Coast roasts ELAC, 28-11

Steve Virgen

After 16 years of work on the Orange Coast College football staff,

including three years as head coach of the Pirates, Mike Taylor knows

how to evaluate talent and he knows how to get the most of what he

has.

So what did Taylor learn after his Bucs dominated in a 28-11

season-opening victory over visiting East Los Angeles Saturday night?

“We have talent,” said a calm Taylor in a simple tone. “We can run

the football. We have some very good backs.”

The OCC running backs, led by 6-foot, 200-pound sophomore tailback

Niles Mittasch, rushed for 249 yards and three touchdowns on 47

carries (5.29 yards per carry). One running back, freshman Dan Hawkey

actually threw for a touchdown.

On second-and-11 from the ELAC 23, Hawkey took a pitch out and

lofted a pass to a wide-open Darryl West for a touchdown. And, after

Andrew Brescini’s point-after kick, the Bucs led, 14-0. The halfback

pass play worked so well because OCC had the Huskies on the ropes

with its running game.

Mittasch ran for 131 yards and one touchdown on 20 carries. There

were 10 different ball carriers for the Pirates and they amassed 274

yards.

“It’s the offensive linemen; they do a very good job,” Mittasch

said of the running game’s success. “I made the key reads on the

blocks. We still made some little mistakes. But one thing we did do

was dominate. I’m very proud of our offense and our defense.”

The OCC defense stuffed the Huskies’ no-huddle, shotgun offense.

The Pirates recorded two fumble recoveries, two sacks and held the

Huskies to 81 rushing yards (24 came on one touchdown run). At

halftime, when the Bucs led 21-0, the OCC defense allowed just 45 net

yards, including only two rushing yards.

“I was pleased with how our defense played,” said Taylor, who also

serves as the Pirates’ defensive coordinator. (The two fumble

recoveries in the first half) that was very exciting.”

OCC sophomore linebacker Dan Steinau and freshman defensive tackle

Bryan Meers sacked ELAC quarterback Thomas McDougall and caused him

to fumble. OCC defensive back Stephen Turner, who broke up two passes

in the game, recovered the fumble, and the Pirates started their

first offensive possession of the season at the ELAC 31.

From there, the Pirates executed seven running plays on an

eight-play scoring drive that ended with freshman Steven Mahelona

scoring from 1-yard out. Mahelona finished with 69 yards and two

touchdowns on 12 carries.

“We gave (the Huskies’) defense different types of looks,”

Mahelona said. “And, with Niles back there, it makes things a lot

easier.”

Mittasch gained 98 yards and one touchdown on 11 carries in the first half. He nearly took a pitch out for a long touchdown run, but

was tripped up, which resulted in a 35-yard run. He scored on the

next play, when he shook off tacklers at the line of scrimmage,

bounced it to the outside and then jumped into the end zone for a

10-yard touchdown. Mittasch’s run capped a 68-yard, six-play drive

that included five running plays for 58 yards.

“The four guys (Mittasch, Mahelona, Hawkey and fullback Tim

Rebich) are outstanding,” Taylor said. “Niles is a great runner ...

he’s special.”

Mittasch, who did not rush the ball or catch a pass in last year’s

21-17, season-opening victory over ELAC, is a decorated tailback from

Eugene, Ore. He scored 42 touchdowns in 13 games for Churchill High.

The Pirates secured the victory in the fourth quarter after a

19-play, 83-yard drive that took off 8:53 from the clock. Mahelona

capped the drive with a 2-yard touchdown run, giving the Pirates a

28-3 lead.

Coast will return to nonconference action Saturday at 7 p.m., when

the Pirates play at L.A. Harbor. Taylor said there are still several

mistakes to correct before next week. Mittasch fumbled early in the

second half, and the Pirates amassed 109 yards on 13 penalties.