Coasters: Mission Conference is heating up

Steve Virgen

Orange Coast College football coach Mike Taylor stood at the podium

and told the media and his colleagues that the Pirates needed some

retooling on defense. At the Mission Conference Central Division media

day Monday, Taylor said the linebacker position would need the most work.

The Pirates received a quick fix in the form of prep phenom Marvin

Simmons, a 6-foot-1, 220-pound linebacker who practiced with the Bucs

Tuesday.

Yet, if the news would have came a day earlier, the media and coaches’

poll of the Mission Conference would have hardly changed.

Palomar, the co-champions with Orange Coast last year, still remains

as the team to beat. Though the Bucs beat the Comets last season, Palomar

is the consensus favorite.

Both Mission Conference media and coaches polls ranked Palomar No. 1.

The Bucs came in at No. 2, and Saddleback, Santa Ana, Fullerton and

Golden West rounded out the Central Division.

The Comets return an all-conference player at each position, most

notably quarterback Andy Goodenough, the Mission Conference Central

Division co-player of the year.

Who knows if Simmons’ presence would have made a difference in the

rankings. There’s no doubt the Pirates have improved in regard to their

sophomores and successful recruiting. How the recruits play on the field,

obviously remains to be seen.

Whatever the case, the Comets have the advantage. This year, the

Comets will host the Bucs, Oct. 27 at 1 p.m.

Palomar Coach Tom Craft said the Comets had their best recruiting of

their locals this year and combined with the experienced sophomores, he

confidently said his team is better than last year.

Santa Ana will more than likely be the surprise team of the

conference. The Dons return 26 players and were in most of their games

during last year’s 2-8 season.

Saddleback and Fullerton seem to be getting over the hump. The Gauchos

and Hornets will be in contention for the title because of their

defenses.

Saddleback’s defense features local players in linebacker Mark

Hatfield and defensive lineman Joe Shea, both of Corona del Mar High.

Shea returns from Colorado State where he was a walk on last year.

Fullerton’s offense will not be much of a weakness. Hornets

quarterback Brian Bartczak, though not as mobile as last year’s

signal-caller Jeff Crooks, is a premier passer and has the tools to get

the ball to his talented wide receivers, sophomore Terrance Moore (6-5,

195), freshman Justin Jones (6-3, 180) and 2000 Mission Conference

honorable mention Jeff Weber (5-9, 160).

Golden State will rely on its defense this year to have a shot of

breaking its 30-game losing streak. Like last year, the Rustlers are

short on numbers and lack depth within their offensive line.

Martin Janzon’s experience at USC was heartbreaking to say the least.

The painful irony came last week. Janzon received his name on his locker

on the same day the Trojans asked him to leave because the NCAA did not

grant his appeal. Janzon had his college scholarship rescinded since he

wasn’t eligible because he played club football in his homeland Sweden.

“I thought things looked positive when I was was cleared to practice,”

Janzon said. “It just so hard. When you’ve been working hard and giving

up a social life for the past two years, it’s just bad that something

like this takes away the thing you’ve worked for.”

Janzon did not agree with the NCAA rule that left him ineligible. Each

season he played club football counted as an NCAA playing year. The NCAA

made its decision on Janzon based on precedence. No athlete is allowed to

play amateur sports because it might give the player an advantage. But,

Janzon played his sport overseas and he said it’s just not the same.

“American football in Sweden is like skiing in Africa,” Janzon said.

“It’s not even the equivalent of high school football when it’s in

Sweden.”

Janzon has turned his focus to education. He is planning to finish his

education and his concentration in kinesiology. He considered playing

football at a lower level, but he said he would not be as motivated

because it’s not Division I.

OCC women’s soccer coach Barbara Bond is a bit more proud this season.

Four of her past assistant or players are now coaches in the Orange

Empire Conference.

Bond’s assistant last year, Brandee Craig, is now a walk on coach at

Saddleback College. Craig was an assistant with Bond for the past eight

years. She also played for two years at Coast, where she was a sweeper on

the 1987 and 1988 South Coast conference championship teams.

Pam Lewin, another former Pirate who played for Bond, is the new coach

for the Fullerton College women’s soccer team. Lewin’s assistant is Kim

Cahall, who also played at OCC.

Monique Brass, who played for OCC and was Bond’s assistant for three

years, is now coaching at Irvine Valley College.

“I’m pretty proud of that,” Bond said. “When your job is education and

here are these athletes who learn and they move on and they go on to

teach and coach, that’s what it’s all about.”

The women’s golf team is need of more players. First-year coach Barry

Wallace has two ladies on his roster, returning sophomore Joan Neri and

freshman Laura Johsz.

In community college golf, four players qualify for a team’s scoring,

so OCC cannot have a chance to win until more women join the team.

“It’s just a down year,” Wallace said. “The high school players are

going straight to the four-year (universities) because the schools are

offering them scholarships. So now we’re going to have some up and down

years.”

Wallace took over as the Pirates coach this year when former coach

Gordie Fitzel retired. Wallace said he has been working hard to recruit

ever since, but to little avail. The first-year coach said he would

accept less-experienced players throughout this season just so OCC will

be able to compete.

“We just want to promote women’s golf in this state,” said Wallace,

who is eager to teach more players. “All they have to do is carry a golf

bag and I’ll do the rest.”

For those interested in playing for the OCC women’s golf team call

Wallace at (714) 432-5890.