Orange Coast College

Pirates Hold On For Thrilling 30-28 Win Over Gauchos

Saturday, October 22, 2005

MISSION VIEJO - Sophomore Keola Asuega forced his second fumble in the fourth quarter to stop a surging Saddleback offense and help visiting Orange Coast to a 30-28 win over the Gauchos, Saturday evening in Mission Conference National Division play at the Snake Pit.

"It got a little scary there at the end," said a relieved Coast head coach Mike Taylor, whose team saw a 30-15 lead vanish in the fourth quarter just one week after giving up a 14-point fourth quarter lead in a loss to El Camino. "We were playing not to lose instead of playing to win, but the kids played hard against a pretty good football team."

The Pirates found themselves in an almost identical situation to a week ago when they fell behind early against El Camino, played nearly flawless through the middle of the game, but then ran out of gas at the end. Saddleback QB Nick Nelson through a 69-yard scoring pass to Matt White, then connected from three yards with Nick Nelson for a 12-0 lead midway through the opening stanza.

Though the offense came up empty on its next possession, the defense seized the momentum as Nick Snowden picked off Nelson and the Pirates took over at their own 10-yard line. This time, the offense was ready to go and marched 90 yards on nine plays and Kekoa Crowell found Eric Dietz on a 24-yard touchdown pass.

After a 25-yard field goal by Kyle Vandenbos, the Pirates took the lead after Cory Nicol blocked the second successive Saddleback punt and Crowell took it in himself from one yard out for a 16-12 lead after a failed two-point conversion attempt.

Another turnover put the ball back in the hands of the offense as a pitch from Nelson to PT Gates was dropped and Winter Welz fell on the football. Crowell through the second of his three touchdown passes to Damola Adeniji with eight seconds left and the Pirates took a 23-12 lead into the locker room.

The halftime intermission seemed to take the life out of the game for a spell as very little of consequence happened in the third quarter. The Pirates did hold on a crucial 4th-and-1 situation, but were unable to capitalize.

Derik Martinez connected on a 34-yard field goal with 9:17 to play to cut the Coast lead to 23-15, but the Pirates would quickly answer back. Hoffman and Robert Aoki both found themselves wide open on a 2nd-and-3 at the Coast 29 and Crowell lofted the ball up for Aoki to take 71 yards for a 30-15 edge.

Asuega forced his first fumble of the quarter with 7:34 to go on a fourth down play that looked to all but wrap up the game for the Pirates, but a turnover would dramatically turn the tide. The only mistake Crowell made all evening was on the first play of the next drive as he was picked off by Adam Berutich at the Coast 49-yard line.

The Gauchos scored on a 30-yard pass from Nelson to Adam Goodman on a play-action pass on 3rd-and-1 to make it 30-22 with 7:29 to play. Saddleback forced another punt and made the Pirates pay when Nelson hit Quincy Lever from 36 yards out.

The one saving grace was the defense stuffing the two-point conversion attempt to keep it 30-28 in favor of the Pirates. The Coast offense, however, was unable to get another first down and the Gauchos took over at their own 38 with 1:39 left on the clock.

Nelson missed on his first pass attempt, but then hooked up with Goodman for 11 yards. A second failed pass attempt set up the final offensive play for the Gauchos.

Gates slipped out of the backfield for a screen pass from Nelson. He crossed midfield and looked to be gaining considerable yardage before Asuega popped the ball loose. Welz was again the man to fall on the loose ball and the Bucs ran out the clock for the win.

Crowell had a career best 328 yards passing on 19-of-36 attempts, throwing three touchdowns and running for another. Hoffman led the way with six catches for a career-best 138 yards while Aoki had two catches for 80 yards and a touchdown while rushing 23 times for 41 yards.

Nelson completed 19-of-34 for 248 yards and four touchdowns with one interception for Saddleback (4-3, 1-1). Dominic Ruiz had six catches for 63 yards while White had three for 79 yards and a touchdown. Gates rushed 12 times for 82 yards to lead the ground attack for the Gauchos.

Dave Ronning led the Coast defense with 14 total tackles (four solo) while Williams had nine tackles (5 solo), three for loss and 1.5 sacks. Snowden also had a big game with seven tackles, an interception and two passes defended.

Orange Coast (4-3, 1-1) visits Santa Ana in its final road game of the season next Saturday, October 29 at the Santa Ana Bowl starting at 1 p.m.