Pirates contain Hornets early but Fullerton prevails

COSTA MESA -- On the plus side, the Orange College football held Fullerton College, the highest-scoring team in the state, to 17 points under its weekly average, but that was still enough for the Hornets to prevail over the Pirates, 35-14, on Saturday at Dick Tucker Field.

It's hard to keep a team that averages 52 points per game down for all four quarters, but the Pirates (3-6, 1-3 in Southern League) did their best as Fullerton (8-1, 3-1) led only 14-7 at the half. Coast managed to tie the game up at 14 early in the third quarter before the Hornets shut down the Pirates' offense and scored the final three touchdowns of the contest.

Kody Whitaker threw for 203 yards and a touchdown on 17-of-35 passes, while running back Derrick Hunt was strong on the ground, racking up 123 yards on 23 carries.

Fullerton grabbed the early lead when quarterback Jordan Hoy found Daurice Simpson for a 36-yard touchdown strike off of a flea-flicker, putting the Hornets up, 7-0 after the made PAT.

Coast tied things up on the first drive of the second quarter when Whitaker threw deep and found Gunar Perales on a 50-yard TD strike.

After an OCC turnover gave the Hornets the ball near midfield, Fullerton quickened the pace and marched down the field, using seven plays to cover 47 yards. Phillip Butler plowed in from a yard out to put the Hornets up 14-7.

Fullerton was to have the ball to start the second half, but Pirate kicker Evan Mickelson ripped a line-drive kick off of a Fullerton player and it caromed back to OCC player Garrett Grutz. Eight plays later, the Pirates tied the score at 14 when Whitaker kept the ball and plowed into the end zone on a 2-yard run.

But Fullerton grabbed momentum from the Pirates and never let it go on the following possession as the Hornets needed just three plays to go 75 yards. Butler, who finished with 120 yards on 12 carries, racked up all 75 yards on the drive and scored on a 26-yard dash to the end zone, putting the Hornets up 21-14.

After a Pirate punt, Fullerton again could not be stopped, going 51 yards on six plays and scoring on a 30-yard pass play from Hoy to Butler, making it 28-14.

Coast marched down the field and got inside the Fullerton 10-yard-line, but the drive stalled on a missed fourth-down passing opportunity and from there, the Hornets closed things out.

Hoy finished with 198 passing yards and two TDs for the Hornets, while Anthony Wood provided a secondary option on the ground with 97 rushing yards and a touchdown. 

Coast will wrap up the 2016 season on the road against Saddleback College on Saturday, beginning at 6 p.m.