Coast attempts to limit mishaps

Bryce Alderton

Move on and minimize the mistakes.

Those are the thoughts Orange Coast College head football coach

Mike Taylor and staff focused on this week after the 18-14

season-opening win over host Glendale Sept. 6. The Pirates host Los

Angeles Southwest College in a nonconference game at 6 tonight at OCC

with the onus on increasing the offensive output and minimizing the

number of penalties. Coast (1-0) was flagged 16 times for 104 yards

against Glendale, but a timely offense, led by sophomore quarterback

Kelika Higa, who will get the start today, produced 18 second-half

points.

“We should have scored three touchdowns right away ... we had

lapses to start the game,” Taylor said, referring to the four times

OCC was inside the Glendale 25 in the first half and came away with

no points. The Pirates fumbled twice and turned the ball over on

downs the other two times.

But once Higa began to find his receivers, and the defense buckled

down, Coast was on its way to victory.

Higa completed 14 of 19 passes for 199 yards -- 159 in the second

half -- and three touchdowns against Glendale after he replaced

freshman Beau Budde before Coast’s fifth offensive series. Higa’s

completion percentage (.737) leads the Mission Conference after Week

1 and his 199 yards rank third.

“[Higa] has earned the opportunity to start,” Taylor said. “He

brings some athleticism to the position, not that Beau doesn’t.

“It wasn’t Beau’s fault. He had guys in his face at all times

[last week]. They both will play [today].”

L.A. Southwest (0-1) brings a staunch defense that allowed just

180 total yards in a 13-10 loss to San Bernardino Valley last week.

“They are big across the front and their linebackers are good,”

Taylor said.

Coast’s front seven concern Taylor heading into today’s game --

the first meeting between the teams -- with injuries to two key

players.

Sophomore Jesse Mahelona had two sacks and five solo tackles

despite playing a majority of Saturday’s game with a sprained left

ankle and will see limited action today, Taylor said.

Sophomore defensive end Ryan Miller, a second-team all-conference

selection a year ago, has a tear in the medial collateral ligament in

his right knee and will also be held out of today’s game. Taylor

hopes to get Miller back for next week’s conference opener against

host Saddleback.

Freshman Chuckie Linman, who saw substantial time at safety

against Glendale, is also suffering from a sore ankle and will be

used sparingly today.

On offense, wide receiver Justin Humalon, who made seven catches

for 87 yards and scored one touchdown last week, will start despite

still having a nagging hamstring injury. With seven catches, Humalon

sits atop the Mission Conference.

“That hurts us a bit, but the other receivers will have to make

some catches,” Taylor said.

Coast allowed just 56 yards through the air last week, good for

second in the 12-team Mission Conference.