OCC’s mistakes energize Saddleback

COSTA MESA — Mike Taylor, the coach of the Orange Coast College football team, called the first half frustrating.

Five turnovers, with the opponent converting them into 28 points, will take years away from any coach, much less frustration. Still, at halftime, Taylor told his players to go all out for the final 30 minutes and forget about the first half. He reminded them about pride.

But the Pirates didn’t appear to have much in the second half, as Saddleback maintained control and cruised to a 52-14 National Division win at OCC Saturday night.

As if the score and mistakes weren’t draining enough, the Gauchos’ kicker appeared to sap some more life out of the Pirates. Michael Frisina, a 5-foot-6, 150-pound freshman, did his best Martin Gramatica impersonation late in the game. But his celebration didn’t come after a long field goal. Instead it came after a big tackle.

After the Gauchos scored their final touchdown with 10:48 left, Frisina made a touchdown-saving tackle, tripping up Lano Fuentes on the ensuing kickoff.

Frisina jumped around in celebration, as some of his teammates lifted him in the air too, while the Saddleback crowd cheered him on.

There was only silence on OCC’s sideline.

“I don’t think I was rubbing it in,” Frisina said. “It was pretty much done ... I was just pumped I saved the touchdown ... I was telling the guys all night, I’m feeling it. I’m going to get a tackle. I told them I was going to go crazy when I got it. So when I got it, I just fed off the crowd. They were all pumped too.”

The Pirates (5-3, 1-3 in the division) were only left with looking to next week when they play host to Palomar. Tomorrow was their only hope in a loss like this.

Any time OCC seemed as if it could get back in the game, a turnover came about.

Saddleback (7-2, 3-2) would quickly take advantage. Two of the Gauchos’ touchdowns came right after turnovers. Quarterback Brad Curtis appeared well aware of OCC’s weakness. He attacked the Pirates’ secondary, throwing for three touchdowns and completing 11 of his 26 attempts for 255 yards.

Saddleback’s defense also came up big, seemingly putting the game away early in the second quarter. On the first play of the second quarter, Jeremy Rodenburg ran back an interception 62 yards for a touchdown and after Frisina’s PAT, the Gauchos were up, 31-0.

Yes, it was a rough night for OCC quarterback Kyle Manning. He was sacked five times, knocked down frequently and braced himself as he best he could while taking three roughing-the-passer penalties. His reward? Well, he’ll be sore today, but he tied the OCC all-time record for most pass attempts in a game, which was set by Alvin White in 1972.

Manning would’ve had the record all to himself, but he was sacked on the final play.. He finished with 231 yards on 19-of-50 passing.

Ray Holley led the offense with two one-yard rushing touchdowns and ran for 96 yards on 29 carries.

“It’s frustrating,” Taylor said of the first half. “You try to throw the brakes out and try to get them to settle down.”

Saddleback 52, Orange Coast 14

SCORE BY QUARTERS

Saddleback 24-14-0-14--52

Orange Coast 0-7-7-0--14

FIRST QUARTER

Sad – Chadwick 4 run (Frisina kick), 12:46.

Sad – Frisina 26 FG, 6:31.

Sad – Moody 29 pass from Curtis (Frisina kick), 5:33.

Sad – Chadwick 4 run (Frisina kick), 2:22.

SECOND QUARTER

Sad – Rodenburg 62 interception return (Frisina kick), 14:48.

OCC – Holley 1 run (Vandeman kick), 5:52.

Sad – Villahermosa 13 pass from Curtis (Frisina kick), 1:50.

THIRD QUARTER

OCC – Holley 1 run (Vandeman kick), 8:04.

FOURTH QUARTER

Sad – Spellman-Smith 42 pass from Curtis (Frisina kick), 14:46.

Sad – Spellman-Smith 22 run (Frisina kick), 10:48.

INDIVIDUAL RUSHING

Sad – Craig, 9-37; Morris, 8-24; Spellman-Smith, 1-22, 1 TD; Ingram 2-15; Chadwick, 2-8, 2 TDs; Bernard, 1-5; Curtis, 1-5; Campana, 1-3; Belardes, 1-3; Akiba, 1-0; Crane, 1-0..

OCC – Holley, 29-96, 2 TDs; Ivey, 2-11; Manning, 7-minus46; Team, 2-minus 3.

INDIVIDUAL PASSING

Sad – Curtis, 11-26-0, 255, 3 TDs.

OCC – Manning, 19-50-1, 231 yards; Burdett, 0-1-1, 0.

INDIVIDUAL RECEIVING

Sad – Knowles, 2-87; Spellman-Smith, 2-87, 1 TD; Moddy 2-36, 1 TD; Morris, 2-12; Akiba, 1-40; Villahermosa, 1-13, 1 TD; Boles, 1-10.

OCC – Fuentes, 5-93; Reinhanifam, 4-32; Estrada, 2-54; Kunitomo, 2-10; Brister, 1-14; Allen, 1-8; Burdett, 1-8; Holley, 1-7; Maldonado, 1-3; Ivey, 1-2.