JuCo Football: OCC’s Cody among 8 honored by conference

Orange Coast College sophomore outside linebacker Nick Cody is the team’s lone first-team All-Southern Conference performer, topping eight Pirates who were recognized by conference football coaches.

Cody, who earned second-team recognition as a freshman middle linebacker, had a team-best 98 tackles this season, including 50 solo stops, 13.5 tackles for loss and three sacks.

Sophomore tailback Robert Penny, who rushed for 827 yards on 191 carries and scored 10 of his 11 touchdowns on the ground, was a second-team choice for the second time. He earned second-team laurels as a freshman in 2010. Penny finished with 1,472 career rushing yards and 17 rushing touchdowns at OCC, which finished 3-7, 1-5 in the Southern Conference this fall.

Sophomore defensive end Vince Coleman, who led the Pirates with 8.5 sacks, was named to the second-team defense, as was sophomore safety Hunter Vanderpool. Coleman totaled 61 tackles, including 15.5 for losses, while Vanderpool was second on the team with 79 tackles.

Sophomore receiver Tyler Duncan, who averaged 19.4 yards per catch, was a second-team honoree on offense, as were teammates Kyle Finney, Andrew Albers and Buzzy Yokoyama.

Duncan led the team with 38 receptions for 738 yards and seven touchdowns. In two seasons, he produced 1,023 yards and nine touchdowns on 63 catches.

Yokoyama, honored as an all-purpose player, had 33 catches for 465 yards and six touchdowns. The one-time Newport Harbor High standout had 141 rushing yards on 37 carries and averaged 29.9 yards on seven kickoff returns as a freshman.

Finney was a two-year starter at guard, while Albers, a 6-foot-8, 295-pound tackle, started his entire sophomore season. A Costa Mesa High product, Albers was a bounce-back from the University of Utah.

— Barry Faulkner