Pirates roll past Grossmont, 52-21, await bowl news!

COSTA MESA -- The Orange Coast College football team will await Sunday's news of a potential bowl game, following Saturday afternoon's 52-21 National Southern League win over Grossmont in the regular season finale, played at LeBard Stadium.

The win moves the Pirates to 5-1 in league play. Later tonight, Golden West College (4-1) will play at Saddleback (5-0) and a win by the Rustlers would make it a three-way tie for the National Southern League title. Bowl games and playoff berths will be announced on Sunday at 1 p.m., according to head coach Kevin Emerson. OCC's last bowl berth came in 2006 at the U.S. Bank Beach Bowl (a 29-20 loss to Mt. San Antonio College). Coast's last victory in a bowl came in 1993 at the Orange County Bowl with a 26-14 triumph over Antelope Valley.

Grossmont managed to gain more total yards than the Pirates (442-407), but four turnovers -- including a 95-yard interception return for a touchdown and a 30-yard fumble return for a TD by Joseph Jackson -- negated several solid Griffin drives throughout the afternoon.

OCC quarterback Mason Dossey continued his fine play, throwing for 264 yards and three touchdowns on 27-of-37 passing. Eight different receivers caught passes for the Pirates, led by Stefan Derrick and Ian Pogue (five catches each). Running back Kyle White grinded out 84 rushing yards and a touchdown on 17 carries, while on defense Christian Webb (eight tackles, six solo) and Josh Odigie (seven tackles, six solo) kept Grossmont (3-7, 1-5) in check.

The Pirates busted out of the gates early and jumped out to a 24-0 lead just two minutes into the second quarter. Marcus Durham caught a 42-yard touchdown pass from Dossey just three minutes into the game to put OCC up 7-0. After Jackson's fumble return TD made it 14-0, Dan Bjurman nailed a 44-yard field goal before running back Darrel Watts hauled in a 6-yard touchdown pass from Mossey to make it 24-0.

Grossmont trimmed the lead down to 24-7 before halftime, then picked up two more touchdowns in a three-minute span of the third quarter to make it 24-21. Sergio Bailey, who finished with five catches for 103 yards, hauled in both TD tosses to bring the Griffins back into the game.

But the Pirates would answer back with an impressive 12-play, 68-yard scoring drive that was capped off by a 5-yard touchdown toss from Dossey to Treavon Coley, putting Coast ahead, 31-21.

Dossey scored himself on a 30-yard touchdown run to put Coast up 38-21 late in the third quarter, but the Griffins continued to fight and marched the ball deep into OCC territory on their next possession, but GC quarterback Tommy Pistone's first-down pass when through the hands of its intended receiver and into the arms of Jackson at the OCC 5-yard line and the sophomore defensive back had a wide-open lane down the sideline for his 95-yard touchdown return, closing out any chance for the Griffins.

White ended the scoring barrage with a 2-yard touchdown run with 4:02 left in the game.

Here are just some of the feats accomplished by the Pirates in 2015 ... 

• First seven-win team since 2006
• First five-conference-win team since 1987
• Last five-game win streak ... 2006
• Stefan Derrick is the first WR to rack up over 1,000 receiving yards since Junior Tagaloa school-record 1,190 in 1987).
• Jackson' 95-yard interception return ... tied for fourth-best in school history.