Mercer’s Reach Helps OCC to Victory Over Gauchos

Orange Coast Coach Bill Workman and Ivan Mercer are in total agreement that the 6-foot-7 wide receiver should get strong consideration in key situations.

The pair were hugging and all smiles after Mercer caught two fourth-quarter touchdown passes as OCC rallied to beat host Saddleback, 20-16, in a Mission Conference football game Saturday.

Mercer caught the winning 24-yard pass from quarterback Jared Flint with 4 minutes 35 seconds left. Mercer was able to reach over two defenders and come down with the ball. Orange Coast is 1-1.

“I’m a 6-7 frame,” Mercer said. “You’ve got to use that.”

The winning score was set up when OCC defensive back Aaron Ligons recovered a fumble by Saddleback’s Julio Peraza at the Gauchos’ 21 with 5:26 left in the game. Ligons also had a third-quarter interception that ended a Saddleback drive at the OCC 10.

The fumble was one of the few negative things Peraza did. He rushed for 225 yards, including a 56-yard touchdown, in 31 carries. It was the fifth highest single-game total in Saddleback history.

Saddleback (0-2) led 16-0 at the half but OCC started its comeback with a three-yard scoring run by Kevin Torres early in the third quarter.

Mercer scored the next touchdown on an 11-yard pass from Flint with 13:18 left. Mercer had five receptions for 83 yards, all in the second half. Saddleback used a series of blitzes in the first half that helped limit Mercer’s effectiveness.

“Throw to the 6-7 guy,” Workman joked. “We should have a clue [to do that more often]. These are the kinds of games that we are expecting from him.”

OCC linebacker Marcus Mirahmadi had a sack and forced a pass to be thrown too soon on Saddleback’s last drive of the game.

It was OCC’s first road victory since beating Fullerton in 1995.