Deep waters

Bryce Alderton

Though still relatively early in the conference schedule, today’s

1 p.m. Mission Conference Central Division duel between Orange Coast

College and Palomar, both 1-0 in the Orange Empire Conference, should

give the Pirates, 3-4 overall, a feel of where they are headed this

season.

Coast Coach Mike Taylor knows three games remain on the schedule

after today’s clash with the 5-1 Comets at OCC, but he knows Palomar

presents a stern challenge for his group.

“Palomar is the best team in the conference,” Taylor said. “I’m

looking at this as a championship game because both teams are

undefeated. But we still have three games left to play (at Santa Ana

and Fullerton the next two weeks before finishing at home against

Saddleback). (The Palomar) game isn’t the only game we’re playing so

win, lose or draw (today), we have to have a satisfied feeling we

played our best game and get ready for the next three games.”

The Comets feature an offense that ranks second in the conference,

averaging 423.2 yards per game while the Pirates put up an average of

290.8 yards, good for 10th in the conference.

Palomar’s main receiving threat, sophomore Eddie Sullivan, ranks

first in the conference in both receptions per game (six) and

reception yards (478 for a 13.3 average).

The job of covering Sullivan falls to the Coast secondary of

Kelvin Beatty, Stephen Turner, Jason Brooks and Nick Dominelli, who

came up with two key defensive plays in Coast’s 31-7 victory over rival Golden West Saturday, earning the freshman conference defensive

Player of the Week honors.

Dominelli recovered a fumble and returned it 50 yards for a

touchdown and intercepted a pass and returned it 95 yards for another

TD, both plays coming in the fourth quarter, and was in on nine

tackles.

“(Dominelli) is a good player,” Taylor said. “He’s had a couple

big games and we’re happy he’s on our team.”

The Comets also feature a running tandem of Alex Thompson and

Chris Williams to counter Coast’s running duo of Niles Mittasch and

Steven Mahelona.

Thompson and Williams rank fourth and fifth, respectively, in the

conference in rushing while Mittasch ranks eighth.

Thompson has carried 117 times for 659 yards (109.8 yards per

game) with six touchdowns while Williams has amassed 605 yards on 111

carries, a 100.8 yards per game average, with two touchdowns.

Mittasch has amassed 473 yards on 100 carries for a 78.8 average

with five touchdowns and three TDs and Mahelona ranks 15th in the

conference with 349 yards on 60 carries (58.2 yards per game) with

five touchdowns.

But Mittasch has been as equally effective as a receiver out of

the backfield, ranking seventh in the conference in all-purpose yards

with a 112.5 average. He has 148 reception yards.

In addition to a productive offense thus far, Palomar also

features a strong defense, rated second in the conference, allowing

294 yards per game and 14 TDs on the season, while Coast’s defense

ranks sixth in the conference giving up an average of 334.3 yards per

game and has also allowed 14 TDs.

Sophomore left tackle Patrick Afif has committed to Washington

State University and Taylor said guard Keola Loo has narrowed his

choices to either USC or Washington State. Mittasch has spoken with

officials from the University of Iowa, Colorado State and Oregon and

Mahelona is interested in attending Northern Arizona or UNLV, Taylor

added.