Community college football: Line drawn in sand for Bucs

Steve Virgen

COSTA MESA - With each of its two losses this season the Orange

Coast College football team has been presented with a challenge. The

Pirates’ first loss came against Los Angeles Harbor, when they

surrendered five turnovers and succumbed to the Seahawks’ passing game.

The following week, OCC, with injuries to two of its defensive standouts,

Dan Stringer and Marvin Simmons, traveled to El Camino and answered the

call with a 14-10 come-from-behind win, that apparently energized the

team.

But, another injury came against Mt. Antonio Saturday, as Bucs’

linebacker Travis Loidolt injured his anterior cruciate ligament and OCC

lost 24-16. And, so OCC is left with an even bigger challenge from its

last loss. Enter Pasadena City, the team that is coming to LeBard Stadium

Saturday. A team, like Mt. SAC, that is seeking revenge, as OCC stunned

the Lancers with a 29-27 thrilling victory at Pasadena last year.

Meanwhile, the Bucs are wondering if they are going to win in their

stadium this season.

“There were a lot of mental mistakes (Saturday),” said OCC wide

receiver Jon Jackson, who recovered an onside kick with 1:35 remaining

Saturday. “Everyone thought we were going to take it down and score, but

that didn’t work out how we planned it.”

After catching eight passes for 122 yards, OCC sophomore Vince Strang

was held without a catch against the Mounties, seemingly another

challenge is presented for the 5-foot-8, 155-pound receiver.

However, a bright spot for the Bucs came from their running game and

talented offensive line, which has had great expectations since the

preseason.

OCC freshman running back Niles Mittasch ran for 98 yards and one

touchdown on 16 carries, and fullback Anthony Campo, who broke off runs

of 25 and 11, kept the Mounties off balance with his 41 yards on four

carries. Campo, a returning sophomore, also scored a 3-yard touchdown

when he grabbed the scoring toss from quarterback Nick Higgs, cutting the

deficit to 24-16.

The defense, however, is an entirely different story. With Loidolt’s

injury the Bucs’ displayed their weakness against the run. Since Simmons’

arrival, OCC had been believing a repeat as Mission Conference Central

Division champions and a bowl game victory was within reach. But Simmons

is out with an abdominal strain and his status for this season, perhaps a

medical redshirt, will be determined this week.

Even though sophomore Clay Busch left the Bucs when he realized he

would be in a diminished role than what he expected, OCC remained

confident in Simmons and Loidolt, but both could be possibly out for the

season. And, now the Lancers are coming Saturday.

“We lost a guy that is one of the leaders of our group,” OCC Coach

Mike Taylor said of Loidolt. “There are no excuses (Saturday). We lost to

a good team. We gave them a good game and we gave everyone an

entertaining game to watch.”

Mt. San Antonio 24, Orange Coast 16

Score by Quarters

Mt. SAC 0 14 7 3 - 24

Orange Coast 3 0 7 6 - 16

First Quarter

OCC - Pate 39 FG, 7:36.

Second Quarter

MSA - Gonzalez 2 run (Killeen kick), 9:51.

MSA - Longo 16 pass from Valenzuela (Killeen kick), 1:10.

Third Quarter

MSA - Allen 1 run (Killeen kick), 10:28.

OCC - Mittasch 1 run (Ross kick), 0:44.

Fourth Quarter

MSA - Killeen 48 FG, 13:58.

OCC - Campo 3 pass from Higgs (kick failed), 1:37.

Attendance: 750 (estimated).

INDIVIDUAL RUSHING

OCC - Mittasch, 16-98, 1 TD; Campo, 4-41; Strang, 3-7; Gaither, 3-16;

Jackson, 1-3; Higgs, 7-3.

MSA - Robinson, 11-40; Gonzalez, 7-21, 1 TD; Allen, 6-21, 1 TD;

Williams, 4-11; Valenzuela, 4-minus-12; Platt, 5-8.

INDIVIDUAL PASSING

OCC - Higgs, 13-29-0, 141, 1 TD; Ross, 0-1-0.

MSA - Valenzuela, 11-20-0, 158, 1 TD.

INDIVIDUAL RECEIVING

OCC - Hall, 5-68; Jackson, 3-36; Peterson, 3-39; Gaither, 2-minus-5;

Campo, 1-3, 1 TD.

MSA - Scott, 3-29; Hosack, 3-65; Gonzalez, 1-5; Longo, 3-46, 1 TD;

Joslin 1-13.

GAME STATISTICS

OCC MSA

First downs 15 13

Rushes-yardage 32-173 36-104

Passing yardage 158 138

Passing 11-20-0 13-29-0 Net return yardage* 8 89

Sacks-yardage 1 -12 1 -5

Net yardage 331 242

Punts 6-32.5 6-33.0

Fumbles-fumbles lost 1-1 1-1

Flags-net yardage 6-45 7-57

Time of possession 29:01 30:59

*Punt returns, interceptions, fumble returns