Football Game Preview: Santa Ynez Pirates vs. Pioneer Valley Panthers + Official Tickets

The Santa Ynez Pirates will head out to face off against the Pioneer Valley Panthers at 7:30 p.m. on Friday. The teams are on pretty different trajectories at the moment (Santa Ynez has three straight wins, Pioneer Valley has five straight defeats), but none of that matters once you're on the field.

Two weeks ago, Santa Ynez strolled past Atascadero with points to spare, taking the game 28-13.

Jude Pritchard

Rushing Yards (Career)

10/03/25 vs Atascadero	105
10/04/24 @ Atascadero	92
09/05/25 vs San Marcos	91
11/15/24 @ Bishop Union	89
10/18/24 vs Pioneer Valley	66

Jude Pritchard was his usual excellent self, throwing for 121 yards and three TDs, while also rushing for 105 yards on only 11 carries. Those 105 rushing yards gave him a new career-high. Jaxon Glover was in the mix too, providing Santa Ynez with two scores.

Another reason for the win was Santa Ynez's imposing defense, which managed to get into the backfield for three sacks. The team can thank three different players for their defensive prowess: Glover, Hayden Pahler, and Javier Nungaray, who each picked up one sack apiece.

Meanwhile, Pioneer Valley played a tough contest on Friday in which they were outscored in every quarter. They were beaten by Atascadero 47-14. The Panthers were in a tough position after the first half, with the score already sitting at 20-0.

Pioneer Valley's loss dropped their record down to 1-6. As for Santa Ynez, their victory bumped their record up to 5-2.

Everything came up roses for Santa Ynez against Pioneer Valley when the teams last played back in October of 2024, as the team secured a 54-20 win. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Pirates since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.