Pirates close regular season strong

Orange Coast College sophomore cornerback Joseph Jackson said the Pirates’ defense wants three turnovers every game. Further, OCC defenders ask themselves, “Why not score on those turnovers?”

The Pirates program would appear to have surely asked a similar question: Why not think championship?

OCC, ranked No. 14 in the state, did all it could Saturday to realize its championship dreams, closing out the regular season with a 52-21 Southern Conference triumph over visiting Grossmont.

The win gave OCC a 7-3 record, 5-1 in conference and a shot to earn a conference tri-championship if Golden West could win at Saddleback later Saturday night. A Golden West win would have left OCC, Golden West and Saddleback at 5-1 in conference. But Saddleback won and OCC finished with sole possession of second place behind the champion Gauchos.

The victory also assured OCC its first appearance in a bowl game since 2006, the details of which will be announced Sunday. The win gave OCC its first seven-win regular-season since 2006 and five conference wins for the first time in 28 years.

“In our second season as a staff, I couldn’t be happier for OCC, myself, the coaches and the players,” OCC Coach Kevin Emerson said. “The players had to go through a tough season last year [3-7 for a third straight year], but the sophomores came back and they all recognized that if they worked hard, we could get an opportunity. And, sure enough, we took advantage of the opportunity we had in the regular season.”

Jackson exemplified opportunism against Grossmont. He returned a fumble by a Grossmont punt returner 30 yards for a touchdown to give the hosts a 14-0 lead early in the first quarter. And his 95-yard interception return for another touchdown gave OCC a 45-21 cushion.

It was the fifth interception return for a touchdown this season for the Pirates, the second for Jackson.

“We set goals each week to get at least three turnovers,” Jackson said. “And with those three turnovers, we say ‘Why not score on them?’ We know we are going to get turnovers if we do our job, and when turnovers come, we want to score to help the offense out.”

OCC procured three interceptions and the aforementioned fumble recovery to improve to plus-13 in turnover ratio for the season. The three interceptions give OCC 18 for the season.

But the offense did its job as well, led by sophomore quarterback Mason Dossey. The Humboldt State bounce-back out of Capistrano Valley High threw for three touchdowns and ran for another to help the Pirates post their highest non-overtime point total since 2000, a span of 157 games.

Dossey completed 27 of 37 attempts for 264 yards without an interception. He has completed 64.2% of his passes this season and his 2,185 passing yards make him only the fifth OCC player to top the 2,000 mark in a season. Dossey has thrown 19 touchdown passes and only four interceptions.

Sophomore Kyle White carried 17 times for 84 yards and sophomore receiver Stefan Derrick caught five passes for 40 yards to pace the Pirates. Derrick did not add to his 14 touchdown receptions, which led the state coming into Saturday.

Sophomore middle linebacker Mark Cushing and freshman free safety Zoauntarrious Brunt added interceptions, the latter setting up Dossey’s 30-yard touchdown run on the ensuing snap that gave OCC a 38-21 advantage late in the third quarter.

Sophomore Connor Sage, a Corona del Mar High product, forced the fumble that Jackson returned for a touchdown and freshman outside linebacker Christian Webb led the winners with eight tackles.

OCC seized a 24-0 lead, then scored the final 28 points of the game after the Griffins (3-7, 1-5) rallied to close within 24-21 midway through the third quarter.

“It’s a blessing,” Jackson said of OCC’s turnaround under Emerson that produced the Pirates’ first winning season in nine years. “We worked so hard. We knew what it felt like last year, when we just kept losing. Everybody believed in each other and we said ‘We have to make a change.’”

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Orange Coast 52, Grossmont 21

SCORE BY QUARTERS

Grossmont 0 7 14 0 — 21

OCC 17 7 14 14 — 52

FIRST QUARTER

OCC – Durham 42 pass from Dossey (Bjurman kick), 12:07.

OCC – Jackson 30 fumble return (Bjurman kick), 9:34.

OCC – Bjurman 44 FG, 2:24.

SECOND QUARTER

OCC – Watts 6 pass from Dossey (Bjurman kick), 13:07.

Gros – Gooden 7 pass from Pistone (Casco kick), 6:07.

THIRD QUARTER

Gros – Bailey 24 pass from Carrillo (run failed), 9:39.

Gros – Bailey 41 pass from Brooks (Gooden pass from Carrillo, 6:28.

OCC – Coley 5 pass from Dossey (Bjurman kick), 1:33.

OCC – Dossey 30 run (Bjurman kick), 0:31.

FOURTH QUARTER

OCC – Jackson 95 interception return (Bjurman kick), 11:25.

OCC – White 2 run (Shenk kick), 4:02.

INDIVIDUAL RUSHING

Gros – Pistone, 3-48.

OCC – White, 17-84, 1 TD.

INDIVIDUAL PASSING

Gros – Pistone, 14-29-2, 143, 1 TD.

OCC – Dossey, 27-37-0, 264, 3 TDs.

INDIVIDUAL RECEIVING

Gros – Bailey, 5-103, 2 TDs.

OCC – Derrick, 5-40.