The Santa Ynez High School football team is enters the 2018 schedule making a switch from the Los Padres League to the Channel League.
The Pirates have been one of the biggest playoff snubs the past two years, recording back-to-back 8-2 seasons only to be left out of the postseason because of consecutive third place finishes in the LPL.
It will be much different in the Channel league however, as it features an extra at-large bid with a six-school league, meaning three teams will be able to make the playoffs.
The Pirates have lost plenty of talent from those two squads, but head coach Josh McClurg says adjustment will be the key to success this season.
"You adapt and move on by seeing where your strengths are," McClurg said. "We’re not always going to do the same running plays and passing plays as we did last year because that was based on our personnel. We’ll adapt and adjust our offensive scheme to the players we’ve got. We’ve got a lot of talented guys coming back this year and a lot of talented newcomers."
"Honestly, we just want to do the best we can and win as many games as possible," senior wide receiver Jasper Kadlec added. "We just play as best as everybody can at their position. It’s almost like we’ve got another chance no matter what."
Santa Ynez will open up the season with a big game at Nipomo on August 17.
