COASTERS: What a week, what a year

Steve Virgen

As 2000 draws to a close, the year will be known for many events.

The Y2K bug, the Olympics in Australia and the mayhem of the Al Gore and

George W. Bush presidential election.

But for many at Orange Coast College and Costa Mesa, 2000 will be

known as the Year of the Cinderella, because of OCC’s football and men’s

soccer teams. This year may stand out because it could be the start of

two, dare I say, dynasties.

No matter what the teams do this weekend -- the Bucs will be in the

Strawberry Bowl at Cerritos and the men’s soccer team will be in the

state championships at West Hills College in Coalinga -- the Pirates

have already dazzled with memorable seasons that have that storybook

feel.

I interrupt this column for a reminder note: It feels so good to be

right. Midway through the football season, Steve Virgen predicted the

Bucs would win the Mission Conference Central Division title. And Steve

Virgen was right. So it was a co-championship with Palomar. We all know

OCC beat the Comets. Enough said.

OK, where were we? Glass slippers, pumpkins turning into carriages ...

oh yeah, OCC football and men’s soccer. If you’re the type to root for

the underdog then OCC is the place to be.

This year, the Pirates’ football team turned an 0-3 start into a 6-4

season and a trip to the Strawberry Bowl, OCC’s first bowl game since

1993. That was the last time the Bucs had a winning season.

And there are so many underdog characters on the team. To name a few:

Rob Pate, the kicker who didn’t play varsity football in high school and

was the backup when he arrived at OCC; Gary Lewellyn, the 31-year old

Orange County deputy sheriff who dislocated his kneecap and popped it

back into place to finish the game helping his team to a three-overtime

win over Santa Ana; and little Justin Dale, the 5-foot-9, 175-pound wide

receiver who has been the big-play performer for the Bucs all season.

You have to know the Bucs will be playing their hearts out because

they want this season to be remembered. OCC Coach Mike Taylor wants this

season to be the turning point for the football program at the school.

OCC has just eight division championships in its history and Taylor said

he wants the Pirates to be mentioned in the same breath with the Mt. San

Antonios and the Palomars, every year.

And to think, two months ago Taylor was asking for someone to step up

in the offense. He was holding emergency meetings with coaches to try to

shake things up. OCC had only scored one touchdown in its first three

losses.

But, that all changed quickly and the Bucs went on a five-game winning

streak that included upset wins over Mt. SAC and Palomar.

Oh yes, we will remember the Pirates.

And who will forget the 2000 men’s soccer team?

With its third win in the playoffs Tuesday, the men’s soccer team

matched its win total from last season. The Pirates (18-3-4) more than

quintupled their wins from last year (3-14-2).

There are underdog characters on this team, too. Team captain Geno

Vitale-Sansosti conquered a drug addiction three years ago, turned back

to his love for soccer and has been an inspiration for many.

And last season, OCC Coach Laird Hayes made a coaching change at

midseason and gave the majority of the duties to Kevin Smith and Pat

Callaghan.

Hayes, the humble man that he is, gives all the credit to Smith and

Callaghan. Hayes reminds everyone, he is just part of the success. The

two assistants and the Pirates are the whole reason for the turnaround,

Hayes will say.

This was supposed to be a rebuilding year for the Pirates, a learning

experience for two first-year assistant coaches.

But, the Pirates improved quickly and now have the makings of a

winning trend with a team that features 13 freshmen of the 20-man squad.

Hilario Arriaga, Edson Anaya, part of Estancia High’s CIF Southern

Section Division IV champions last year, will be back next year. And so

will Ian Buchanan, Chris Wimmer, Aaron Siemers, Miguel Ruiz, Billy Pena,

Matt Moseley, Matt Desmond and Chance Daniel.

The Pirates play Santa Rosa (19-0-0) in the state semifinals Saturday.

OCC has not reached the state’s version of the Final Four since 1990 when

it won the title.

If the Pirates win Saturday, they will play in the finals and they are

hoping they face Santa Ana. The Pirates ended the Dons’ 70-game unbeaten

streak with a 3-2 victory Nov. 6. That game “meant nothing” because both

teams had already solidified their collective seedings in the Southern

California Regionals.

The Pirates want to win in the most meaningful game in the state

finals.

With the football and men’s soccer teams approaching the biggest games

of the season, this may be a week to remember in OCC history. This may be

the year to remember.

To be continued.