OCC football: Bucs double the pleasure

Steve Virgen

PASADENA - They did it again--their second junior college football

upset in as many weeks.

The Orange Coast College Pirates stunned Pasadena City, 29-27, in

another down-to-the-wire, thrilling victory Saturday night at Robinson

Stadium.

OCC strong safety Manny Adams intercepted Lancers quarterback Josh

Knight’s two-point pass attempt with 27 seconds remaining to hold off No.

16 PCC (according to JC Grid-Wire). Last week, the Pirates knocked off

No. 4 Mt. San Antonio with a 26-25 upset win.

At this rate, the OCC football team might have to change its nickname.

How does the Upset Kings sound? The Spoilers? The Giant Killers?

“No, we’re not the Giant Killers,” said Bucs’ quarterback Nick Higgs,

who threw for 283 yards and two touchdowns on 16-of-27 passing. “We

should have been up there from the beginning. Our defense has played that

way from the start. And now our offense is coming up. We’ve known from

the beginning of the season that we had the ability to beat anybody.”

If last week’s win against Mt. SAC was the type of victory that

changes a season, this week’s win is one that puts OCC on the map.

“We’re going to be tough to beat from here on out,” said OCC wide

receiver Justin Dale, who caught five passes for 131 yards and two

touchdowns. “We’re going to come out with fire now.”The Pirates’ upset

win was highlighted by their big plays, the kind that lead to big-time

victories.

There was the Bucs’ opening drive in which they went 68 yards in eight

plays ending with a Higgs-to-Dale five-yard touchdown connection. Higgs

led the scoring charge as he threw for 55 yards, completing all four

attempts.

Then came OCC’s goal-line stand. With less than nine minutes remaining

in the third quarter and the Bucs trailing, 21-14, Adams and linebacker

Justin Blackard stuffed Lancers running back Kenneth Dorsey on

fourth-and-goal from the 1-yard-line

On the ensuing possession, Dale caught a quick pass at midfield and

went the distance untouched to complete an 81-yard touchdown reception to

pull the Bucs to within one.

The Pirates began the drive from their own 3-yard line. But, they were

helped out when the Lancers were called for a personal foul. Penalties

resulted in part of PCC’s demise. The Lancers were flagged 10 times for

95 yards.

The Pirates built a 14-0 lead to open up the second quarter. PCC

responded and scored two touchdowns before the half. PCC took its first

lead of the game by opening the third quarter with an eight-play, 60-yard

drive that ended with Julian Lambert’s one-yard run. But, then the

Pirates retaliated with the goal-line stand and stole the momentum.

“We came back and took the challenge,” said OCC Coach Mike Taylor.

“That’s two weeks in a row (for upset wins). We’re growing in the right

direction.”

OCC field goal kicker Rob Pate nailed three of four field goal

attempts. He connected on kicks from 26, 25 and 42 yards out to increase

the lead to 29-21.

PCC (4-1) scored with 27 seconds remaining from the 3-yard line to

pull within two when Knight lofted a pass to Calvin Byrd in the end zone.

The Pirates (2-3) have a bye this week and then come back the

following week to face rival Golden West in the Mission Conference

Central Division opener at Coast.