Pirates find win column with 44-28 win over Corsairs

The Orange Coast College football team saw its hard work pay off on Saturday night as the Pirates notched their first win of the season with a 44-28 victory over visiting Santa Monica City College.

The Pirates (1-3) scored four touchdowns on their first five possessions to take control of the contest and despite a late charge from the Corsairs (1-3), Coast was never threatened the rest of the way.

Nico Jackson rushed for three touchdowns, while quarterback Pete Mitchell threw a pair of touchdown passes to highlight the Pirates offensive success. Coast collected 406 yards of total offense (288 passing, 118 rushing) and slowed down the Corsairs for the majority of the game before late touchdowns made the final score seem closer than the game actually was.

Coast got its offense going on its opening drive and after a 65-yard hookup from Mitchell to Brandon Hailey pushed the Pirates inside the SMCC 10, Jackson plowed in two plays later from the 3, putting OCC up 6-0, following a missed PAT.

Santa Monica turned the ball over on downs and OCC marched down the field again, capping off an eight-play, 64-yard drive with a 1-yard TD run by Jackson, giving the Pirates a 13-0 advantage.

The OCC defense, anchored by strong play from Isaiah Barnes (six tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, one sack), forced a 3-and-out, giving the ball right back to the Pirates and just six plays later, Jackson (18 carries, 85 yards) notched his third TD on a 2-yard run, giving Coast a 20-0 advantage.

Santa Monica scored on the first play of the second quarter on a 1-yard TD run by Ricky Hambright to make it 20-7. Both teams were stopped on their next possessions, but a poor SMCC punt and a 15-yard penalty gave Coast the ball on the Corsairs' 25-yard line. Just three plays were needed before Mitchell (17-of-20, 221 yards) hooked up with Demazeliere (seven receptions, 84 yards, two TDs) to make it 27-7.

It stayed that way until midway through the third quarter, when Mitchell found James Rutledge on a 13-yard TD strike, giving OCC a 34-7 lead and after an SMCC punt, backup QB Ayden Auer (7-of-11, 67 yards) connected with Demazeliere on a 32-yard TD catch to blow the game wide open.

Hambright led the ground game for the Corsairs with 114 yards and two touchdowns on 19 carries, while reserve quarterback Paul Davis made the most of his opportunity with 38 rushing yards and a pair of TDs to go along with 7-of-11 passing for 48 yards.

Coast will play at Mt. San Antonio College on Saturday, beginning at 6 p.m. OCC's next home game will take place on Saturday, Oct. 14 against Palomar, also at 6 p.m.