Down and dirty

If there was any question as to the heart of Orange Coast

College’s football team, those doubts should have been squashed after

the Pirates (2-3) nearly pulled off a monumental upset of the No. 6

team in the nation heading into the contest in Pasadena City College

according to JC Grid-Wire.

Even though they didn’t come out on top, the Pirates broke a few

records of their own in the 14-6 loss to Pasadena.

Pasadena’s 14 points scored was the first time in 19 straight

games the Lancers did not score 20 or more points.

OCC had a 3-0 lead at halftime, holding the Lancers (5-0 and

ranked No. 2 in Southern California in the California Community

College football poll released Monday) scoreless in the first half

for the first time since 1999, and had PCC on the ropes after the

Lancers’ third play when starting quarterback John Rattay went down

with a knee injury and didn’t return.

But moral victories aren’t what the Bucs are all about according

to Coach Mike Taylor.

“We’re into W’s, not L’s,” Taylor said.

Even with the loss, Taylor liked the way his team battled.

“We played hard and played well,” Taylor said. “We stood

toe-to-toe and slugged it out for 60 minutes. It was like a boxing

match, both guys were bloodied and that’s what we wanted. We did not

want to fall behind, 28-0, in the first quarter. They stood up for

it, but it would have been sweeter if we had won.”

Taylor was impressed with defensive back Nick Dominelli, who had

an interception, one of the four turnovers Coast came up with in

Saturday’s game, along with safety Adrian Calloway, linebacker Andy

Howe, kicker Bryce Sheridan and Niles Mittasch.

Dominelli and Calloway are tied for the team with two

interceptions each and Dominelli leads in tackles with 49. Sophomore

linebacker Dan Steinau is second on the team with 37 tackles.

Sheridan kicked field goals of 27 and 40 yards to keep the Pirates

within striking distance before PCC backup quarterback Darnell LoVett

ran for a 2-yard touchdown that culminated a seven-play, 70-yard

drive with 5:17 left in the third quarter.

Mittasch carried 22 times for 58 yards while sharing rushing

duties with Steven Mahelona, who carried nine times for 35 yards

against the Lancers. Mittasch also caught two balls for 19 yards.

The makings for an upset were all there -- OCC had a whopping

15:56 edge in time of possession and held the vaunted Lancer

offensive attack to just 101 yards passing.

Aspinwall completed 13 of 34 pass attempts for 153 yards and led

the Pirates on two fourth-quarter drives that must have risen the

blood pressure of a few Pasadena players, coaches and faithful.

The Pirates will have to use what they learned from the Pasadena

game and apply it to their final five games, Taylor said.

“Hopefully it’s a stepping stone to the rest of the season,”

Taylor said. “We have a tough five games left and it gets started

with Golden West.”

The Pirates showed the heart of a champion, even though they

didn’t come out on top and the pollsters seemed to recognize the

Pirates’ near-victory, only dropping OCC one spot to 19th in Southern California.

The coaches noticed OCC’s effort against Pasadena and dropped the

Lancers from their top spot to No. 2 in Southern California behind

unbeaten Cerritos (5-0).

OCC has a bye this week before battling Golden West in the first

Mission Conference Central Division game at OCC for the Battle of the

Bell Oct. 26.

Golden West (0-5) leads the overall series, 18-14-2, including

last season’s 35-24 win over the Bucs in the Rustlers’ sixth game,

the last time the Rustlers won a game.

Taylor said he has been working on “getting more players into the

mix,” such as trying out freshman running back Sam Weicks at

receiver.

Taylor also will be getting players back from injury in time for

Golden West including defensive back Una Latu.

*

Kickoff has been changed from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., the second time

the starting time has been shuffled.

Kickoff was originally scheduled for 7 p.m. but was changed to 1

p.m. to attract more fans and then the time changed to 4 p.m. to

allow the game to be the showcase of Orange Coast College’s Open

House, Taylor said.

The football game will be part of the day’s festivities at OCC

that include campus and department tours, food booths, performing

arts events, lab activities and sports events such as the football

game and men’s and women’s basketball team practices.

Admission to the football game is free for anyone who attends the

Open House, Taylor said.