Community college football: Bucs to keep Victory Bell?

Steve Virgen

COSTA MESA - For four years, Golden West College’s football team

held the Victory Bell and bragging rights over its rival, Orange Coast.

But last year, after a two-year hiatus of the matchup, the Pirates won

back the Victory Bell, the winner’s reward for the OCC-Golden West

conquest.

Coast will defend its possession of the prize when the two teams meet

tonight at 7 at LeBard Stadium, the opening of the Mission Conference

Central Division season. The matchup is Golden West’s home game as the

rivals share the stadium on the OCC campus.

Last year, the Bucs owned the stadium and the Rustlers. OCC won the

bell back in convincing fashion, 55-21, breaking the school’s record for

most offensive yards in a game with 628, 41 more yards than the previous

record set in 1950 against Los Angeles Valley.

But that was last year, and OCC Coach Mike Taylor has been quick to

point that out. The Bucs (2-3) are in a different situation. They won two

big games last year, which they lost this season to Mt. San Antonio and

Pasadena.

“Those were two big momentum games last year,” Taylor said. “Now,

we’re moving in a different direction.”

Taylor said the Bucs are seeking momentum and a strong offensive

showing, similar to last year’s edition against the Rustlers.

“We’re trying to get our offense going,” Taylor said of the unit that

is averaging 18 points a game and 295 yards per contest. “We want to use

(quarterback) Nick Higgs as well as the other weapons. To put all of it

on Higgs’ shoulders, that was a mistake. It’s a lot for the quarterback

to do.”

Higgs, OCC’s leader, had been depended on to carry the offense. He has

thrown for 857 yards, seven touchdowns and has had four interceptions on

65 of 136 passing.

He’s asked to intensify his efforts of involving his teammates,

including wide receivers Vince Strang and Jonathan Jackson (295 yards and

two touchdowns on 18 receptions). Strang, who has 297 yards and three

touchdowns on 15 catches, has not caught a pass since the Bucs’ 14-10

victory at El Camino, Sept. 22. Tight end Brandon Hall (203 yards on 17

receptions) will also figure into the passing game.

Taylor also expects the offensive line to continue its improvement

along with tailback Niles Mittasch, who averages 5.9 yards a carry and 88

per game.

The defense, led by outside linebacker Daniel Steinau, will look to

build confidence against the Rustlers’ offense, which is last in the

Mission Conference, averaging 169 yards per game. The Bucs’ secondary

could possibly thrive in this matchup. After surrendering 1,243 yards

(249 a game) and nine touchdowns, OCC’s defensive backfield, including

safety Barrett Burkett and cornerback Adrian Calloway, will try to turn

things around in the second half of the season.

Golden West (1-4) averages seven points a game, while giving up 23.

The Rustlers earned their first victory in three years with a 14-3 win

over L.A. Valley Sept. 15.