Pirates shock top-ranked Rustlers

The Orange Coast College football team officially rang in a new era on Saturday, upsetting the state’s top-ranked team, which just happened to be arch-rival Golden West, 17-14, at OCC.

The Pirates (6-3, 4-1 in the Southern Conference), ranked No. 16 in the state, scored the go-ahead touchdown with 18 seconds left on a two-yard pass from sophomore quarterback Mason Dossey to freshman tight end Matthew Nelson.

But the Rustlers (8-1, 4-1) had one last gasp, before Humberto Maciel pushed a 42-yard field-goal attempt a few yards wide right as time expired.

The Pirates, who had lost an unprecedented five straight in what is billed as the “West Coast Showdown,” and were drubbed by a combined margin of 107-14 the previous two years, immediately sprinted beyond the north end zone to seize the perpetual Bell Trophy that goes to the game’s annual winner. OCC players, who recalled vividly the Rustlers causing a ruckus by clanging continually after last year’s 55-7 blowout, cavorted and shouted and, most of all, rang the bell in a wild celebration that replaced the traditional postgame handshakes between the two teams.

It was the kind of win that can restore tradition to a program that had been largely mired in mediocrity since winning its last bowl game in 1993. The victory keeps OCC in title contention in the Southern Division, in which first-place Saddleback will meet a fired-up Golden West squad next week.

A Golden West win over Saddleback, along with an OCC victory at home over a struggling Grossmont team, would give the Pirates a share of only their second conference crown since 1990 and only their second seven-win regular-season since 1993.

“This is what it’s all about,” said OCC second-year coach Kevin Emerson, who has turned things around quickly. “Bringing the Bell back to OCC means so much. I’m glad to be a part of this. It has been a long time and we’re fired up. The kids hung in there and stuck in it to the last play, and we were able to pull it out.”

OCC withstood a strong second-half rally by the Rustlers, the designated home team at the venue both schools share.

The Pirates drove 81 yards on seven plays with the opening kickoff. Sophomore receiver Darrel Watts making a nifty run with a short pass that turned into a 48-yard touchdown not quite four minutes into the contest.

Corona del Mar High product Dan Bjurman capped an 18-play possession that ate nearly nine minutes off the clock with a 28-yard field goal to finalize the first-half scoring midway through the second quarter.

But Golden West, sparked by a 37-yard kickoff return by former Newport Harbor High star Quest Truxton, went 53 yards on six plays to pull within 10-7 just 106 seconds after intermission.

The Rustlers drove 57 yards on 10 plays, including a pair of third-and-10 conversions, to take a 14-10 lead with 11:21 left in the game.

But the OCC defense, which swarmed in inspired fashion all night, stepped up to keep the Pirates in the game.

OCC held on downs after Golden West recovered a Pirates’ fumble at the OCC 24-yard line just minutes after the Rustlers first found the end zone.

And sophomore cornerback Joseph Jackson stepped in front of a receiver to make an interception at his own two-yard line one play before OCC lost the fumble for its only turnover of the game.

“[The Rustlers] kind of punched us in the mouth in the third quarter, but we just kind of stuck in and knew we had to just keep fighting and fighting and fighting,” OCC sophomore middle linebacker Mark Cushing said.

OCC produced a 301-252 advantage in offensive yards and its 17 first downs were three more than the Rustlers.

Dossey, who shifted and shuffled to consistently avoid a relentless pass rush, completed 21 of 30 passes for 213 yards and two touchdowns, without an interception. He also carried 10 times for 24 yards, including three sacks.

“There’s nothing like beating the best,” Dossey said.

Sophomore tailback Kyle White led the winners with 53 rushing yards on 20 attempts, and also had a game-best eight receptions for 58 yards.

Watts caught six passes for 89 yards and sophomore sensation Stefan Derrick had three catches for 43 yards.

“[Dossey] steered the ship, got us out of trouble, made a lot of first downs and was able to maintain the focus we needed,” said Emerson, who had special praise for his defense.

“I mean [allowing] 14 points against those dudes,” Emerson said of a Golden West team that came in averaging nearly 34 per game. “I told our defensive coordinator [Wayne Schmida] that I allowed him 12 points, which we kind of thought was funny. But, sure enough, they did their part and did a great job.”

OCC’s final possession began at its own 47-yard line with 2:26 left. After a 24-yard pass to Watts, Dossey was sacked for a one-yard loss, but was hit out of bounds to prompt a personal-foul call that put OCC at the Golden West 15.

Three plays later, Dossey converted on third-and-six by connecting with Derrick for 12 yards to the Golden West two-yard line.

On the next snap, Dossey rolled right after a play-action fake and led Nelson, who lunged to snatch and cradle the low throw for what he said was the biggest play of his life.

OCC booted the ensuing kickoff out of bounds, but was forced to re-kick and Jordan Veasy made a 49-yard return, to which 15 yards for a facemasking penalty was tacked on to the OCC 25-yard line.

With just five seconds left, Golden West elected to immediately attempt the 42-yard field goal. The holder made a good play to field a high snap and get the ball down, but the kick missed.

“When I was hired here [beating Golden West] was just one of those stepping stones,” Emerson said. “We want all the players in Orange County to know that OCC is back and we want them to come here.”

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Orange Coast 17, Golden West 14

SCORE BY QUARTERS

OCC 7 3 0 7 – 17

GWC 0 0 7 7 – 14

FIRST QUARTER

OCC – Watts 48 pass from Dossey (Bjurman kick), 11:06.

SECOND QUARTER

OCC – Bjurman 28 FG, 8:05.

THIRD QUARTER

GWC – Smith 4 run (Maciel kick), 13:14.

FOURTH QUARTER

GWC – Smith 2 run (Maciel kick), 11:21.

OCC – Nelson 2 pass from Dossey (Bjurman kick), 0:18.

INDIVIDUAL RUSHING

OCC – White, 20-53.

GWC – Hills, 17-51.

INDIVIDUAL PASSING

OCC – Dossey, 21-30-0, 213, 2 TDs.

GWC – Vance, 14-26-1, 172.

INDIVIDUAL RECEIVING

OCC – White, 8-58; Watts, 6-89, 1 TD; Derrick, 3-43.

GWC – Truxton, 6-86.