Community college football: Bucs come up big-time

Steve Virgen

TORRANCE - After the final seconds ticked away, Orange Coast

College defensive tackle J.T. Nuimata made his way to the Gatorade jug.

Big wins call for huge celebrations. Still, linebackers coach Mike Mayne

caught Niumata and told him to hold off, because as the coach said, “It’s

only Week 3.”

Nevertheless, the Pirates (2-1) scored a victory of mammoth

proportions with a 14-10 come-from-behind win at El Camino Saturday. The

Bucs, who scored their points in the final quarter, have not defeated the

Warriors since 1973, about 10 years before some of OCC’s players were

born.

El Camino (1-2) had beaten the Bucs 13 straight, including a 30-0 win

last year.

“It’s been a long time,” OCC Coach Mike Taylor said. “I was playing

football back then (for Santa Ana). This gives us the confidence because

we’re a young team. (The Warriors) were under 300 yards of offense,

stunning.”

Stunning indeed. Coast was seemingly on the brink of being sent toward

a downward spiral after an upsetting 35-29 loss to Los Angeles Harbor.

But the Bucs answered the challenge and have rejuvenated their heartbeat

with familiar names from last year and new faces of today.

Sophomore wide receiver Vince Strang caught a 4-yard touchdown pass

from Nick Higgs with 9:22 remaining, proving to be the difference. Strang

led all receivers with eight receptions for 122 yards. Higgs threw for

218 yards and two touchdown, his first scoring toss a 14-yard connection

with Jon Jackson, who contributed 67 yards on three catches.

“This is a big confidence booster ... big-time,” Strang said. “The

morale was down after the loss last week. But, now we’re really coming

together as a group. Everyone is starting to pull for each other and it

makes it fun to be a part of the OCC Bucs.”

Freshman middle linebacker Travis Loidolt, who stepped up in place of

injured starter Marvin Simmons, capped a solid performance when he

recovered a fumble with 1:11 remaining to secure the win. Sophomore

defensive tackle James Furtsch caused the fumble as he stripped the ball

away from quarterback Ryan Gilbert.

“I was prepared for this occasion,” Loidolt said of taking over at

middle linebacker. “(The defense) played really well. We only let one big

run play and one big pass play by us. The (defensive backs) did a great

job of keeping their wide receivers at bay.”

The Bucs’ running game also helped the cause as freshman Niles

Mittasch completed a steady performance with 69 yards on 18 carries,

while starter Leonard DeRoche missed the game due to personal reasons.

The Warriors could not build on their 7-0 lead after the first

quarter. El Camino, instead, fell apart, suffering from 16 penalties for 160 yards. Three penalties helped the Bucs score their first touchdown.

OCC’s 14-play, 93-yard scoring drive, which took 7:09 off the clock,

ended when Higgs found Jackson on a fade route. On the way to the score,

Coast received three first downs after a pass interference, personal foul

and spearing penalty.

The Warriors tried to respond to the Bucs’ touchdown, but to no avail.

On El Camino’s third play, Gilbert fumbled a snap and linebacker Daniel

Steinau recovered, setting up the Bucs’ go-ahead touchdown.

Before Strang caught the TD pass on a slant route on third-and-goal

from the 5, Jackson drew a pass interference call in the end zone.

“I hope you enjoy all the gifts that we gave you,” El Camino Coach

John Featherstone told OCC offensive coordinator Sean Ponder, while

leaving the stadium. “Christmas came early for you.”

“It happens,” Ponder responded. “We didn’t get some of those calls in

our game last week.”

Taylor said Saturday’s victory was huge because the Pirates need the

confidence as they host Mt. San Antonio Saturday at 7 p.m. and Pasadena

City the following week.