Pirates aim to pursue title

The Orange Coast College football team’s offense is entering the latter stages of the scientific method.

The question has been asked: Can this offense lead the team to a conference championship? The data has been gathered from previous statistics, summer workouts and a scrimmage.

The hypothesis from Coach Mike Taylor is that the Pirates’ offense is improved from last season’s 6-5 team, the winningest in five years, and can make a title run.

But the true test will begin Saturday in the season opener against visiting Santa Barbara.

“There’s a long way to go,” Taylor said. “It’s going to take a good team to win the Mission Conference.”

For the experiment to be considered a success, the Pirates will need to pass early tests — the first two weeks of the season — before conference play begins Sept. 16 against Palomar.

“We’re going to need to get out of the blocks fast and win a couple of games,” Taylor said. “If we stumble, it’s going to be hard to catch up. It’s going to take a lot of luck and a lot of skill.”

Skill-wise, the Pirates are confident in returning quarterback Kekoa Crowell. Crowell, who did not start until halfway through the season, threw for 1,234 yards and 12 touchdowns in 2005.

“He’s a sophomore and he plays like a sophomore,” Taylor said. “Last year he was a freshman and he played like a freshman. He has the confidence of the players on the team. Kids trust him. Quarterback is the hardest position to find a first-year player. You have to grow a year. It’s easier if the kid is local and they already know him. Kekoa came from Hawaii, though.”

Taylor will once again give Crowell the freedom to run, with option plays mixed into the multiple-formation offense.

The Pirates’ biggest ground threat, though, will be freshman running back Andrew Banks. Last year at North Torrance High, Banks rushed for approximately 2,000 yards and 31 touchdowns. Banks was named All-CIF Division X. The 6-foot-1, 190-pound running back brings speed and power to the offense.

“We expect him to win some games for us,” Taylor said. “He’s probably as talented a freshman as we’ve had come in here. He’s an exciting player. He’s a big kid. He’s got good lateral speed and good vision.”

All-Orange Empire Conference National Division center Luke Sapolu, a Costa Mesa High graduate, returns to anchor the offensive line.

Freshmen Sam Alexander (6-3, 280), Lawaia Naihe (6-2, 285), Wes Hardaway (6-1, 280) and Newport Harbor High graduate Charles Schultz (6-6, 320) are other hopefuls up front.

With only 10 offensive linemen on the team, however, injuries could be devastating.

The receiving corps is not without star power. Damola Adeniji returns with his 6-4, 205-pound frame to wreak havoc on opposing secondaries. Adeniji was second-team all-conference last season and was named the East County Bowl Most Valuable Player after catching seven passes for 171 yards in the 37-33 loss to Diablo Valley.

“I’m sure we can alley-oop him,” Taylor said of taking advantage of Adeniji’s height.

Freshman Grant Keene (6-2, 210) is slated to start at tight end and sophomore A.J. Moskos (6-2, 185) and freshman Nathan Barnett (5-9, 180), should see time at receiver.

While the offense has yet to prove itself, the defense has more to prove with the departures of J.C. Grid-Wire All-American end Justin Williams and first-team all-division middle linebacker Dave Ronning.

Gone are Williams’ 13 sacks and 22 tackles for loss and Ronning’s team-leading 106 tackles. Cory Nicol, who led the team with six interceptions last season, is returning. But he is out for roughly the first month of the season after having surgery for a hernia.

The heart of the defense, the interior line, remains a force. All-conference tackle Winter Welz (6-1, 275), sophomore Alex Mulu (6-0, 285) and Lamu Taafua (5-11, 275), who played for the Pirates in 2002 before going on a Mormon mission, will be the primary hole cloggers.

“We’re strong on the inside,” Taylor said. “We have to get the push from the outside.”

To give the Pirates the optimum pass rush, Taylor converted linebacker Ryan Wolfe (6-2, 238) to defensive end.

“We’ve got to get the best 11 players on the football field,” Taylor said.

Reaping the rewards of the large defensive tackles will be a crew of linebackers that is far from short on numbers.

Sophomores Bubba Reynolds (6-1, 230), who started for the Pirates two years ago, Jason Carpenter (6-1, 230) and Nick West (6-1, 220) provide experience.

Calvin Marshall (6-1, 205), Mike Marowicz (5-11, 210), Matt Harris (6-1, 235) and Corona del Mar High graduate Shaun Mohler (6-2, 215) give the position depth and the Pirates’ the ability to run four-linebacker sets.

“They’re young but talented,” Taylor said. “They’re athletic and they run really well. They just have to learn the defense.”

Despite the early loss of Nicol, who was receiving recruiting interest from the University of Florida, the secondary is not an area the opposition figures to exploit.

Freshmen Steve Lajkowicz (6-3, 210) and Newport Harbor High graduate Ben Soza (6-3, 195) are slated to fill the safety slots.

“[Soza] is way better than I thought he would be,” Taylor said of the 2003 graduate.

Sophomore Chris Assily (6-2, 210) will play cornerback.

“On offense, we’re ahead of the game,” Taylor said. “The defense is not as mature but they are more athletic. They just need to learn to handle adversity.”

Taylor added: “By Nov. 15, we’ll either be in it or searching for Christmas presents. They want to win a state championship. That’s every team’s goal at the start of the season.”