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

The Santa Ynez Pirates will head out to face off against the Pioneer Valley Panthers at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. The teams are on pretty different trajectories at the moment (Santa Ynez has three straight victories, Pioneer Valley has five straight losses), but none of that matters once you're on the field.

Last Friday, 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 touchdowns.

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 matchup on Friday in which they were outscored in every quarter. They were outmatched by Atascadero and fell 47-14. The Panthers were in a tough position after the first half, with the score already sitting at 20-0.

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

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