“Pound the Hounds!,” a phrase commonly heard or seen on social media, posters, from athletes or even promoted with a post-football game dance, narrates the enthusiasm to defeat Atascadero’s Greyhounds in each match up. Paso Robles High has an almost century long rivalry with neighboring city of Atascadero, but are the Greyhounds actually all of Paso’s sports teams rivals? Let’s ask the team’s themselves…
Volleyball: MYTH!
“Atascadero is definitely a team that we want to beat so we take that match-up seriously, but I don’t think they pose any real threat,” junior Olivia Prickett said. Prickett is a second year setter for the varsity team, also playing on club team Flight Academy 17’s during the high school off-season.
The 2021 team already played the Greyhounds on Aug. 19 for their pre-season opener at home, taking the game to five sets and pounding them out in the last one 15-9. Varsity volleyball hasn’t lost to Atascadero in three years. However, over the last 13 years their record is 12 wins and 13 losses.
“I consider Arroyo Grande our actual real rivals because we have always wanted to beat them, but we always fall short. We are hoping to overcome that this year,” she said.
Football: MYTH!
With the football game against the greyhounds being one of the most attended throughout the season, it may seem that Atascadero is the rival… On the contrary, Arroyo Grande Eagle’s can be attributed the title of greatest rival for the football team. Atascadero is a part of the Ocean League in the Central Coast Athletic Association, while Paso Robles and AG are in the Mountain League, the more advanced grouping of that 13 school league.
“[Atascadero] hasn’t posed a real threat to us since 2015. I would consider AG to be our real rival. Arroyo Grande’s defense is overall well coached and aggressive, and their offense is talented,” junior Derek Tidwell said.
Paso Robles has won 7 out of the last 10 games played against Atascadero. Comparatively, Paso has lost six times to Arroyo Grande with five wins in the last ten years.
Boys Water Polo: MYTH!
Sinking their opponents this season with a record of seventeen wins and eight losses so far this season, boys water polo has few teams in the league that can compete. They’ve beat Atascadero twice this season already 16-10 and 12-8 respectively, and take them on one more time for their last game of the season on Oct. 20. Although Atascadero isn’t their true rival, the team considers San Luis one of their toughest opponents.
“They are more of an even match for us and it is always a very competitive game. Against Atown it is certainly always a win but competing with SLO you really never know how the game will turn out,” senior Evan Swettenam said. Evan has played on the varsity team for two years, with a total of five years of experience under his belt (or speedo).
Paso’s Men’s polo team has matched up against SLO four times this season, winning one out of the four games. Despite losing three times and winning only once against SLO, Paso is ranked higher in league, claiming #2 in the Mountain League compared to SLO ranked #3.
Girls Water Polo: MYTH!
Girls water polo defies the typical sports rival of Atascadero, choosing Arroyo Grande as their biggest competitor. Paso has pounded the hounds nine times in the last four years, with only one loss to them. On the contrary, Paso girls haven’t beat the Eagles once in the same time frame. The Bearcats are currently 3rd in the Mountain League, and Arroyo Grande is currently undefeated in league and holds the #1 spot.
“They haven’t lost a single game in years and every time we play them, we go into the game with the mindset of wanting to win. It’s always an intense game because we tend to always be right behind them when it comes to scoring, and every time we play them we always improve. Even though we haven’t beat them yet, we know we will,” junior Sarah Rodriguez said. Rodriguez has been playing for the varsity team for two years.
Tennis: FACT!
The women’s tennis team stands with the status-quo of Atascadero being their rival, unlike some of the other varsity teams. They already matched up against them this season, winning 8-1.
“They just have always been, and it has always been a tradition to “pound the hounds”,” senior Sophia Berry said. Berry has been playing varsity tennis for the Bearcats for four years.
“I feel, as our team improves everyday, that Atascadero is not the “easiest” team we have played, but they aren’t any real threat. In years past, we have lost to Atascadero, but in the last year, our team has improved immensely,” Berry said.
Golf: MYTH!
“Atascadero is one of the sweetest and most kind teams that we get the opportunity to play in the league. Competition wise, all of us play in about the same range with some Varsity players in the 40’s and some in the 50’s,” senior Ceci Martinez said. Martinez has been on the girls varsity team since her freshman year.
Despite the kind words about Atascadero, she believes that San Luis is their real rival. They lost to SLO earlier this year, and have yet to play Atascadero this season.
“I don’t feel as though [SLO] compares a lot to Atascadero just because Atascadero and us aren’t as focused on being perfect in the sport, and we are more so there to have fun. Whereas SLO is a lot more serious, and most of the girls that are on the team have been playing their whole life,” Martinez said.
