ARCHIVES

ARCHIVES

Pirates of the past return

By Staff

Buy this photo now
The Santa Ynez Alumni Girls Soccer Team poses after its game against the Varsity on Wednesday, Dec. 23. Twenty former Pirates showed up for the event, which organizer Rob Cantrell hopes will grow and grow in scope each year. //Contributed/Kim McQuitty

This year, Santa Ynez girls varsity soccer coach Rob Cantrell wanted to take the newly founded Alumni Game to another level.

All he had to do was officially put it on the schedule.

“It was phenomenal,” Cantrell said of the Dec. 23 event in which the current varsity team faced a formidable alumni squad. “We had 20 alumni come out. We rallied the troops.”

There were even some players from the very first Santa Ynez varsity team, the 1995-96 Pirates’ squad.

There were also a number of players from the 2004 CIF title team. They included Ashton Swiacki (who went on to play college ball at Cuesta and then the University of Hawaii at Hilo), Kaylee Bazzell, Katy Werd, Kelly Lyon and Jenny Love.

Love was one of a number of sisters that reunited on the pitch. Emily Love, who graduated two years ago, joined her sister on the alumni side.

The Pauley sisters — Katherine, Stephanie and Christina — all played. Heather, Heidi and Chris McQuitty also made up a sisterly trio.

“The Santa Ynez Valley is a really tight-knit community,” Cantrell said. “This was a great example of how, even though you may leave, when you come back, you’re still family here. The whole night was awesome.”

More-current alumni included Aolani Rueff (nursing an injury), Tanner McCandlish, Lauren Merchant and Zoe Rogers. Former All-CIF selection Monica Pesqueda and Joana Shultz were also on the alumni team.

And despite all this firepower, the varsity won.

“The alumni looked pretty threatening,” Cantrell said. “Considering a lot are playing college ball, our varsity girls gave them a pretty good game. I was very surprised.”

Emily Ineman scored the one goal of the game on a Kaci Mexico cross, giving the Varsity a 1-0 victory.