Football: OCC-Dons ready to go

Tony Altobelli

SANTA ANA - The famed Santa Ana Bowl will be the site of the 49th

meeting between Orange Coast College and Santa Ana today at 1 p.m.

OCC leads the series with the Dons, 25-23, following last year’s 28-17

win, breaking Santa Ana’s four-game series winning streak.

In the game, quarterback Jared Flint threw for 241 yards and was

involved in all four Pirates’ touchdowns, three passing and one rushing.

In last year’s contest, Santa Ana’s Cameron King was a one-man show,

rushing for 174 yards on 26 carries with two touchdowns.

Despite dominating the ground game and time of possession by over 13

minutes, three Dons’ turnovers and a 21-point OCC third quarter made the

difference for the Pirates.

King was fourth in the Mission Conference in rushing with 966 yards

and 10 touchdowns as a freshman last season.

With King returning to the Dons for his sophomore season, he appears

to be the Bucs’ top priority on defense.

After last year’s 4-1 showing in the Mission Conference Central

Division, most experts had the Dons near the top again this season, but

that has not been the case, thus far.

Back-to-back losses to Pasadena City, 41-21, and Mt. San Antonio,

61-10, have the Dons 0-2 and searching for answers.

In their loss to the Mounties, Santa Ana could only muster 130 yards

of total offense on nine first downs and had four turnovers.

After finishing last year in the top-half of the Mission Conference in

total offense and defense, this year, Santa Ana is last in both

categories, despite King’s steady 79 yards-per-game average.

The Pirates have not swept their Orange County schedule since 1993

when they defeated Santa Ana, Fullerton, Saddleback and Golden West.

“We’re off to a good start and everybody’s excited,” Coach Mike Taylor

said. “The sophomores have a chance to build a very good memory this

year.”

Orange Coast only has to look back at the last undefeated start in

1991 to overcome signs of a letdown, when the Bucs were 5-0, ranked

second nationally and lost to Santa Ana, 10-7, at the Santa Ana Bowl.

Following that game, the Pirates lost three of their next four and

finished 6-4.