OCC struggles mount

WALNUT — Orange Coast College football coach Mike Taylor complained after a Sept. 22 loss at Santa Ana that his offense had slipped into neutral in the second half. But some would say the Pirates shifted into reverse Saturday on their way to dropping a 34-3 Mission Conference inter-division game at Mt. San Antonio.

OCC, behind a fired-up defense led by sophomore outside linebacker Shaun Mohler and sophomore cornerback Chris Holmesly, held the Mission Conference’s highest-scoring offense (45.2 points per game coming in) to 64 yards in the first quarter and no points the first 26-plus minutes.

But three OCC turnovers led to 20 second-quarter points for the Mounties (3-2), ranked No, 11 in Southern California, and the Pirates’ offensive futility continued the rest of the way to give the visitors their third straight loss.

Sophomore quarterback Chris Debowski, making his first start this season, helped the Pirates cross midfield on their first three possessions, the last of which ended with a 25-yard Cody Morrow field goal to put Orange Coast (2-3), ranked No. 18 in Southern California, on top, 3-0.

But OCC’s fourth possession, which began at its own 14-yard line, was halted when Mt. SAC’s Mike Williams picked up a fumble by OCC tailback Steb Camarillo at the Pirates’ 42. Williams was tackled from behind by Debowski, who forced another fumble. But the Mounties’ Phillip White scooped up the loose ball and ran 18 yards for a touchdown. It was the third OCC fumble the opponent has returned for a touchdown this season.

After an exchange of punts, a Debowski screen pass went directly to defensive tackle Marcus Alamillo, who returned the interception four yards to the Pirates’ one-yard line.

Mt. San Antonio cashed in on the next snap, with Lancer Iosefa running in for a touchdown with 4:32 left before halftime.

But OCC’s generosity continued two possessions later, when Debowski was hit in the pocket and separated from the ball. Defensive tackle Hebron Fangupo pounced on the fumble at the OCC eight-yard line and, four plays later, Iosefa carried over from the one to make it 20-3 lead with 55 seconds before the intermission.

Sean Hakes took over at quarterback for OCC in the second half, offering a clean white uniform and a virtual bull’s-eye for the Mounties’ all-out pass rush.

Hakes was sacked seven times in the final two quarters, giving the Mounties nine sacks and helping them limit the Pirates to six yards rushing on 34 attempts. Orange Coast had seven other running plays halted for negative yardage, and seven more gained two or fewer yards.

OCC amassed 184 of its 216 yards total offense on four plays, including a 68-yard pass from Hakes to Jamaal Villa, a 60-yard aerial connection from Debowski to Nathan Barnett, a 31-yard Hakes-to-Craig Villapando completion and a 25-yard run by Kevin Ah-Hi.

After reaching Mt. SAC territory with its first three possessions, the OCC offense got no farther than the Mounties’ 47-yard line with its next 11. And when Villapando was hauled down at the Mounties’ one-yard line after his 68-yard catch and run, OCC failed to punch it in, as the hosts’ took over on their own six and ran out the final 2:18.

“Teams are going to tee off and come after us,” Taylor said of his team’s inability to protect the quarterback. “It was like when [the Mounties] got threatened, they brought everybody they possibly could, even though we were in a shotgun situation. Sean didn’t have any time. Once he got the ball, people were in his face. Either we’ve got to roll him out, boot him out, or get the ball out of his hand as quick as possible. We’re not going to be able to run many long pass routes.”

Taylor had praise for his defense, which included a Holmesly interception, the first and only pick thrown by Mt. SAC quarterback Kevin Craft in 184 attempts this season. Craft, a San Diego State transfer, completed 22 of 32 for 237 yards, but only three Mt. SAC passes gained more than 12 yards.

In addition to the three touchdowns scored by opposing defenses against OCC this season, opponents have scored four times on drives of fewer than 50 yards, including a one-play touchdown “drive” by Citrus after recovering a Pirates’ fumble at the OCC 15.

Meanwhile, OCC has averaged only 52 yards on its 11 touchdown drives this season, with the longest being 70 yards. Only two others were as much as 60 yards.

“I’m sure [the defensive players] are frustrated,” Taylor said. “But the offense is going to have to get better. We’re going to have to figure something out.

“We get second-and-short and we can’t get a first down, and we get first-and-goal at the one and we can’t get it in the end zone. We can’t trade or go to the waiver wire and try to find people. We’ve just got to get the guys better than where they are and figure it out.”

Taylor stressed nothing good will come from divisiveness between his offense and his defense.

“We’re all trying to get better and you play as a team,” he said. “You win and lose as a family and a team.”

The Pirates will have a bye week to find some answers, before opening American Division play at Palomar Oct. 13.

BARRY FAULKNER may be reached at (714) 966-4615 or at [email protected].

SECOND QUARTER

OCC – Morrow 25 FG, 14:57.

MSAC – White 18 fumble return (Gener kick), 8:47.

MSAC – Iosefa 1 run (pass failed), 4:32.

MSAC – Iosefa 1 run (Gener kick), 0:55.

THIRD QUARTER

MSAC – Austin 75 pass from Craft (Gener kick), 0:55.

FOURTH QUARTER

MSAC – Woods 48 run (Gener kick), 10:15.

INDIVIDUAL RUSHING

OCC – Banks, 11-22; Ah-Hi, 4-24; Barnett, 2-10, Morgan, 1-6; Camarillo, 3-0; Debowski, 5-minus-15; Hakes, 8-minus-41.

MSAC – Woods, 4-61, 1 TD; Williams, 9-21; Iosefa, 7-13, 2 TDs; Garcia, 3-6; Turner, 2-5; Salmon, 1-minus-10; Craft, 4-minus-36.

INDIVIDUAL PASSING

OCC – Hakes, 5-18-0, 121; Debowski, 6-16-1, 89.

MSAC – Craft, 22-32-1, 237, 1 TD.

INDIVIDUAL RECEIVING

OCC – Barnett, 3-75; Villa, 1-68; Villapando, 2-48; Simmons, 2-17; King, 1-5; Taylor, 1-2; Banks, 1-minus-5.

MSAC – Thomas, 6-67; Austin, 3-92, 1 TD; Key, 4-38; E. Williams, 3-28; Walker, 2-8; Turner, 1-5; Carrillo, 1-3; Woods, 1-0; C. Williams, 1-minus-4.