TONIGHT’S COMMUNITY COLLEGE FOOTBALL : Saddleback Is Ready for Fullerton

There certainly could be reason for overconfidence tonight on the part of the Saddleback College football team.

The Gauchos, under Coach Ken Swearingen, swagger into a 7 p.m. Mission Conference Central Division game against Fullerton with a 5-0 record, a 13-game winning streak, and a national No.-1 ranking by J.C. Grid-Wire.

Saddleback is celebrating its 25th homecoming tonight with what might be the most talented team in the school’s history.

Many people are comparing it to the 1985 team that went 11-0 and won a share of the J.C. Grid-Wire’s national championship.

Fullerton, the other longtime local power, is struggling. The Hornets are 0-4 and have yet to play well for more than a half of any game this season.

Still, Swearingen looks at the history of the series, and not either team’s current record.

Fullerton leads the series, 4-3--including two meetings in bowl games and two others for the eventual conference championship.

“We are preparing like we did in every other Fullerton-Saddleback game,” Swearingen said. “If you approach it any other way, you’re stupid. . . . Fullerton has a lot of talented players. They have just had trouble scoring.”

Fullerton was inside the Palomar 20-yard line six times last Saturday during a 31-18 loss, but scored only three times.

“That has been a problem for us this season,” said Glenn Thomas, one of Fullerton’s co-coaches. “We knocked on the door so many times without scoring that it gets frustrating for everyone. We’d better capitalize on those red-zone opportunities against Saddleback or we could in for a long evening.”

Saddleback is averaging 494 yards and 42 points per game and Fullerton is averaging 10 points and 264 yards per game.

Saddleback is led on offense by sophomore tailback Marcellus Chrishon, who has gained 861 yards and scored 14 touchdowns. Quarterback Tim Snowden is also having a fine season. He is 55 of 89 for 971 yards, with seven touchdowns and only two interceptions.

But the offense was expected to excel. The defense doing so has been a bit of a surprise because Saddleback returned only four experienced players. The Gauchos are giving up a conference-low 235 yards a game and have allowed only five touchdowns.

“We keep getting better,” Swearingen said of the defense. “Each week, we seem to be playing better together.”

In tonight’s other 7 p.m. Mission Conference games:

Rancho Santiago (1-3) at El Camino (3-1)--Rancho Santiago is struggling after losing its last three games. El Camino is coming off a 46-43 victory over Riverside and is ranked 20th in the nation by J.C. Grid-Wire. Rancho Santiago’s defense has remained solid much of the time but the offense has struggled. The Dons are averaging a conference-low 9.3 points per game and 284 yards.

Rancho Santiago wide receiver Mark Flatten is coming off his best game. He had five catches for 65 yards and a touchdown in a 49-7 loss to Saddleback.

Riverside (0-3-1) vs. Golden West (1-3) at Orange Coast--Golden West is in search of a more consistent offense. The Rustlers scored 30 points two weeks ago but were shut out. They were held to 76 yards in a 29-0 loss to Orange Coast last week. Golden West could be without running back Derrick Ragsdale, who hurt his neck against OCC and is doubtful for the game. Riverside is coming off a 46-43 loss to El Camino.