Orange Coast football gearing up for season

The Orange Coast College football team wrapped up its six-week summer session that featured 127 players Thursday, Coach Mike Taylor said.

Returning starters include tailback Kevin Ah-hi, defensive end/linebacker Dean DeLeone, safeties Shad Baichtal and Benjamin Soza, as well as cornerback Patrick Flanagan.

Taylor reports the talent at the skill positions is superior to that in recent years.

DeLeone, now 6-foot-3, 245 pounds, up from 228 pounds last season, is considered a blue-chip recruit by four-year schools, Taylor said.

DeLeone, as well as Baichtal were first-team All-Mission Conference National Division performers last season when the Pirates finished 5-5, 3-2 in the Mission Conference American Division.

Ah-hi, who considered leaving for a four-year school in the off-season, was a second-team all-division performer last fall. The transfer from Montana State rushed for 802 yards and six touchdowns on 186 carries. He carried a school-record 48 times for 266 yards in a 20-14 win over Long Beach City College last year.

Sean Hakes, a transfer from Akron who struggled to establish himself at quarterback last season as a freshman, has moved on to play at the University of Delaware, while Taylor reports that London Sapolu, Harrison Lauer and Finau Fiaseu, all of whom were at least part-time starters on the offensive line last season, are academically ineligible.

Alipate Tokomaata, a second-team All-Mission Conference National Division defensive tackle last season, has left the program, Taylor said.

Among players practicing with Orange Coast who played last season at four-year schools are linebackers Travis McNaughton (Mater Dei High) and Jake Welch (Servite), who both played as freshmen at Northern Arizona University.

Former Mater Dei running back Ahmed Mokhtar, a bounce-back from Oregon State, is also working out with the Pirates.

OCC begins fall practice Aug. 15 and will have an intrasquad scrimmage Aug. 23.

The Pirates scrimmage with East Los Angeles Aug. 29 and open their season Sept. 6 at home against Santa Monica.

— Barry Faulkner