COMMUNITY COLLEGE BOWL GAME : Los Angeles Harbor Shuts Down Orange Coast, 9-3

Los Angeles Harbor, which had a promising season hindered by injuries to its best two running backs, recovered to end on a positive note Saturday.

The Seahawks beat Orange Coast, 9-3, in the K-Swiss Classic Saturday at Los Angeles Harbor.

L.A. Harbor (8-3) scored on its first two possessions, then relied on a determined defense that limited OCC to minus-one yard in total offense in the first half, and 131 yards in the game.

OCC’s lone score came on a 32-yard field goal by Gene Adair as time expired. At that point, OCC Coach Bill Workman was trying to avoid the shutout.

OCC (7-4) threatened earlier in the fourth quarter, but an interception by Harbor linebacker Jeff Keith with 2 minutes 29 seconds left ended that drive.

Harbor opened the game by going 85 yards in 15 plays for a touchdown. The score came on a two-yard run by T.J. Palaita with 7:02 left in the quarter.

After OCC went three plays and punted, Harbor again mounted a drive. This time, the Seahawks went 30 yards in nine plays, the drive being capped by Jon Williams’ 33-yard field goal with 16 seconds left in the quarter.

Much of the punch went out of Harbor’s offense with about five minutes left in the first half when tailback Ira Moreland III suffered an ankle injury. Moreland had been the key to Harbor’s 6-0 start, but when he and Palaita were hurt, Harbor lost its next three games.

The pair came back to help Harbor beat Ventura, 18-7, in the regular-season finale to earn its first bowl berth since 1982.

Harbor finished with 249 yards in total offense. Moreland, despite playing less than a half, rushed for a game-high 63 yards.