Pirates target another W

Orange Coast College football coach Mike Taylor said his team has a lot more to lose in tonight’s 7 o’clock Mission Orange Empire Conference National Division game at Cerritos than the host Falcons.

But, on paper at least, the Pirates’ offense stands to make some much-needed gains.

The Pirates (6-2, 1-2 in the division), ranked No. 8 in Southern California, rank No. 11 in the 12-team conference in total offense.

But Cerritos (3-5, 1-2), ranked No. 19 in Southern California, is ranked No. 12 in the conference in total defense, yielding 394 yards per game.

“Defensively, we’ve been playing well,” Taylor said. “We just need to figure out a way to score some points.”

The Pirates’ defense, allowing just 17.2 points per contest to rank No. 2 in conference, asserted itself in last week’s 21-6 win over Santa Ana. OCC held on a goal-line stand, recovered a fumble at its own nine-yard line, intercepted at its own 21 and returned another interception 72 yards for the clinching touchdown to defeat the Dons.

But the Pirates have scored only 55 points (including the aforementioned defensive score) in three National Division games.

Orange Coast, which is hoping to attain its first seven-win season since 1993 and needs just two wins to match its best regular season since 1990, has been outgained by its eight opponents, 2,449 yards to 2,134.

Freshman tailback Andrew Banks has 647 yards and six touchdowns on 177 carries, but his longest run of the season is 19 yards.

Sophomore wide receiver Damola Adeniji had the team’s longest rushing gain of the season (22 yards on a reverse), until Shannon Wise rumbled 35 yards on a fake punt against Santa Ana.

Sophomore quarterback Kekoa Crowell has been efficient, if not spectacular as the trigger man in the passing game. He has completed 89 of 176 (50.6%) for 1,083 yards. He has thrown 13 touchdown passes and only five interceptions.

Adeniji (24 receptions for 302 yards and six TDs) and sophomore A.J. Moskus (18 catches for 308 yards) have been Crowell’s favorite targets.

Defensively, freshman outside linebacker Shaun Mohler, a Corona del Mar High product, leads the Pirates with 76 tackles.

Sophomore safety Chris Assily, who had the scoring interception return against Santa Ana, is second with 51 tackles.

Assily has three interceptions this season, while freshman free safety Benjamin Soza, out of Newport Harbor High, leads the team with four.

Freshman cornerbacks Chris Holmesly (three picks) and Derrell Perkins (one) round out one what some believe is the Pirates’ best secondary in years.

The Falcons, whom Taylor believes are much better than their record indicates, have achieved near-perfect offensive balance. They have rushed for 1,378 yards and passed for 1,474 this season.

Tailback Rylon Thomas has 649 yards and seven TDs on 121 carries, while quarterback Chad Manis has completed 98 of 185 for 1,207 yards and 12 TDs. He has thrown seven interceptions.

Cory Rhoane is Cerritos’ leading receiver with 36 catches for 548 yards and four TDs.

The Falcons and Pirates share three common opponents with similar results Cerritos won, 24-14, at Riverside, while OCC topped the Tigers, 23-21, on the road. OCC fell to El Camino, 31-17, while Cerritos was a 31-21 victim of the Warriors. OCC was edged, 23-17, by Saddleback in overtime, while Cerritos absorbed a 49-21 setback at the hands of the Gauchos.

“Cerritos is a very talented team,” Taylor said. “It’s going to be a tough game, on the road.”