Rancho Santiago, Fullerton Will Renew, Break Old Ties

The longest running community college football series in the state started with a tie in 1916.

Eighty years later, the series between Fullerton and Rancho Santiago is tied again. Each team has won 31 times and there have been four ties, but that will change at 7 tonight when the teams meet at Fullerton High in a Mission Conference Central Division game.

Each team comes into the final game of the season with 5-4 records overall and 3-2 divisional play.

Both teams have alternated quarterbacks most of the season. Fullerton uses sophomore Paul Waldrop, who has thrown for 1,543 yards, 16 touchdowns and 13 interceptions, and freshman Geoff Berg (326 yards, three touchdowns, three interceptions).

Rancho Santiago uses two sophomores. Matt Mitchell has passed for 1,472 yards and 13 touchdowns and Mark Fausto, who has been bothered by a knee injury, has 693 yards and five touchdowns.

Rancho Santiago also has two of the conference’s top receivers in Jon Daniels and Mike Ogas, the son of Coach Dave Ogas. Daniels has a county-best 45 catches for 700 yards and Mike Ogas has 42 catches for 512 yards.

Jermaine Gray is the top running back for Rancho Santiago, having gained 825 yards. Fullerton’s Carvel Gardner has 814 yards.

In another divisional game:

Riverside (2-7, 2-6) vs. Golden West (1-8, 1-4), Orange Coast, 1:30 p.m.--Golden West hopes to stop its five-game losing streak. Running back Charles Chatman is the top running back in Orange County with 925 yards.

Riverside is coming off a 17-14 loss to Saddleback. It was the Tigers’ fourth loss by four points or fewer.