OCC Football: Pirates look to steal another one

Steve Virgen

Orange Coast College football coach Mike Taylor called it the

biggest win the Pirates have had in a long time.

OCC running back James Dawkins called it the type of victory that can

change a season.

Last week, the Bucs accomplished the impossible as Rob Pate knocked in

a 33-yard field goal with one second remaining to shock then-No. 4 Mt.

San Antonio. The Mounties fell to No. 11 on the JC Grid-Wire this week.

Though the win was huge, Taylor wants people to forget about it.

“Last week was a big win for us, but that’s old news,” Taylor said.

“We need to be more consistent.”

OCC’s focus on consistency will be needed tonight as the Pirates

travel to Mission Conference leader Pasadena City College.

The Lancers have the top offense in the conference. They feature a

balanced attack that has them first in the conference in passing and

second in rushing.

Taylor said the Bucs might have been able to sneak up on Mt. SAC, but

the word is out and the Lancers will be ready. In fact, PCC (4-0) will

have revenge on its mind when the two teams meet tonight.

Last year, OCC (1-3) stole a win as the Pirates scored two touchdowns

in the final 1:36 for a 29-26 victory at Lancer Stadium. The loss was

Pasadena’s first at its new stadium. PCC was 4-2 going into that game and

then went on a five-game losing streak to close out the season.

This year, the Lancers are 4-0 with some close wins of their own. Last

week, PCC edged visiting Santa Ana 28-24. The Lancers scored the game’s

final touchdown with 1:18 left and then intercepted a Santa Ana pass in

their own end zone with 15 seconds remaining to clinch the victory.

Pasadena’s offense features quarterback Josh Knight, who passed for

350 yards and four touchdowns in last week’s victory. He ranks third in

the conference in passing yardage with 1,073.

Knight will look to connect to his trio of playmaking receivers in

John Moore, Calvin Byrd and Gary Coleman. The Lancers’ rushing attack

will be led by James Samuel, who owns a 7.2 yards-per-carry average.

Pasadena’s defense is also solid as the Lancers are third in the

conference in total defense. Yet Taylor said he thinks his team can score

points, just as it did against Mt. SAC.

He said quarterback Nick Higgs matured extremely in last week’s win.

Higgs went 18 for 37 for 210 yards and a touchdown. He found seven

different receivers for completions and he was also a running threat on

the Pirates’ few option plays.

After last week, it appears the OCC offense has new life. Taylor spoke

of patience after the Pirates were shut out against El Camino, the week

before Mt. SAC. He had a feeling the offense would wake up, and it did

against the Mounties.

“I’m sure everyone thought it was a misprint in the paper,” Taylor

said of last week’s surprising victory. “Teams will be ready for us now.”

Tonight’s kickoff is scheduled for 7.