As if the score and mistakes weren’t draining enough, the Gauchos’ kicker appeared to sap some more life out of the Pirates. Michael Frisina, a 5-foot-6, 150-pound freshman, did his best Martin Gramatica impersonation late in the game. But his celebration didn’t come after a long field goal. Instead it came after a big tackle.
After the Gauchos scored their final touchdown with 10:48 left, Frisina made a touchdown-saving tackle, tripping up Lano Fuentes on the ensuing kickoff.
Frisina jumped around in celebration, as some of his teammates lifted him in the air too, while the Saddleback crowd cheered him on.
There was only silence on OCC’s sideline.
“I don’t think I was rubbing it in,” Frisina said. “It was pretty much done ... I was just pumped I saved the touchdown ... I was telling the guys all night, I’m feeling it. I’m going to get a tackle. I told them I was going to go crazy when I got it. So when I got it, I just fed off the crowd. They were all pumped too.”
The Pirates (5-3, 1-3 in the division) were only left with looking to next week when they play host to Palomar. Tomorrow was their only hope in a loss like this.
Any time OCC seemed as if it could get back in the game, a turnover came about.
Saddleback (7-2, 3-2) would quickly take advantage. Two of the Gauchos’ touchdowns came right after turnovers. Quarterback Brad Curtis appeared well aware of OCC’s weakness. He attacked the Pirates’ secondary, throwing for three touchdowns and completing 11 of his 26 attempts for 255 yards.
Saddleback’s defense also came up big, seemingly putting the game away early in the second quarter. On the first play of the second quarter, Jeremy Rodenburg ran back an interception 62 yards for a touchdown and after Frisina’s PAT, the Gauchos were up, 31-0.
