In the final game of the season for two senior-laden football teams, it was Santa Ynez High’s junior quarterback and young offensive line that ensured their upperclassmen would finish their careers with a victory.

Junior Ben Redell passed for 189 yards, rushed for 172 and accounted for four touchdowns to help his Pirates outlast San Marcos High 48-27 in a Channel League finale Friday night at Santa Ynez High.

Santa Ynez (4-6, 2-3) compiled 517 total yards, including 328 yards from a rushing attack that featured junior Logan Ast’s 134 yards on 14 carries and two touchdowns.

“We moved the ball really well tonight,” said Pirates coach Josh McClurg. “We came into it wanting to feed Logan Ast the ball and also run it with Redell. We thought we could run it on the edge with power and counter (plays) in certain situations. Logan did a heck of a job, and Ben played his tail off tonight.

“The O-line also had one of its best games blocking this season. You can’t run for the amount of yards we had without the O-line doing their job. And this is a young O-line that’s anchored by a freshman — Nick Crandall.”

Despite a potent offensive attack, the Pirates had trouble distancing themselves from a resilient San Marcos squad, which was powered by the Ben Partee-to-Josh Brown aerial show.

Partee, who battled a throwing shoulder injury throughout the second half, connected with Brown, a senior wideout, for 259 yards and two touchdowns. The quarterback finished 14-of-26 passing for 333 yards and added a rushing touchdown.

“Ben’s playing with a sprained ligament in his arm, but we were just doing everything we could to win,” Brown said. “I feel like we did our best but sometimes the chips fall where they fall, and that’s how it is.”

The Royals (3-7, 1-4) quickly found themselves trailing 14-0 in the first quarter. Redell hit Lars Ladinig on a 35-yard scoring strike to put the Pirates on the board first, then a 43-yard run by Ast keyed Santa Ynez’s ensuing drive, which was capped by a Redell 3-yard TD run with 2:39 left in the first.

San Marcos bounced back in the second quarter with Partee’s 13-yard scoring scamper to cut the lead to 14-7. On the Royals’ next possession, Partee’s 48-yard, tackle-breaking run set up San Marcos deep in Pirate territory. Senior Henry Herrera, who finished with 73 yards on 13 carries, scored on a 4-yard run to tie the game at 14-14 with 1:44 left in the half.

The Pirates needed just four plays, including an acrobatic grab by Ladinig for a 33-yard reception, to retake the lead. Redell’s second rushing touchdown of the game — a 5-yarder — gave Santa Ynez a 21-14 advantage with 54 seconds left in the half.

San Marcos’ final possession of the half was thwarted by seniors Dean Tipolt and Tyler Germani, who both recorded quarterback sacks to stall the Royals’ drive.

“That defensive stand at the end of the first half was the key to the game,” McClurg said. “That allowed us to go halftime up by 7, and we were getting the ball back to start the second half. When we scored in the third quarter to make it a two-score game, that made that defensive stop before the half a huge play in this game.”

San Marcos managed to trade touchdowns with the Pirates in the second half, and the Royals trailed 34-27 with 8:14 remaining in the fourth quarter. Redell, however, answered with a back-breaking 62-yard scamper that would set up his third rushing touchdown of the game and put the Pirates ahead 41-27.

Santa Ynez added another touchdown on a 28-yard run by Ast to cap the scoring.

Royals coach Jason Fowle said he was proud of the way his team battled during a hard-fought season finale on the road.

“Several of those guys were warriors out there tonight, playing through injury,” Fowle said. “I can’t say enough about those guys. Partee and Brown did what they’ve been doing all year. Those are two guys who want to move on and play college football. I hope we can help them get out there and have some success at the next level.”

For 16 Santa Ynez seniors, this was their final game as a Pirate.

“Some of these guys, like Germani, Dean Tipolt, Jacob Davies and Quincy Valle, they’ve been such a huge part of Pirate football for four years,” McClurg said. “They’ve always been team-first people. We have a lot of seniors, but those four right there epitomize what it means to be Pirate. It’s always nice to send your seniors out with a win.”