Dick Tucker’s Instincts Are Right On As Orange Coast Upsets Rancho Santiago

Dick Tucker wasn’t sure why, but all week long he had a feeling that his Orange Coast College team would upset Rancho Santiago.

If Tucker learned nothing else Saturday night, it’s that he can still trust his instincts after 24 years as the Pirate coach.

Orange Coast, led by kicker Tom Cortez, overcame five turnovers and the loss of quarterback Ken Laszlo and surprised the Dons, 16-15, in the season finale in LeBard Stadium.

Cortez made field goals of 17, 28 and 36 yards, as the Pirates beat Rancho Santiago in the 35th renewal of their rivalry. Orange Coast finished the year with a Mission Conference record of 2-6 and an overall record of 2-7-1. Rancho Santiago finished at 3-5 and 5-5.

Turnovers were the Dons’ downfall. Last week, in a 39-32 loss to conference-champion Saddleback, they made six turnovers. Against Orange Coast, they lost three fumbles and two interceptions.

Fumbles by Rancho Santiago backup quarterback John Cook in the fourth quarter set up the tying and winning field goals by Cortez.

The first fumble, recovered by Jeff Shanks, gave the Pirates the ball at the Rancho Santiago 18-yard line. Four plays later, Cortez made a 28-yard kick to tie the score, 13-13, with 5:57 to play.

Seconds later, Cook fumbled at his own 20, where Phil Straw recovered. Four plays later, Cortez connected on a 36-yarder to put the Pirates in front, 16-13.

Sean Lovelace intercepted Cook at the Orange Coast 3-yard line with 1:29 left, but the Pirates couldn’t get a first down. So, with 34 seconds left, Tucker ordered his punter, Gordon Moss, to take an intentional safety.

The tactic worked. Moss ran out of his end zone, allowing the Dons to cut the Pirate lead to 16-15, but it also allowed Cortez to make a free kick.

Rancho Santiago started its 32-yard line, and, after making one first down, time expired.

Tucker, who is not certain if he will return as coach next year, was extremely pleased with Orange Coast’s first win over the Dons in four meetings.

“It really feels fantastic to win one,” he said. “Tonight, we got the breaks we hadn’t been getting all year.

“And the defense played great. It was the deciding factor, because it got us the ball so many times.”

Orange Coast’s offense was struggling before Laszlo was hurt after scrambling for a 14-yard gain early in the third quarter. After Ollie Perkins replaced him, the Pirates relied even more heavily on fullback Chris Mendenhall, who carried a school record-tying 32 times for 126 yards to increase his season total to 816 yards.

Cortez’s 17-yard field goal at the 3:59 mark of the third quarter gave Orange Coast a 10-7 lead, but Rancho Santiago came right back to take a 13-10 lead into the final quarter.

Cook, protected by a great block by running back Larry Brown, hit Ira Graham with an 80-yard touchdown pass with six seconds left in the quarter. Daryl Willis, who earlier missed field goal attempts of 46 and 39 yards, missed the extra point try, too.

Orange Coast scored first when it put together a 64-yard, 12-play drive early in the second quarter. Laszlo capped the drive by throwing a 1-yard touchdown pass that gave the Pirates a 7-0 lead.

But, thanks to an Orange Coast turnovers, Rancho Santiago tied the score before halftime. Ron Mason intercepted a Laszlo pass at the Pirate 33 with 24 seconds left, and, three plays later, Cook, who alternated with starter Silvio Delligatta, hit Ed Nasser with a 2-yard scoring pass.

In other PAC-9 action Saturday:

Fullerton 20, Long Beach 7--The Hornets (8-2) clinched the PAC-9 title with their victory against the Vikings (1-8-1), and broke the school record for single-season team offense along the way.