Orange Coast seeking turnaround on road

Barry Faulkner

Orange Coast College sophomore quarterback Kyle Basanez stood in the

center of his teammates after the Oct. 25 loss to Fullerton and

implored -- “We’re still a family! We need to turn this thing

around!”

Few would dispute the Pirates’ 2004 football family has been

somewhat dysfunctional, at least against its first four opponents,

who have helped extend the OCC losing streak to eight games.

The Pirates’ latest chance for a turnaround is today against Santa

Ana (3-1), which will host the 1 p.m. Mission Conference clash at the

Santa Ana Bowl that will complete the first half of the regular

season.

“Things would be a lot easier right now if we were 4-0, instead of

0-4,” said OCC Coach Mike Taylor, who has seen improvement the last

two weeks, despite a continued string of injuries.

Starting offensive tackle Tommy Crowley dislocated a shoulder last

week and won’t play today, while Basanez has been limited in practice

after taking a helmet to his right throwing arm against Fullerton.

Basanez is being counted on to start, but Taylor admitted the passing

game may be toned down today, as not to tax Basanez’s arm. He comes

in with 608 passing yards (41 of 93 with three interceptions) and his

127 rushing yards rank No. 2 among Pirates.

Freshman tailback Matt Padilla, who still leads the team in

rushing yards with 197, remains sidelined with a high ankle sprain,

while the Bucs have also missed sophomore quarterback Beau Budde, who

was lost for the season when he broke a finger in preseason practice.

Freshman Matt Downs is scheduled to start at tailback for OCC.

Sophomore Joe Mitchell, a returning all-conference (American

Division) outside linebacker, had surgery this week to insert a plate

and three screws in his ankle. Hurt in the second game this season,

Mitchell’s season is finished and his football future is in doubt,

Taylor said.

The Pirates have had trouble finishing this fall, having been

outscored a combined 69-19 in the second half.

Santa Ana, featuring sophomore tailback Dartangan Johnson, Newport

Harbor High’s career rushing leader with 3,397 rushing yards, will

attempt to wear down the Pirates with a punishing ground game.

Johnson, with the blocking help of former prep teammates A.J.

Slater (6-foot-5, 300 pounds) and Chris Badorek (6-4, 330), both

sophomores, leads the conference with 587 rushing yards on 101

carries.

Former Newport Harbor assistant Zach Biehl is in his third season

as co-coordinator of head coach Geoff Jones’ offense.

Santa Ana also features freshman quarterback Daniel Morales, who

has thrown for 683 yard and five touchdowns. He has completed 63 of

110 with four interceptions.