Football Game Preview: Atascadero Greyhounds vs. Santa Ynez Pirates

For the first time this season, Atascadero will have a chance to prove themselves in a conference matchup. They will head out on the road to challenge the Santa Ynez Pirates at 7:00 p.m. on Friday.

On Friday, Atascadero came up short against Templeton and fell 31-20. The Greyhounds have now taken an 'L' in back-to-back games.

Meanwhile, while Santa Ynez put up plenty of points on Friday, the same can't be said for Santa Maria. The Pirates blew past the Saints 41-0. That 41 point margin sets a new team best for the Pirates this season.

Santa Ynez's win came from a few key players Atascadero will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Cael Deforest, who rushed for 73 yards and one score. He got the majority of those rushing yards when he took off on a run that went for an incredible 55 yards. Speaking of playmakers, who could forget Austin Willis, who went all the way with a kickoff return for a touchdown.

Special teams played a big role in the game for Santa Ynez, adding 17 points to the final score. The biggest highlight from special teams (and perhaps the team as a whole) came courtesy of Willis, who ran a kickoff back for a touchdown.

Santa Ynez's defense made their presence known, laying out the QB six times. Jaxon Glover was especially locked on to Santa Maria's QB and sacked him three times.

Santa Ynez's win was their third straight at home, which pushed their record up to 4-2. The home victories came thanks in part to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 35.0 points over those games. As for Atascadero, they now have a losing record of 2-3.

Atascadero beat Santa Ynez 42-34 in their previous matchup back in October of 2024. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Greyhounds since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.