Community college football: OCC looking for high note at Saddleback

Steve Virgen

MISSION VIEJO - In a season plagued by injuries and inconsistency,

the Orange Coast College football team has the opportunity to end its

season by discovering its true identity. That’s what Pirates Coach Mike

Taylor hopes as the Bucs close out the year at Saddleback College today

at 1 p.m.

The Bucs (3-6, 1-4 in the Central division) will play the role of

spoiler as the Gauchos (6-3, 3-1) are in line for a bowl game with a win

over OCC that would give Saddleback sole possession of second place in

the Mission Conference’s Central Division.

“We just need to make sure that the ‘A’ team shows up,” Taylor said of

his Bucs. “If the same team shows up that did against Santa Ana and El

Camino, we can win.”

OCC’s chances of winning today have improved because Saddleback’s

quarterback Jason Whieldon is scheduled to be missing from action because

of a torn anterior cruciate ligament suffered in the Gauchos’ 31-23 win

over Golden West last week.

Whieldon led the No. 2 passing offense in the Mission Conference, as

he has thrown for 2,333 yards (259 yards per game) and 16 touchdowns.

The Bucs will be without quarterback Jason Kripavicius, who suffered a

sprained ankle in OCC’s 39-16 loss to visiting Fullerton last week.

Fullback Travis Trimble, a Newport Harbor High product, will also be out

because of a knee injury.

Sophomore quarterback Nick Higgs, who has started every game this

year, will lead the Bucs’ offense and Leonard DeRoche will fill in once

again for Trimble.

OCC tailback Niles Mittasch will shoot for his third 100-yard game of the season, and Taylor expects the freshman will lock up a spot on the

all-conference team.

“He’s a thousand-yard rusher and he should have a thousand yards,”

Taylor said of Mittasch. “He just didn’t have enough carries. He needs to

improve his skills in the offseason. Hopefully, he will run track. That

touchdown against Santa Ana (a 38-yard scamper) was pretty impressive.”