Community college football: Golden West stuns Bucs

Steve Virgen

COSTA MESA - Call it the black and blue division. The Mission

Conference Central Division displayed its brutal parity Saturday night

when Golden West College’s football team claimed a 35-24 victory over

district rival Orange Coast to open division play.

“That’s Mission Conference football,” OCC Coach Mike Taylor said.

“There’s not really a dominant team. Palomar and Saddleback (which both

won Saturday) are the top two teams, but any team can win.”

The Rustlers (2-4, 1-0 in division) proved Taylor’s statement true

with an aggressive defense and their quarterback Porter Lacey, who passed

for 310 yards and two touchdowns on 26 of 34 passing. He hit eight

different receivers, but also threw two interceptionS, including one that

OCC defensive end Greg Smith snagged and ran back for a 14-yard touchdown

and a 24-21 lead. But, the Rustlers outscored OCC, 14-0, in the final

8:43 to grab the win.

Golden West, which lost to OCC, 55-21 last year, won back the Victory

Bell, the reward of the Rustlers-Pirates conquest.

“I wouldn’t call this an upset,” Golden West Coach Mike Shaughnessy

said. “Coast has a fine program, but we have a great defense. I have a

lot of faith in our defense.”

The Rustlers’ defense ended the game when defensive back Armand Brown

intercepted Nick Higgs’ pass and returned it 42 yards to close out the

scoring, with 13 seconds remaining.

Higgs, who threw for 247 yards, one touchdown and had two intercepted

on 17 of 31 passing, battled throughout the game and endured a benching

in the first quarter. Freshman quarterback Jason Kripavicius played for

one and a half offensive drives, what Taylor called part of the game

plan.

“We probably should’ve played (Kripavicius) more during the week,”

Taylor said. “We owe Nick the opportunity to play. Now we need to assess

(who) to play for the rest of the season.”

Said Higgs: “(The benching) didn’t throw me off my rhythm. (The OCC

coaches) said they might play (Kripavicius Saturday). It’s not a big

deal.”

Higgs displayed rhythm when he connected with receiver Vince Strang on

long passing plays. Strang, who had been held without a catch for two

games, caught his first pass for 66 yards, which would set up Niles

Mittasch’s 5-yard touchdown run, tying the score at seven.

The Pirates (2-4, 0-1) grabbed the momentum after strong safety John

Freeth intercepted Lacey’s pass. However, that’s when Kripavicius entered

the game and the Bucs went three-and-out.

Golden West scored on the ensuing drive when Andrew Nuimata punched in

a 6-yard run, capping a 14-play, 66-yard march. And Kripavicius came back

with OCC’s offense.

Midway through OCC’s offensive drive, Higgs returned and delivered a

44-yard strike to Strang. Then the sophomore quarterback tossed a high,

arching pass in the left corner for Jon Jackson and a 4-yard touchdown,

bringing the score to 14-14.

Just before halftime, Mittasch appeared to have scored on a 12-yard

run, but the Bucs were called for holding. Robbie Pate, who nailed a

39-yard field goal in the third quarter, came up short in his 50-yard

attempt as halftime ended.

“This is a big win for them,” Taylor said. “They played very well. And

we just didn’t get it done tonight.”

In the fourth quarter, Lacey rolled right on play action and threw a

pass. But Smith, who was about two feet from Lacey, intercepted, fought

Lacey off and rumbled into the end zone.

However, the Rustlers answered with a 65-yard scoring drive that ended

with a breathtaking reception by tight end Jacob Marado. On

third-and-goal from the 4, Lacey lofted the ball to Marado, who bobbled

it, tipped it up, fell to the ground and clutched it, while on his back.

The Rustlers never lost their lead.

The Pirates will now have to fight uphill. They play at Central

Division favorite Palomar, Saturday at 1 p.m.