Formula Works Again for Saddleback

The drill has been pretty much the same at Saddleback football games this season.

The Gaucho defense shuts down the opponent, and running back Marcellus Chrishon breaks a couple of key runs.

Saddleback stuck to that pattern Saturday night against stubborn Orange Coast, which matched the Gauchos on defense for most of the way but finally fell, 17-12, in a Mission Conference game in front of about 3,500 at OCC.

Chrishon finished with 215 yards in 33 carries and scored on runs of 40 and 12 yards for Saddleback (8-0, 3-0 in the Central Division). The victory gave Saddleback--the nation’s No. 1 ranked team in the J.C. Grid-Wire poll--a one-game lead over OCC with two left in the division race and puts the Gauchos on the inside track for a bid to the Dec. 5 Simple Green Orange County Bowl at OCC.

Chrishon, who has 1,519 yards for the season, broke a 12-yard run for a touchdown that gave Saddleback a 17-6 lead with 10 minutes 18 seconds left. At that point, the lead looked safe, because Saddleback’s defense had dominated in the second half, limiting the Pirates to 22 yards before their final drive.

But after taking over with 2 minutes 27 seconds left, OCC went 45 yards, scoring on a three-yard run by quarterback Todd Mather with 1:33 to play. OCC then went for two, Mather throwing to running back Eric Washington in the flat, but he was stopped short of the end zone, first by Brian Spencer and then by Jeff Pease.

The Pirates bounced an on-side kick high, but Saddleback’s Ken Koppelman, who is 6 feet 3, jumped above the OCC players to get the ball at the Pirate 49. Saddleback ran out the clock on four plays.

“The defense played their butts off,” Saddleback Coach Ken Swearingen said. “It was a good thing, too, because the offense was a little erratic except for Marcellus.”

OCC took a 6-3 lead when Gene Adair kicked a 39-yard field goal with 3:09 to go in the half. Saddleback took over at its own 20 and turned to Chrishon, who had been held to 35 yards in six carries at that point.

But without a pass, Saddleback went 80 yards in five plays to take the lead. Chrishon had runs of 13, 11 and 40 yards, and fullback Shaun Coleman added one of 11.

The touchdown came with 1:53 left on the 40-yard draw play that Chrishon started up the middle and cut to the left and then back to the right and down the sideline for the score.

OCC’s defense was especially tough on Saddleback quarterback Tim Snowden, who completed 11 of 24 for 124 yards and was intercepted in the OCC end zone by Keith Burke. Snowden had started well, completed his first five passes for 57 yards, but was six for 19 after that in the face of constant pressure and tight coverage.

Saddleback’s defense was even tougher on OCC quarterbacks Mather and Sean Ponder. Mather was six of 12 for 18 yards and three interceptions. Ponder was three of 10 for 42 yards. Two interceptions were by Jeremy Brion, who also recovered a fumble. Scott von der Ahe had the other interception.