Football: Pirates to face Gauchos in home opener

Tony Altobelli

COSTA MESA - Two teams riding emotional highs will clash Saturday

night at 7 when host Orange Coast College and Saddleback hook up.

The Pirates come into Saturday’s game after a dramatic, 31-24, win

over Fullerton last week, while the Gauchos shocked all of California

after knocking off then-nationally ranked Mt. San Antonio College, 26-23.

“I’m sure they’re flying high from last week’s game,” OCC Coach Mike

Taylor said. “They want to come to our place and go for some county

bragging rights between our two schools.”

Orange Coast broke Saddleback’s string of three consecutive wins over

the Pirates last year with a come-from-behind 20-16 win on Sept. 21.

In the game, Saddleback led, 16-0, at halftime before OCC came back

with a 20-point second half to win.

Jared Flint threw for 247 yards and two fourth-quarter touchdowns for

the win.

Each team’s strengths will go head to head as the Pirate offense that

racked up 477 yards of total offense against the Hornets, goes up against

Saddleback’s stingy defense, which, despite allowing 437 yards of

offense, produced five turnovers and stopped Mt. SAC on numerous scoring

opportunities.

In the Gauchos’ win, Saddleback’s Chad Harris intercepted two passes,

including the winning 41-yard interception return in the third quarter

against the Mounties. “Their coaches were telling me that they just

kept hanging in there against Mt. SAC,” Taylor said. “They hung tough and

were able to take advantage of the other team’s mistakes.”

For Taylor and Gauchos Coach Mark McElroy, their wins each came in

their coaching debuts.

“The use that Fly-T style of offense that can be confusing at times,”

Taylor said. “We’ll have to be disciplined at all times against what

they’re throwing at us.”

For the most part healthy, OCC comes into Saturday’s game looking to

go 2-0 for the first time since 1990.

“I think the guys are excited to play at our place for the first

time,” Taylor said. “There’s been a buzz going through campus with

clippings being cut out. It will be nice to be all decked out in our

blues with those nice bright orange socks.

“It will be just like the Fullerton game,” Taylor said. “It will come

down to the fourth quarter and one or two key plays will make the

difference.”