OCC Returns Interception 98 Yards, Wins

It wasn’t a record, but Lawrence Hatch’s 98-yard interception return for a touchdown changed the momentum in Orange Coast College’s 24-19 victory over Saddleback in a Mission Conference football game Saturday at OCC.

Hatch, a sophomore defensive back, was a yard short of the OCC record. Mike Lacy (1973) and Bill Craft (1986) each returned interceptions 99 yards for touchdowns.

Hatch’s interception occurred with Orange Coast leading, 10-7, but Saddleback was driving. On second and five at the OCC 16, Hatch stepped in front of a Saddleback receiver and caught the ball. He started up the middle, then cut to the left sideline and ran nearly untouched into the end zone.

Orange Coast scored later in the second quarter to take a 24-7 halftime lead. Saddleback scored a touchdown in the each of the final two quarters, the last with 52 seconds left.

Saddleback quarterback Jeff Bailey completed a 28-yard scoring pass to Terry Isles, but the two-point conversion pass fell incomplete. Saddleback’s onside kick went out of bounds at the OCC 37, and the Pirates ran out the clock.

“Our defense made some big plays,” OCC Coach Bill Workman said. “We stayed conservative the second half and played the clock some. We won, and that’s what is important.”

OCC (5-2, 4-2) was coming off a 43-15 loss to Rancho Santiago in which the Pirates turned the ball over seven times. They turned the ball over only twice against Saddleback, both on interceptions by Mike Miller.

Saddleback’s four-game winning streak was stopped. Each team is 1-1 in Central Division play.

OCC took the opening kickoff and drove to the Saddleback 16 but settled for a 31-yard field goal by Mike Wade.

Saddleback (4-3, 4-2) came back with a 14-play, 82-yard scoring drive that ended on a two-yard dive by Matt Carvalho that made it 7-3.

OCC quarterback Greg Angelovic then led a 58-yard drive that he capped with a four-yard run for a touchdown to give OCC a 10-7 lead with 12:10 left in the half. Hatch’s interception came at 10:47.

OCC scored its final touchdown on a one-yard run by Jim Warren with 3:49 left to take a 24-7 lead. Angelovic was 11 for 16 for 173 yards, and his favorite targets were tight ends Derek Whiddon and Mark Rapp. Whiddon had six catches for 81 yards and Rapp had two for 53 yards.

Saddleback’s Chi Chi Biehn scored on a one-yard run with 2:21 left in the third quarter, but the extra-point attempt by Scott Hannah was wide and OCC led, 24-13.

Bailey was 18 for 31 for 210 yards, but three passes were intercepted.