Football: OCC loses finale

Tony Altobelli

TORRANCE - Orange Coast College’s football was a victim of the “big

play”, or a lack of such, in Saturday’s 17-3 Mission Conference Northern

Division loss to El Camino.

“El Camino tightened up on us every time we got close,” Coach Mike

Taylor said. “Every time we came knocking, they slammed the door on us.”

The Warriors came into Saturday’s contest with the No. 2 defensive

team in the Mission Conference and despite giving up 345 yards to the

Pirates (4-6, 2-3 in conference), they yielded no touchdowns.

Quarterback Jared Flint, who completed 21 passes for 195 yards, set

new single-season records in completions (189) and attempts (327),

surpassing Keith Jarrett’s 1987 records.

Sophomore Raymond Ohrel’s six receptions gave him 62 for the season,

tying the single-season receptions mark set by Junior Tagaloa in 1987.

“Our kids laid it all out there tonight,” Taylor said. “Winning

sometimes isn’t the most important thing in sports. Not quitting is. We

left it all on the field tonight. We have no regrets.”

In perhaps the biggest surprise of the game, Orange Coast’s defense,

ranked last in the conference came up huge against the Warriors, who have

scored more points in the Northern Division than any other team.

The Bucs “D” limited El Camino’s potent offense to a rather human-like

105 yards passing offense and yielded only 17 points (zero in the second

half), the fewest they’ve given up all season.

“I’m really proud of how our defense has really stepped it up the last

four weeks,” Taylor said. “That’s a tribute to the coaches and players

who have been the object of a lot of the blame this season. But they kept

working hard, trying to get better and it paid off for them tonight. I

couldn’t be happier for them.”

Perhaps their biggest concern was containing Warriors quarterback

Robert Hodge, which they did, for the most part.

The top-rated passer in the conference was held to only 105 yards

passing and 36 yards rushing and one touchdown.

El Camino (7-3, 4-1) took advantage to two costly fumbles and turned

them points.

Hodge scored on a 9-yard quarterback run with just over eight minutes

remaining in the first quarter to open the scoring for both teams.

OCC marched right back and got to the Warriors’ 15-yard line before

stalling and settling for a 32-yard field goal by David Yonts, which cut

the lead to 7-3.

Midway through the second quarter, El Camino caught the Pirates in the

wrong direction as Charon Arnold scored on a 28-yard reverse to extend

the lead to 14-3.

“The fumbles hurt us in the beginning,” Taylor said. “But we had our

opportunities to score. We just couldn’t get in the end zone tonight.”

A 37-yard field goal by David Davis with three seconds remaining in

the first half gave the Warriors a 17-3 lead, which turned out to be the

final score.

OCC’s best shot to score came with about five minutes remaining in the

ball game when Jimmie Banks broke through three tacklers and scampered 54

yards down to the Warriors’ 8-yard line, giving the Pirates first and

goal.

But two running plays, a penalty and a quarterback sack later, OCC

turned the ball over on downs and the Warriors proceeded to eat up a

majority of the remaining time available.

OCC’s last ditch effort to find pay dirt came up empty as Flint’s

desperation pass toward the end zone was intercepted, ending the game.

Sunny Byrd had 131 yards on 17 carries, while Darin Pope added 92

yards on 11 carries for El Camino, who now must wait to see if a bowl

game is in the future.

For the Pirates, it’s time to look toward next season, but to also

look back at a job well done.

“Nobody gave us anything coming into this season,” Taylor said. “I

think we’ve earned some teams’ respect this year. We can build off that

toward next season.”