There’s no ‘I’ in Bucs

Steve Virgen

In community college football, or as some call it, juco football,

selfishness is practically expected. It seems as if everyone is out

for themselves, trying to move on to the next level, hopefully NCAA

Division I-A football. Such was the case for the 2001 Orange Coast

College football team.

One year removed from their dream season with a One Heartbeat

theme and a Strawberry Bowl appearance, the Pirates came crashing

back to earth. Individuality enveloped the Bucs last year, and that

was one of several reasons OCC had an underachieving season that

resulted in a 3-7 record. Coast went 1-4 in the Mission Conference

Central Division.

While not as extreme as the 2000 team concept, this year’s Pirates

are intent on shaking off the “I” mentality that plagued them last

year. Gone is Marvin Simmons, a 2000 Parade All-American out of Long

Beach Poly, and the hype that followed him. He transferred to play at

Compton College.

“The Marvin Simmons situation set us back quite a bit,” Taylor

said of the star linebacker who was injured in the first game of the

season and did not return. “We never really had an opportunity to

deal with a guy like him. He was never really part of the team.

Unfortunately, that happens at a junior college.”

However, there is a solution for the Pirates, Taylor said.

“The kids have to buy in to our mentality,” Taylor said. “They

have to forget about their own reason why they are at a community

college. (Juco football) is a little selfish because the players are

looking out for themselves. They have to realize that if every one

does well then every one will get paid (so to speak). If you fray and

you want to become a rattled team, then there will be individuals.”

If the Pirates are looking for an example of the teamwork

mentality, they need look no further than their most valuable facet:

the offensive line. Taylor calls his offensive line the team’s

strength and goes as far as to say they are the leaders of the squad.

The OCC offensive line has also made a concerted effort to mesh

because they realize the team’s success hinges on their performance

as a unit.

Sophomore center Ed Fane, a returning All-Mission Conference

Central Division second-team selection, figures to be one of the

leaders on offense, as does fellow All-Mission Conference

second-teamer Patrick Afif, a 6-foot-8, 318-pound sophomore tackle.

The talented offensive line also includes sophomore standout Keola

Loo (6-1, 290 pounds), who played at the University of Hawaii as a

freshman, and sophomore Donnie Garcia (5-9, 315), who played on the

OCC 2000 team, which was the Mission Conference Central Division

co-champion. Sophomores Stephen Herring (6-4, 270) and David Caddin

(6-3, 306) have also bought into the team concept, which is needed in

the trenches.

The maturity among the offensive line is important since the

Pirates will have a new quarterback this season. Nick Higgs, the

former fourth-string quarterback turned starter who led the Bucs to

the Strawberry Bowl in 2000, transferred to Southwest Missouri State.

Experience will help. The Pirates will have six returning starters

on offense, including sophomore tailback Niles Mittasch, an

All-Mission Conference Central Division second-team honoree.

The Bucs will travel to Santa Monica Friday at 1 p.m. for a

preseason scrimmage, and will open the 2002 season against East Los

Angeles, Sept. 14 at 7 p.m. on the Pirates’ campus.

The Pirates open their Mission Conference Central Division

schedule against district rival Golden West.

Last year, Golden West recaptured The Bell, the reward for the

winner of the matchup, as the result of a 35-24 victory.