Strong second half lifts Pirates to fourth straight win

COSTA MESA -- After a slow start, the Orange Coast College football team found its offensive rhythm and the defense made the big plays late as the Pirates topped visiting Palomar, 34-24, on Saturday night at LeBard Stadium.

The Pirates (4-2, 2-0 in Southern Division), winners of four straight for the first time since 2009, traled the Comets (3-4, 1-2), by 10 points early in the first quarter before things settled down for the hosts.

Coast found the scoreboard with 2:11 left in the first quarter when a 10-play, 64-yard scoring drive was capped off by a 37-yard field goal by Dan Bjurman to cut the Comet lead to 10-3.

Midway through the second quarter, with the Pirates on the Palomar 21-yard line, speedster Darrel Watts took a fourth-and-2 handoff from quarterback Mason Dossey and found an opening for a game-tying touchdown after a Bjurman extra-point try was successful.

It stayed thatway until the final drive of the first half, when Coast made it 13-10 on a Bjurman 34-yard field goal with seven seconds remaining.

On Palomar's second drive of the second half, the Comets used a 42-yard pass completion from Austin Early to Tiree Burton to get deep inside Pirate territory and two plays later, Daviante Sayles cashed in on a 2-yard touchdown run, putting Palomar ahead, 17-13.

But back came the Pirates on the very next series as Dossey connected with Stefan Derrick on a 54-yard touchdown strike, putting Coast back in front, 20-17.

The biggest play of the game came early in the fourth quarter when Coast had the ball on the Comets' 34-yard line and was staring down a fourth-and-14 situation. The Pirates went for it and Dossey again hooked up with Derrick, who fought off his lone defender and cashed in on a 34-yard touchdown to put OCC up, 27-17. Derrick finished the night with eight catches for 170 yards and two touchdowns.

Palomar got inside the Pirates' 30-yard line before Early was picked off by Derrick Worthy, who raced back 77 yards for a game-clinching Pirate touchdown at a 34-17 advantage with 11:15 left in the game.

Again, the OCC defense came up big as Brandon Worthy came up with another OCC interception, helping the Pirates drain even more time off of the clock on their following drive.

The Comets wrapped up the scoring with a 31-yard touchdown pass from Early to Sayles, but Coast recovered the ensuing onside kick to wrap the game up.

Dossey finished the night with 257 yards and two touchdowns on 19-of-30 passing, while Early threw for 234 yards with two TDs and two interceptions on 15-of-26 passing for the Comets.

Sayles was a busy man for Palomar, carrying the ball 29 times for 88 yards and catching five passes for 64 yards. He rushed for one TD and caught on TD pass. 

Cody Meddaugh anchored the Pirates' defense with eight tackles (three solo) with one quarterback sack, while Josh Odigie, Joseph Jackson and Matthew Andre each notched six tackles.

The Pirates will return to action on Saturday afternoon at LeBard Stadium against Saddleback, beginning at 1 p.m.

GAME NOTES -- The Pirates celebrated the 40th anniversary of the 1975 National Championship team with a pregame barbecue and halftime ceremony. Over 30 players, coaches and family members returned to LeBard Stadium to take part in the event. That 1975 squad finished the season 11-0 and were named National Champions after topping Rio Hondo in the Avocado Bowl.