. “We have a week off for spring break, then we come back and finish league play with Santa Maria and Templeton, who have only lost 1 league match each,” said coach Larry Popkin.“Our next tough match will be at 3 p.m. at the Alisal on May 4, against Cate. It’s important because Cate is now in our division. It will influence our ranking in the polls for CIF. We are now ranked 4th. I only hope we can hold on to the top 4,” said Popkin.
The team took down Nipomo 18-0 at home on the newly renovated courts on April 12. Three days later, they took Lompoc 16-2 on the Braves turf 16-2, with straight sets by Miles Seamann, Joe Herman and both doubles teams of Tyler Dalo and Alex Aichinger, and Alex Saunders and Nico Naretto.
“It is now clear no one is going to beat us in the LPL. We have very mixed bag this year of some very easy matches and some very tough teams, “ said Popkin, who noted that play against the Dos Pueblos Dons helps prepare his team for CIF play. “At this point in the season, I am very pleased with the progress we have made. I still think we can move up one more level before this season ends. Miles has been a great captain and a super No. 1 singles player. Our No. 1 doubles team, Dalo and Achinger, gets better every week. Clint Gioia and Patrick Good battle Naretto and Saunders every week for the No. 2 spot. Both teams have truly improved,” said Popkin.
Herman and Joseph Kavaloski both also have winning records this season.”They have worked hard every day, and I expect them to help us going in into CIF,” concluded Popkin.
— Staff report