Santa Ynez' Clayton Davidson shoots and scores past Cabrillo's Martin Beau during the third quarter of Thursday's Channel League boys water polo game at the Lompoc Aquatic Center. Davidson scored six goals in Santa Ynez's 13-6 win.
Cabrillo's Luke Benchek passes back to the goalie after stealing the ball from Santa Ynez' Addison Hawkins during Thursday's Channel League boys water polo game at the Lompoc Aquatic Center. Benchek scored five goals for Cabrillo.
Santa Ynez' Addison Hawkins shoots and scores past Cabrillo's Bradley McCune during Thursday's Channel League boys water polo game at the Lompoc Aquatic Center.
Cabrillo's Josiah Caro (17) shoots as Santa Ynez' Lukas Bohnet covers during Thursday's Channel League boys water polo game at the Lompoc Aquatic Center.
Santa Ynez' Clayton Davidson shoots and scores past Cabrillo's Martin Beau during the third quarter of Thursday's Channel League boys water polo game at the Lompoc Aquatic Center. Davidson scored six goals in Santa Ynez's 13-6 win.
Cabrillo's Luke Benchek passes back to the goalie after stealing the ball from Santa Ynez' Addison Hawkins during Thursday's Channel League boys water polo game at the Lompoc Aquatic Center. Benchek scored five goals for Cabrillo.
Cabrillo's Josiah Caro (17) shoots as Santa Ynez' Lukas Bohnet covers during Thursday's Channel League boys water polo game at the Lompoc Aquatic Center.
The Santa Ynez Pirates are hoping to make a run into the CIF Southern Section boys water polo playoffs.
The Pirates improved their odds with a 13-6 victory over the Cabrillo Conquistadores in a Channel League game Thursday afternoon at the Lompoc Aquatic Center, improving to 2-1 in league games (17-3 overall) with two games left in the regular season.
“We had some injured players and had to bring a couple boys up from the junior varsity,” said Cabrillo head coach Jeff Dacus. “Overall, I think the boys played well.”
The Pirates put the game on ice early, scoring seven unanswered goals in the first period, leading head coach Jake Kalkowski to make wholesale lineup changes for the rest of the contest.
The Pirates improved their odds with a 13-6 victory over the Cabrillo Conquistadores in a Channel League game Thursday afternoon at the Lompoc…
“It’s exactly how we wanted to start this game,” said Kalkowski. “A lot of intensity, a lot of assists. The boys aren’t selfish with the ball.”
Clayton Davidson led the attack with six goals — five of them in the first quarter.
“That was fun,” said Davidson. “It’s always good to get a win.”
Henry Allen had the other two first quarter goals, scoring three times overall.
Jacob Thielst added two goals with Addison Hawkins and Lukas Bohnet each tossing one in the net.
Drake Clark and Tristan Linder alternated quarters in goal with Clark blocking one shot and Linder six.
The Conqs were led by Luke Benchek with five goals. Joshwa Luna added the sixth.
In goal, Chase Fichter blocked 12 Pirate shots.
The Pirate attack began early with Davidson scoring twice in the first minute.
Thielst won the game-opening sprint to the ball, quickly passed to Allen who relayed the ball to a tightly guarded Davidson in front of the Cabrillo goal.
When an offense scores 40 points one week and 35 the next, its team generally wins both games.
In one motion, Davidson caught the ball and skipped the ball into the goal just 13-seconds into the match.
After Cabrillo was unable to get off a shot before the 30 second clock ran out, Santa Ynez took over and Allen quickly found Davidson alone in front of the net.
This time, Davidson rocketed a shot into the back of the net and the Pirates were up 2-0 only 50 seconds into the game.
After intercepting a Cabrillo pass, Thielst found Allen in front of the net. Allen took the pass and floated a soft rainbow over Fichter’s outstretched arms. The score was now 3-0 just 1:10 into the game.
Davidson scored at 3:16, Allen at 2:33, and then Davidson ended the quarter with goals at the 1:25 and 48-second marks.
“Our defense had a shutout in the first quarter,” said Kalkowski. “You have to give Cabrillo credit. They worked their way back into it but I’m happy with the way things turned out.”
Kalkowski replaced his entire starting lineup at the start of the second quarter.
“We have a big team,” said Kalkowski. “Everybody has put in a lot of hard work and I wanted to reward them by putting as many players into the game as I could.”
Benchek got the Conqs on the scoreboard with a penalty two minutes into the second quarter, the final goal of the first half.
Benchek scored twice in the third quarter before some of the Pirates’ starters went back into the game.
Santa Ynez closed out the quarter with four more goals and an 11-3 lead heading into the fourth.
Santa Ynez' Addison Hawkins shoots and scores past Cabrillo's Bradley McCune during Thursday's Channel League boys water polo game at the Lompoc Aquatic Center.
Len Wood, Staff
Cabrillo outscored Santa Ynez 3-2 down the stretch with the Conqs’ Benchek finding the net with 5-seconds left in the game but the Pirates’ win was already assured.
Cabrillo (16-9, 1-2 Channel) wraps up the regular season Tuesday at Santa Barbara and Thursday against Dos Pueblos at the Lompoc Aquatic Center.
“This is a good team,” said Dacus. “We got a bunch of wins in the preseason and I’m hoping that will be enough to get us into the CIF playoffs. You’ve got to be .500 or better to get an at-large bid so I’m hoping our record will get us in.”
Santa Ynez’s final regular season games are Tuesday at San Marcos and Thursday at home against Santa Barbara.
“That Tuesday game is really big for us,” said Kalkowski. “We want to get that game to get into CIF outright and not have to hope for an at-large bid.”
Girls Golf
Santa Barbara 217, Santa Ynez 247
The Santa Barbara Dons won their Channel League girls golf match against the Santa Ynez Pirates Thursday at the Santa Barbara Golf Club.
Santa Barbara’s Lizzie Goss shot a 40 to earn medalist honors, edging teammates Allie Womack (41) by one shot and Melia Haller (42) by two.
Aoife Braverman (45) and Maddie Malmsten (49) completed the Dons’ scori8ng.
Santa Ynez was led by Marina Vengel’s 46. Vengel was followed by Morgan Blunt (48), Bridget Callaghan (49), Caelyn Linane (50) and Ryann Melville (54).
Girls Tennis
Dos Pueblos 13, Santa Ynez 5
The Dos Pueblos Chargers picked up a Channel League girls tennis win at home Thursday over the Santa Ynez Pirates.
Emmy Withrow won two singles sets, 6-2 and 6-0; Kaitlyn Thompson also picked up two singles win, 6-3 and 6-1 and Alana Hinkins won one set in a tiebreaker, 7-6 (7-2) before leaving the match with an injury.
The Pirates were able to pick up only one point in doubles when Clara Newton and Isabella Curti won a set 6-3.
Photos: Santa Ynez eases past Cabrillo in Channel League water polo
Santa Ynez' Clayton Davidson shoots and scores past Cabrillo's Martin Beau during the third quarter of Thursday's Channel League boys water polo game at the Lompoc Aquatic Center. Davidson scored six goals in Santa Ynez's 13-6 win.
Cabrillo's Josiah Caro (17) shoots as Santa Ynez' Lukas Bohnet covers during Thursday's Channel League boys water polo game at the Lompoc Aquatic Center.
Santa Ynez' Addison Hawkins shoots and scores past Cabrillo's Bradley McCune during Thursday's Channel League boys water polo game at the Lompoc Aquatic Center.
Cabrillo's Luke Benchek passes back to the goalie after stealing the ball from Santa Ynez' Addison Hawkins during Thursday's Channel League boys water polo game at the Lompoc Aquatic Center. Benchek scored five goals for Cabrillo.
