Rough second half dooms Pirates in loss to Vaqueros
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Santa Barbara (2-1) | 7 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 48 |
|
Orange Coast (0-3) | 0 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 14 |
COSTA MESA -- It was a one-score game early in the third quarter before the Orange Coast College football team saw visiting Santa Barbara City College pull away and never look back as the Vaqueros topped the Pirates, 48-14 on Saturday night at LeBard Stadium.
After trailing 20-7 at the half, the Pirates (0-3) mounded an eight-play, 74-yard drive to start the third quarter and the drive was capped off with a 30-yard touchdown run by quarterback Zach Congalton, trimming the OCC deficit to 20-14.
But three consecutive touchdowns over a 5-minute stretch of the third quarter and early part of the fourth quarter enabled the Vaqueros (2-1) to pull away for the win.
Congalton was OCC's lone rushing highlight with 110 yards and the aforementioned touchdown on 14 carries. He and Baylor Ayres combined to throw for 125 yards on 17-of-36 passing, with Isaiah Esquibel (eight catches for 67 yards) being the top receiving target for the night.
On defense, Joseph Near was OCC's top tackler with nine tackles (six solo), while Nathaniel Lyken helped put more points on the OCC scoreboard with a 63-yard interception return for a touchdown.
Coast will return to action on Saturday at Cerritos College, beginning at 6 p.m. OCC's next home game will take place on Thursday, Oct. 12 against Golden West in the "Battle for the Bell" game, also at 6 p.m.
