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.
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