Santa Ynez quarterback Jude Pritchard threw three touchdown passes, ran for another, and added a two-point conversion to lead the Pirates to a 41-14 win over San Marcos on Friday night at Rio Memorial Field.
Santa Ynez (2-1) scored on four of its first five possessions and overcame an early 14-6 deficit with a strong second-quarter surge.
The Pirates played balanced, physical football on both sides of the ball, forcing two turnovers and making key stops while the offensive line gave Jude Pritchard time to extend several school records, including career completions, passing yards and attempts.
Santa Ynez led 28-14 at halftime and stayed in control the rest of the night.
“We paid a lot more attention to detail and cared more about doing our job and not the glory,” said Santa Ynez head coach Josh McClurg.
Santa Ynez opened the game with a methodical drive after Austin Willis returned the opening kickoff to their own 43-yard line. Jude Pritchard moved the offense with short runs and completions, including a first-down pass to Diego Pulido and a 9-yard run by Cael Deforest, who made a nice cut in traffic.
Pritchard then found Jaxon Glover in the end zone for a 17-yard touchdown with 7:37 remaining in the first quarter. The extra-point attempt was blocked by Royals linebacker Jesse Rodriguez, keeping the score at 6-0.
San Marcos responded with a sustained drive of its own, as quarterback Hayden Feleay converted two key third downs, including a pitch to Cole Dominguez. The Royals found themselves on the Pirates’ 38 on 4th-and-8 and kept the offense on the field, converting with a 21-yard pass to Brody Green.
A personal foul against Santa Ynez on the following play set up a 17-yard touchdown run by Isaac Murillo. The extra point was good, giving San Marcos a 7-6 lead with 2:13 left in the first
“Our goal is (that) we want to win a league championship,” San Marcos head coach Ralph Molina said. “Our preseason is to get us ready, and that’s why I tell them we schedule some tough teams for a reason — so we can get better.”
Santa Ynez’s second drive stretched into the start of the second quarter, but a holding call and a third-down stop left the Pirates facing 4th-and-3 from the Royals’ 7-yard line. Santa Ynez fumbled the ensuing snap, and Logan Hale scooped it up for San Marcos.
Two plays later, running back Cole Dominguez slipped through the line and sprinted 87 yards for a touchdown. With the extra point, the Royals made it 14-6 with 9:44 on the clock.
The Pirates answered quickly as Pritchard led a balanced drive downfield, capped by a strike to Diego Pulido, who hauled in the touchdown. Pritchard followed it with a keeper on the two-point conversion, grazing the right pylon to tie the game 14-14 with 7:13 left in the half.
“When you focus on just doing what you’re supposed to do, it doesn’t matter who gets the ball or who makes the tackle. All that matters is that we’re successful,” McClurg said.
San Marcos looked to respond, but the Pirates held on fourth down at the Royals’ 39 with 4:10 left in the half to force a turnover on downs.
“Leadership definitely helps and the guys are buying in,” McClurg said. “I think our captains and our leaders did a good job all week in practice to help the team bounce back from last week’s loss.
“It’s a team effort. If the linebacker is making a play, that means the D-lineman is doing his job. After those first two series, our defense buckled down, made the adjustments, and they didn’t score again.”
Santa Ynez assumed possession, and Pritchard followed a pass attempt with a long scramble to the 9-yard line. A penalty pushed the Pirates back, but on 3rd-and-14, Pritchard ran it in from the 14-yard line for the go-ahead touchdown.
“I also think our quarterback, Pritchard, played a hell of a game,” McClurg said. “He really executed the game plan and made good decisions.”
Pulido’s extra point gave Santa Ynez a 21-14 lead with 3:43 left in the half.
After another defensive stop, the Pirates regained possession with under a minute remaining and moved into scoring position on a dart to Mason Skidmore.
With eight seconds left, Greyson Foy punched it in from the 1-yard line. Pulido added the extra point to give Santa Ynez a 28-14 lead heading into halftime.
The second half began with a series of punts, as Santa Ynez and San Marcos both stalled and the Royals kicked it away twice.
“I thought we played pretty damn good, and then all of a sudden, we just kind of fell apart,” Molina said. “We couldn’t get anything going offensively, and that hurt us because then my defense is out there a long time.”
Ayden Finley and Jude Pritchard pushed the Pirates into Royals territory before a false start backed them up. On third-and-long, Pritchard found Mason Skidmore deep, setting up first-and-goal. After two unsuccessful plays, Santa Ynez called a reverse on third-and-goal, and Skidmore took the handoff and scored untouched.
The extra point was no good, but the Pirates extended their lead to 34-14 with 2:47 left in the third quarter.
San Marcos began its next possession with a solid kick return, but the Royals couldn’t take advantage.
“It’s a new quarterback, and I’ve got three starting sophomores on the offensive line, so they’re learning,” Molina said. “They’re young. It’s a big difference from last year when we had 18 returning starters. This group doesn’t have that experience, but they work hard. We’ll be fine. We’ll get better.”
After regaining possession via a San Marcos fumble, the Pirates lined up for a long field goal that could’ve set a school record, but the play was disrupted and they were forced to protect the ball near midfield.
The Royals regained the ball, but their drive lasted just one play. Dillon Zepeda jumped a route and came up with an interception, securing the ball right back to the Pirates with 6:21 remaining.
From there, Santa Ynez stuck to the ground and drained the clock. Cael Deforest entered the game and sparked the final drive, picking up multiple first downs, including a 22-yard burst to the Royals’ 27-yard line.
The Pirates were stopped for a short loss on the next play, but Deforest bounced back on third-and-long with another strong run down to the 8.
With a commanding lead, Santa Ynez took a knee to close out a dominant 41-14 win in its home opener at Rio Memorial Field.
Santa Ynez will travel to San Luis Obispo next Friday to face Mission Prep at Mission Prep Field. San Marcos will host Buena on Friday, Sept. 12 at Warkentin Stadium.
