‘56 Pirates reigned as Eastern Conference champions

Although a championship football team never came to Al Irwin as a

player or coach at Newport Harbor High over the years, one finally

came his way after he took charge of Orange Coast College’s gridders

in the fall of ’56.

He was also blessed to have drawn Jim Stangeland, former Downey

High coach and a one-time Fullerton Junior College star named Bill

Poore as assistants. Stangeland handled the offense and Poore took

charge of the defense.

“I was very fortunate,” Irwin said, “because they both were most

outstanding.” Stangeland, a Huntington Beach High grad, worked with

another Oilers’ product, Claire Van Hoorebeke, at Arizona State and

North Phoenix High in Arizona once and gained immense football

knowledge.

Irwin said, “We chose to go with the same offense that was being

used at Downey and Anaheim.” Both schools found great success with

two fleet running backs named Randy Meadows for Downey and Mickey

Flynn for Anaheim, who would share CIF Player of the Year laurels

after the two deadlocked on the field of play in the Coliseum before

41,383 for the CIF championship.

Van Hoorebeke was Anaheim’s coach, and Downey was coached by Dick

Hill.

He recalled the great rise in speed for the OCC backs and end

after Stangeland introduced the low-cut shoes for the offensive

program.

Reflecting back, Irwin said, “We were predominately a frosh team

and I only recall three sophomores who had played for Ray Rosso in

‘55. But our players were so light, quick and fast, that we felt

fairly confident.”

Irwin said, “We had very good ends.” He recalled Alan Story of

Anaheim, Paul Lorentzen of Newport Harbor High and a fellow named

Tribble from Palm Springs.”

The Pirates had a number of polished halfbacks, including a

speedster named Bill Harrison of Huntington Beach, and Dave Tamura

and John Hopkins, both of Harbor High.

The key fullback was a rugged hitter from California High named

Ray Adermann, one of five athletes recruited from California.

However, all five left the team after the season to join Cerritos JC,

a new school in their area.

One highlight that Stangeland brought from Downey was a 6-foot

quarterback named Bob Crockett. Irwin said, “He was a good passer,

but not a long-bomb thrower.”

The Pirates opened the nonconference slate with sterling success,

defeating Glendale, 20-13; American River, 42-12, and East Contra

Costa, 41-0.

Orange Coast then pulled off a rare happening in conference

competition against two county rivals, whipping Fullerton, 35-7, and

Santa Ana, 39-6. Prior years found OCC struggling with hard luck

against the long-time county foes.

The next three games were the toughest and most challenging

clashes of the season.

The Pirates took on a rock-ribbed outfit from Mt. San Antonio

College at home and struggled to a fierce 7-7 deadlock. OCC had the

game won at a pint in the second half when a swift Pirate halfback

broke loose for what initially appeared to be an easy touchdown, but

he was caught before the goal by a giant Mt. SAC end named Duane

Allen, who had sprinted almost 30 yards across the field to upend the

Pirate runner.

OCC created a magnificent stand on the road at San Bernardino -- a

team that featured the classy leader named Willie Mims. Mims had one

special chance late in the game when he spotted an Indian receiver

loose on the right sidelines, but his aerial was a shade off-target

and hit a telephone pole. Coast edged the Indians, 20-19.

The Pirates were packing the home stadium every night they played,

but a woeful day game promoted by OCC President Basil Peterson

earlier in the season, found the field in the path of a grim Santa

Ana wind condition, “and it was over 100 degrees on the field,” Irwin

said, adding “only about 1,000 turned out. It was a poor turnout.”

The heat was also intense and Irwin recalled that it was a very

frustrating afternoon with the teams deadlocking, 26-26.

Irwin’s crew then flew past Chaffey, 31-7, and headed on to the

Potato Bowl, but lost out, 20-12, against Stockton. Irwin recalled a

great second-half performance by quarterback Bruce Knipp, a former

Newport Harbor quarterback for Irwin in ’54.

Coast concluded the season with a grand 7-1-2 record and tucked

away the Eastern Conference trophy.