Three Football Teams Resort to Drastic Measures

It’s a sure bet the players on the five Orange County community college football teams have had enough of practicing and are ready to start the season.

There’s also little doubt the coaches--especially at Golden West, Orange Coast and Saddleback--are in a hurry to get under way.

While Rancho Santiago and Fullerton had outstanding seasons and reached bowl games, the other three teams had a miserable time.

Golden West went 2-6-2, the worst mark in the college’s 29-year history. Orange Coast was 2-8, the poorest record by far in Coach Bill Workman’s nine seasons. Saddleback, two years removed from a national championship, was 1-7-2, the second-worst record in school history.

But drastic measures have been taken at each college in hopes of turnarounds.

Golden West replaced Ray Shackleford, who stepped down, with Dennis Dixon. Dixon, who spent 18 years as a Golden West assistant, has changed many things, including the uniforms, helmets and the offensive and defensive formations. The pants and helmets are now the same gold that UCLA wears. The offense is wide open and the defense will use an eight-man front.

“We have more speed on offense and defense than we’ve had in probably the last 15 years,� Dixon said. “I don’t know how many games we’re going to win, but I’m excited about our team and I think we’re going to surprise some people.�

Maybe the biggest difference at OCC is the healthy presence of Workman, who is up to speed after back surgery in the spring of 1994. Workman spent close to a month in the hospital and didn’t get a chance to recruit for last season as much as he would have liked.

“We’re going to be improved,� Workman said. “That’s the only thing I can say because we were pretty bad.�

Saddleback’s Ken Swearingen retired as the winningest coach in community college history and the fate of the program was handed over to Bill Cunerty, who had worked as an assistant for 14 seasons. Cunerty put on a massive recruiting push at area high schools and Saddleback had more than 100 players come out.

“We also have new uniforms, so we’re going to at least look good at the start,� Cunerty said. “Last year, Saddleback quarterbacks threw 31 interceptions and that won’t happen this year. . . even if it means we have to run the ball 80 times a game.�

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Opening weekend: Orange Coast starts the season Friday with a 7 p.m. game at Pasadena. The game is on Friday instead of Saturday because the field was re-seeded in the off-season and the Lancers want to get first crack at tearing up the new turf. Pasadena’s field is also used by area high schools.

Rancho Santiago, the defending Central Division champion, opens at 1 p.m. Saturday against El Camino at Santa Ana Stadium.

Fullerton, which finished second, is at Mt. San Antonio in a 4 p.m. game and Golden West plays host to Long Beach at Orange Coast at 7 p.m. Saturday.

Saddleback has a bye this weekend and plays at Long Beach Sept. 16 at 7 p.m.

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How he spent the summer: Augie Ojeda figured to play in the Cape Cod League over the summer after a successful sophomore season at Cypress where he was selected co-most valuable player of the Orange Empire Conference.

But when Team USA needed a shortstop, Ojeda, who had signed with Tennessee, tried out. Usually a few community college players get a token chance each summer, but Ojeda came with an advantage. He was recommended for the national team by Tennessee Coach Rod Delmonica, who called him the best college shortstop in the nation.

Ojeda made much of his chance with Team USA, hitting .287 with a home run and 10 runs batted in in 39 games. He also had a fielding percentage of .974, making only three errors.

His performance impressed many, including Team USA Coach Skip Bertman, who led Louisiana State to College World Series titles in 1991 and 1993.

“He has the uncanny ability to field the in-between hops,� Bertman said in a release. “I wish I would have recruited him out of high school.�

Notes

Don Frank, who was an assistant at Rancho Santiago for eight seasons, including the 1989-90 season when the Dons won the first of two consecutive State men’s basketball titles, has returned. Frank will be an assistant to Ray Rodriguez this season. Rodriguez took over for Dana Pagett, who is on sabbatical. Frank has been head coach at Rio Hondo College and an assistant at Southern California College and Biola since leaving Rancho Santiago.

Sean Washington, a guard for Cypress’ basketball team last season, has signed to attend Cal State Hayward. He averaged 10 points and six rebounds for the Chargers.