OCC-Golden West Game Deserves Some Extra Rings of Bell

The winner of the Orange Coast-Golden West game stays on the field until every member of the team has had a chance to ring the bell that serves as the perpetual trophy between the district rivals.

But tonight’s winner--the teams play at 7 at OCC in a Mission Conference Central Division game--might consider a few extra rings because it will likely be the last time the bell is used until the 2000 season.

The teams aren’t scheduled to play the next two seasons because Orange Coast is rotating to the Northern Division. The schedule is done by computer and area rivalries aren’t factored in, although conference Commissioner T. Mark Johnson has said the schedule isn’t final yet.

For either team, the victory would be much more meaningful than having the bell that was donated in 1969 by the Exchange Club of Huntington Beach.

Orange Coast comes in with a 13-game losing streak and a 0-5 record. But the Pirates have improved in recent weeks and are coming off a 21-18 loss to Palomar.

Golden West is 1-4 and trying to forget a 56-14 loss to Santa Ana last week. The Rustlers hold a 16-13 lead in the series with OCC that includes two ties.

Golden West is led by quarterback John Frank, who was a reserve at OCC last fall. Frank is 81 of 156 passing for a county-best 941 yards. He has eight touchdown passes with six interceptions.

In other divisional games:

Fullerton (3-2, 1-0) vs. Palomar (2-3, 1-1), San Marcos High, 1:30 p.m.--Fullerton is on a three-game winning streak, including a 21-16 victory over Riverside last week. Palomar has plenty of size but hasn’t played as well as preseason expectations.

Santa Ana (2-3, 2-0) at Saddleback (3-2, 1-0), 1 p.m.--Saddleback is coming off a 27-21 loss to Long Beach in which the Gauchos were done in by late turnovers. Archie Lappin is 2-0 since getting the starting job at quarterback for Santa Ana.