OCC is ‘two’ much

COSTA MESA — Orange Coast College sophomore quarterback Chris Debowski was named the starter on Monday, so he had about five full days to ponder the possibilities that might have faced him in the Pirates’ Mission Conference American Division football game against visiting Fullerton Saturday night.

But a lifetime couldn’t have prepared him for the precipice he found himself and his team on, more than once, in a 35-34 double-overtime victory. The dramatic win ended a four-game losing streak and, perhaps, was the start of a fantastic finish to what has been a frustrating season.

Debowski, who started OCC’s bowl game as a freshman, broke his thumb before the preseason scrimmage, forcing him to wait his turn behind freshmen Sean Hakes and Taylor Hughes this season. But he came to the rescue against the Hornets (5-2, 1-1 in the division). He threw two touchdown passes, including one with 1:31 left in regulation, ran for another score and zipped the game-winning two-point conversion pass to Nathan Barnett after OCC Coach Mike Taylor decided that nearly four hours of frenetic football was enough and went for two to cap the second overtime.

The two-point play, on which Debowski rolled to his right and threw across his body to Barnett, who had settled into a gap in the coverage just past the goal line and about 10 yards from the right sideline, triggered a wild celebration for the Pirates (3-4, 1-1).

There was plenty of pent-up emotion for OCC, which had struggled to score and committed myriad turnovers during the four-game skid to help negate the consistently solid play of one of the conference’s best defenses.

This win, however, was a team effort, as the Debowski-led offense more than held its own.

The sophomore quarterback out of Fountain Valley High directed his unit to two first-half scoring drives. The first was a 77-yard, 11-play march capped when Debowski lofted a strike to Jamaal Villa for a 23-yard TD. Cody Morrow’s conversion kick tied the score, 7-7, with 10:47 left in the first half.

OCC went 65 yards on eight plays on its next possession, with Debowski capping the march with a 21-yard serpentine scramble that allowed OCC to hold a 14-10 halftime lead.

Fullerton, which cashed in an interception for its first-half touchdown, but was turned away with a missed field goal after OCC fumbled the ball away at its own 34, took advantage of a special teams miscue to go ahead, 17-14, with 1:30 left in the third period.

The Hornets took over at the OCC 27 after punter David Harrington dropped a punt snap and the ball was eventually ruled down.

OCC’s ensuing possession ended when Fullerton’s Lee Aguirre blocked a 46-yard field-goal try and the visitors eventually got a 45-yard Carlos Reyes field goal to build a 20-14 edge.

Taking over at its own 19 with 3:22 left, Debowski led a 10-play touchdown drive that included five completions in seven attempts. On third-and-10, he hit Cameron Hall over the middle for 12 yards to the Fullerton 20. On the next snap, he hit Craig Villapando on a post-corner route to tie the score with 1:31 left.

Aguirre, who has now blocked five kicks this season, came up big again on the conversion attempt, which prompted overtime.

Freshman tailback Kevin Ah-Hi capped OCC’s first overtime possession with a two-yard TD run and Morrow added the PAT.

Fullerton, however, answered when Kyle Olson threw to Adam Hill for a 20-yard TD on fourth-and-four.

The second OT began with a Fullerton touchdown, once again on fourth down, as Brandon Edwards found a seam on the left side of the line for a one-yard score. Reyes followed with the PAT.

Debowski threw three straight incompletions to start OCC’s final possession, but found Barnett over the middle for 12 yards on fourth-and-10 from the 25. Ah-Hi scored over the right side on the next snap and OCC called timeout before going for two.

“I thought about it and I figured, lets go for it,” Taylor said of the fateful decision. “Our offensive staff then came up with a play they felt comfortable with.”

The play was a rollout to the right, as the Pirates tried to flood the end zone with receivers. But no one appeared open as Debowski drifted toward the sideline.

“I think [Barnett] was my sixth option,” said Debowski, whose postgame interview with a reporter was interrupted when a group of offensive linemen insisted on lifting him on their shoulders for a celebratory photo. “The first option was an out and that was covered. [Hornets defenders] took away our second option, and I saw two other guys I maybe could get it to. And then, there’s Barnett just standing there. It was a tight squeeze, but I got it in.”

Said Barnett: “I knew the seam wasn’t open because the corner was sitting. So all I wanted to do was find an open hole and look for Debo and he found me.”

Just then Debowski embraced Barnett and thanked him for catching the pass. “I threw that thing so hard,” Debowski told Barnett as they hugged.

Debowski, who did not throw a pass the first four games and was 10 for 27 for 171 yards, with one TD and one interception the previous two weeks, finished 22 of 42 for 251 yards, with one interception.

Barnett, who had a 41-yard kickoff return, was one of three OCC receivers with four catches. Villa led that pack with 76 yards on his four grabs.

Ah-Hi carried 30 times for 126 yards and the OCC defense, once again led by sophomore outside linebacker Shaun Mohler, who made several stops. Mohler, who was in on both OCC sacks, made a diving interception at the OCC 30 to halt a promising Fullerton possession just before halftime.

Orange Coast amassed 406 yards of total offense, while Fullerton managed 384.

“It feels pretty good,” Debowski said of leading his team to victory. “I’ve been sitting on the bench waiting for my time and I finally got it.”

Barnett said Debowski gives the offense a comfort level it has been lacking.

“Debo [starting] was a big momentum shift,” Barnett said. “When we’re on offense, we just feel so comfortable with him ... I felt really bad for him breaking his finger. But I’m glad he’s back and we’re going to come back and we’re going to demolish some teams in the upcoming games.”

OCC, still hoping to qualify for a bowl game, finishes the regular season with Golden West (Saturday), El Camino (Nov. 3) and Long Beach (Nov. 10).

BARRY FAULKNER may be reached at (714) 966-4615 or at barry.faulkner@latimes.com.

FIRST QUARTER

Ful – Edwards 64 run (Reyes kick), 3:06.

SECOND QUARTER

OCC – Villa 23 pass from Debowski (Morrow kick), 10:47.

Ful – Reyes 22 FG. 5:29.

OCC – Debowski 21 run (Morrow kick), 2:07.

THIRD QUARTER

Ful – Edwards 3 run (Reyes kick), 1:30.

FOURTH QUARTER

Ful – Reyes 45 FG, 7:03.

OCC – Villapando 20 pass from Debowski (kick blocked), 1:31.

FIRST OVERTIME

OCC – Ah-Hi 2 run (Morrow kick).

Ful – Hill 10 pass from Olson (Reyes kick).

SECOND OVERTIME

Ful – Edwards 1 run (Reyes kick).

OCC – Ah-Hi 6 run (N. Barnett pass from Debowski).

INDIVIDUAL RUSHING

Ful – Edwards, 30-196, 2 TDs; Minor, 8-40; Herard, 6-39; Guzman, 2-8; Olson, 3-minus 17.

OCC – Ah-Hi, 30-126, 2 TDs; Debowski, 6-43, 1 TD; N. Barnett, 2-minus 8; Harrington, 1-minus 8.

INDIVIDUAL PASSING

Ful – Olson 14-31-1, 118, 1 TD.

OCC – Debowski, 22-42-1, 251, 2 TDs.

INDIVIDUAL RECEIVING

Ful – Hill, 3-39, 1 TD; Maher, 4-37; Archuletta, 2-14; Smolinski, 2-7; Hermeling, 1-12; Guzman, 1-5; Downs, 1-4.

OCC – Villa, 4-76, 1 TD; N. Barnett, 4-41; Taylor, 4-35; Brown, 2-28; T. Barnett, 3-15; Villapando, 2-21, 1 TD; Ah-Hi, 2-16; Cameron, 1-19.