Pirates travel to Ventura to compete in 2015 Beach Bowl

COSTA MESA -- The Orange Coast College football team will return to bowl action for the first time since 2006 on Saturday night against host Ventura College in the 2015 Beach Bowl, presented by Joe Kapp Real Estate.

The OCC Pirates -- 7-3 overall, 5-1 in the National Southern League -- earned the trip up north after completing one of the most memorable seasons in school history. Coast opened 0-2, but proceeded to rip off seven wins over its last eight matches, including a dramatic 17-14 win over the state's No. 1 team, Golden West College.

The Coast offense is run by sophomore quarterback Mason Dossey, who has thrown for 2,185 yards (third-best for one season in OCC history) with 19 touchdowns and only four interceptions and a 64.2% completion percentage (183-of-285). He has three three-touchdown games and more games with two TD passes.

Dossey's favorite target all season has been sophomore wide receiver Stefan Derrick, who has caught 57 passes for 1,016 yards with 14 touchdowns this year and trails only Junior Tagaloa on the school's single-season list for receiving yards and touchdowns by a receiver (1,190 yards, 17 TDs in 1987). Coming out of the backfield, Darrel Watts has caught 30 passes for 333 yards and three TDs, while Kyle White has hauled in 25 passes for 168 yards.

White and sophomore teammate Daniel Rodriguez have been the mainstays of the Pirate backfield. White leads the team with 520 rushing yards and five touchdowns on 110 carries, while Rordriguez had rushed for 509 yards and three TDs on 124 carries.

But just as impressive has been the play of the OCC defense, which enters the Beach Bowl allowing just 22.4 points per game (7th-best in the SCFA) and notching 18 interceptions this year (3rd-best in the SCFA). Anchored by sophomore linebacker Mark Cushing (85 tackles, 51 solo, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery and two interceptions) and freshman defensive back Brandon Worthy (52 tackles, one fumble recovery and a team-best five interceptions), the Pirates have managed to score six times on defense, which is the most by any team in SCFA (five interception returns, one fumble return).

Coast is looking for its first bowl win since 1993 (a 26-14 victory over Antelope Valley in the Orange County Bowl).

For the Ventura Pirates, they finished 7-3 overall and 5-1 in the National Northern League, averaging 42.7 points per game (4th-best in the SCFA). VC has been kept under 30 points just three times this year (all losses), while scoring 54-or-more points four times.

The quarterback tandem of freshmen Ty Gangi ad Brandon Jones have combined for 3,206 yards, 28 touchdowns and 13 interceptions this year, with the majority of their connections coming to Nick Rodriguez (51 receptions, 693 yards, three TDs), Cam Caylor (39 receptions, 577 yards, eight TDs) and Jordan Nunnery (31 catches, 412 yards, four TDs).

Look for sophomore running back Chris Beeson to lead the VC rushing game on Saturday night. Beeson had rushed for 879 yards and 11 touchdowns on 142 carries, including a 28-carry, 210-yard, three-TD performance against Bakersfield in last week's season finale.

Freshman lineman Mark Zavala (67 tackles, 31 solo, seven sacks, 12 tackles for loss) anchors the VC Pirate defense, a defense that has found the end zone on its own five different times (one interception return, four fumble returns).

VENTURA -- (7-3 overall, 5-1 in National Northern League)

Opponent                                                           Score

Fullerton                                                              W, 31-0

El Camino                                                            W, 59-58

Mt. San Antonio                                               L, 52-28

Cerritos                                                                L, 44-28

Moorpark                                                            W, 60-36

Golden West                                                     L, 30-23

Pasadena                                                            W, 62-31

Canyons                                                               W, 54-48

Allan Hancock                                                    W, 45-30

Bakersfield                                                         W, 37-28

ORANGE COAST -- (7-3 overall, 5-1 in National Southern League)

Opponent                                                           Score

Chaffey                                                                L, 41-16

Cerritos                                                                L, 34-31

Moorpark                                                             W, 38-8

Fullerton                                                              W, 31-23

L.A. Pierce                                                             W, 35-7

Palomar                                                               W, 34-24

Saddleback                                                           L, 35-22

Santa Ana                                                            W, 38-17

Golden West                                                         W, 17-14

Grossmont                                                           W, 52-21