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Volume 5 Issue 4 • March 2022
www.ScrippsRanchNews.com
A cut above
STATE CHAMPIONS!
Sam Zubatiy competes in fencing at the national level
Falcons mens
BASKETBALL
By Terry L. Wilson
S
Jax Leatherwood of Scripps Ranch gets his hand on a shot attempt by a Justin-Siena High player. (photo by Jim Wick)
HISTORIC VICTORY
T
he Scripps Ranch High School Falcons mens varsity basketball team captured the 2022 CIF State Boys Basketball Championships – Division IV by defeating Justin-Siena High of Napa 46-37 on March 12 at Golden 1 Center in Sacramento. This is the first State basketball championship in the history of Scripps Ranch High School. More photos on pages 22 and 23.
(photo by Jim Wick)
cripps Ranch High School junior Sam Zubatiy hopes to be an Olympic medalist in the sport of fencing someday. With saber and foil in hand, he is off to a good start. Zubatiy is slicing through the competition with his latest victory, winning first place at the Battle of the Bay regional competition last February in San Jose, and second place at the Junior Olympics National Team Competition in Salt Lake City. In 2021, he finished in the top 10 in the nation. “I began fencing little more than five-years ago,” said the now 16-year-old champion. “I train at the La Jolla Fencing Academy and hope someday to make it to the Olympics.” Fencing dates back to the 15th century when civilians carried swords. Many things have changed, yet some remain the same: like weapons of choice. “In fencing you have three different types of weapons: a foil, epee, and saber. I do saber because, in my opinion, the saber is the most aggressive and fast,” Zubatiy said. “The epee is the heaviest sword, the foil is a lighter thrusting weapon, and the sabre is a cutting and thrusting weapon like a
Sam Zubatiy (courtesy photo)
cavalry sword.” In order to register the scores, fencers’ swords and uniforms are electronically sensitive, as are the scoring areas of the body, and are connected by a body cord to the scoring box. When a strike is registered, an audible tone sounds and light illuminates. With three different weapons come three different uniforms. Although all fencers wear the same base layers, the uniforms are made according to a fencer’s target area. “An epeeist wears an all white uniform and can only score using the tip of his weapon, so they don’t wear any electrical gear,” Zubatiy said. “There is a sensor on the tip of the epee, and when See A CUT ABOVE, Page 20
Yanni’s celebrates 20 years of excellent cuisine
By David Barak
Y
anni Pihas and his wife Denise, two long-time San Diego area restaurateurs, have succeeded in a sometimes difficult industry for three reasons: good food, dedicated service and the strong support of the community they serve. The husband and wife team own Yanni’s Bar & Grill, a popular Scripps NEWS, Pages 2-4
Ranch restaurant that serves up both Greek and Italian food. According to Yanni, “The beauty of the Greek and Italian cuisine is the honesty of the food, that it’s very simple and it’s prepared with love and care – and that’s what we’re trying to recreate over here.” Their first local restaurant, Yanni’s Bistro in Poway, opened in 2002 and remained in that location for 12 years. •
LIFE, Pages 5-8
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They took advantage of an opportunity in 2014 to move to a better location at 12015 Scripps Highlands Drive, where their current restaurant is located. Rather than risking a drop in food and service quality by running two restaurants, they opted to close the Poway location. That move didn’t have a negative impact for their business since most of their customers See YANNI’S, Page 18
NEWSPRINT, Pages 10-14
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Yanni and Denise Pihas in one of their restaurant’s patio areas. (photo by David Barak)
LEISURE, Pages 15-18
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SPORTS, Pages 19-23