SANTA YNEZ - It wasn't pretty, but what it lacked in finesse it made up for in excitement.

When the dust had cleared after a wild, woolly battle at Santa Ynez's Pirates Field Friday night, Santa Ynez had a 21-21 tie with favored Paso Robles.

The game was the Pirates' season opener. Paso Robles is 0-1-1.

Paso Robles went down the field easily, scoring on its first series. The Bearcats scored with less than four minutes gone in the game on Todd Fleener's 8-yard pass to Mike Walleman. Darrell Duran's PAT made it 7-0.

Then the fun started.

Following a fumble recovery at the Paso Robles 15 yard line, Santa Ynez scored on Billy Peters' 10-yard pass to Sean Trudgeon. Josh Hartman's PAT made the score 7-7.

After an intercepted pass, Hartman hit quarterback Peters with a halfback option pass for a touchdown, and Hartman's PAT made it 14-7 with no time left in the half.

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After an Asland Walleman 2-yard scamper made it 14-13, Paso Robles went for a two-point conversion that failed. In the fourth quarter, Tyler Barton picked up a fumble and rambled 19 yards into the Santa Ynez end zone, and a Fleener to Mike Walleman pass made it 21-14.

With 9:25 left on the clock, Josh Hartman picked up a fumble at the Santa Ynez 35 and ran all over the field, picking up blockers as he went and went into the end zone for a 65-yard scoring run, making the score 21-20. Hartman's kick tied the game.

Peters, a sophomore, started in place of injured Sean Hemming.

"We'll see what happens as far as who the starter will be next week," said Santa Ynez coach Ken Gruendyke.

Fleener passed for 129 yards, and the Pirates picked him off twice. Fleener threw for 285 yards last week. Asland Walleman picked up 129 yards on 27 carries.

Lompoc 19, Los Altos 14

LOMPOC - The Conquerors were conquered at Huyck Stadium when Clayton Greco ruined their last chance.

On a fourth-and-six play from the Lompoc 6 with 1:29 left to play, Greco nailed Los Altos quarterback Daniel Sardello for a 7-yard loss on a keeper. The defending CIF Southern Section Division VI champions' win streak ended at 21 games.

Lompoc, the two-time defending Division X champ, is 2-0-0 this season. Los Altos is 1-1-0. Lompoc has won 13 straight.

Lompoc spotted Los Altos a 7-0 lead in the first quarter but took a 19-7 lead in the third on touchdown runs of 9 and 73 yards by Joseph Scott. The TD runs were exactly one minute apart.

Sandello threw for 205 yards. Scott rushed for 114, on just nine carries.

Cabrillo 21, Taft 17

TAFT - Vai Taua's 7-yard run in the fourth quarter gave the Conquistadores the win in the season opener for both teams.

Cabrillo's Lydell Sargeant returned the opening kickoff 92 yards for a touchdown. He wound up with 160 yards rushing, on 27 carries.

Taua carried 12 times for a total of 61 yards.

SLO 33, Dos Pueblos 7

SAN LUIS OBISPO - Brian Clarke passed for 179 yards, and Phil Garza ran for 161 as the Tigers routed the Chargers in the home team's season opener.

Dos Pueblos is 0-2-0.

Garza ran into the end zone three times, from 2, 35 and 83 yards out. Clarke tossed a 52-yard touchdown pass to Quentin Cate.

The Chargers finally scored in the fourth quarter, on Matt Houston's 22-yard run.

Nipomo 28, Santa Paula 17

SANTA PAULA - The Titans made their long journey south fruitful by squaring their record at 1-1-0.

The Cardinals dropped their season opener.

Nipomo trailed 14-6 at halftime and then outscored the Cardinals 14-0 in the fourth quarter. Justin Robertson put the Titans ahead 20-17 on Robertson's 3-yard run.

Thomas Delay then scored on a 2-yard run, and Bryce Seguine connected with Wade Scott for a two-point conversion. Scott scored on a 38-yard run in the third quarter.

Morro Bay 24, Carpinteria 7

CARPINTERIA - The Warriors couldn't withstand Corey Stollmeyer's 180 yards on 17 carries, as Morro Bay took this season opener for both squads.

Stollmeyer started the scoring with a two-yard run, and he scored again on a 30-yarder in the third quarter.

Carpinteria finally scored in the fourth quarter.

Pioneer Valley 41, Newbury Park 20 (JV)

NEWBURY PARK - First-year Pioneer Valley took this battle of the Panthers to run its record to 2-0-0.

Quarterback Chris Ethridge and running back Frank Tovar each scored twice as Pioneer Valley racked up 347 yards of total offense. Buddy Garcia was PVHS' leading rusher with 73 yards.

Shane Vogt had a 42-yard touchdown run for the Panthers, who play at 6 p.m. Thursday at Santa Maria.

Sports writer Kenny Cress contributed to this report.

Sept. 11, 2004