New Sunset League rivals combine for 901 yards of offense in Greyhounds’ 42-34 victory
For the first time in more than two decades, the Atascadero and Santa Ynez football teams faced off as league opponents, but in a different section and different league.
After being part of the Los Padres League in the CIF Southern Section back in the day, the Greyhounds and visiting Pirates, now Central Section schools, played their first game as members of the new Sunset League. And in a game with tons of offense, it was Atascadero that came up with the win by a 42-34 score.
Atascadero went after Santa Ynez with a powerful rushing attack, gaining 346 yards on the ground. In fact, the Greyhounds only passed the ball four times all night, though one of them was for a touchdown.
Austin Smith led the effort with 106 yards on 18 carries, while Joseph Hyde (92 yards) and quarterback Michael Trejo (81 yards) added their share of rushing yardage. The Greyhounds in total had 412 yards of offense.
Ironically, the game was scoreless for most of the first quarter until Santa Ynez scored on a 5-yard pass play with 2:30 left. However, after Atascadero got the kickoff at their own 30, Hyde went 70 yards up the middle on the first play from scrimmage to tie it at 7.
The Pirates scored again to go up 14-7 just before the end of the quarter, but the ensuing Greyhounds drive saw Trejo run 57 yards inside the Pirates 10 to set up his own 5-yard run two plays later. Then, just before halftime, the Hounds were back up at their own 6, but went on a 94-yard drive, culminating in Trejo’s 4-yard run for a 21-14 halftime lead, one that AHS would not relinquish.
In the second half, the Greyhounds would continue to pile up points, with Smith and Josiah Gaona rushing for TDs, and Trejo throwing a 24-yard scoring pass to Tyson Tenhaeff.
Down 42-27, Santa Ynez staged a furious rally that fell just short. After scoring a touchdown with 48 seconds left to make it 42-34, the Pirates — who generated 489 yards of offense on the night — recovered an onside kick. SYHS drove down to the Atascadero 19-yard-line but a last-ditch Hail Mary pass narrowly missed on the game’s final play.
The Greyhounds, now 3-3 and 1-0 in Sunset League play, will travel to Santa Maria to play Pioneer Valley this Friday, Oct. 11, at 7:30 p.m., and return home on Friday, Oct. 18, to play Righetti.
Photos by Rick Evans/ATN
