Goal-Line Stand Helps Orange Coast Turn Back Mt. San Antonio, 22-18

Orange Coast College survived a goal-line fumble and later made an impressive goal-line stand during its 22-18 upset of Mt. San Antonio in a Mission Conference football game in front of about 1,000 Saturday at Orange Coast.

OCC led, 22-16, with 2:41 left when Mt. SAC started its final drive. The Mounties reached the Orange Coast two-yard, then lost nine yards in three plays and faced a fourth and goal from the 11 with 1:32 left.

Quarterback John Spear rolled out and threw the ball right to OCC defensive back Scott Balmos, who was standing alone at the goal line. Balmos returned the ball 20 yards and OCC ran out the clock.

OCC is 2-1 overall and 1-1 in conference play. Mt. San Antonio, ranked second in the Southland Poll, is 2-1 and 1-1.

Earlier in the second half, OCC was less fortunate close to the goal line.

OCC had a fourth and goal at the Mt. SAC one-yard line with 7:45 left in the third quarter and decided to go for it. The center of the Mt. SAC line surged as the snap came and quarterback Greg Angelovic never got the ball. It was recovered on the one by Mt. SAC’s Tahrell Miles.

Mt. SAC had opened a 18-6 lead with 1:51 left in the second quarter when Leonard Russell rushed in from the 11-yard line. The Mounties’ attempt for the two-point conversion failed.

Russell, who came into the game leading the state with 403 yards, had 148 in 33 carries. His final four carries, however, totaled minus-nine yards.

OCC got back into the game thanks to a 98-yard kickoff return for a touchdown by Lawrence Hatch to cut the Mt. SAC lead to 18-14. OCC took the lead on a four-yard touchdown run by Jason McGehee with 24 seconds left in the third quarter. Mike Vaez ran in the conversion to give OCC a 22-18 lead.

Vaez had broken a 72-yard run on a simple rushing play to the outside in the first quarter to tie it, 6-6.

In other Mission Conference games:

Rancho Santiago 38, Long Beach 29--Estrus Crayton had 189 yards in 21 carries and scored two touchdowns to lead host Rancho Santiago. Scott Wood completed 19 of 31 passes for 268 yards, three touchdowns and one interception for Rancho Santiago (3-0, 2-0). Long Beach is 2-1 and 1-1.

Palomar 23, Saddleback 12--Mark King rushed for three touchdowns and 108 yards in 25 carries to lead Palomar (1-2, 1-1) at Saddleback. Jeff Bailey of Saddleback (0-3, 0-2) passed for two touchdowns on 16 of 29 passing.

El Camino 31, Fullerton 24--El Camino (3-0, 2-0) opened a 21-10 lead at the half and hung on. It was the second consecutive loss for Fullerton (1-2, 0-2).