Orange Coast

Stephon Seales hit half of his shots from the field and all five of his free throws for a team-high 20 points to lead the Orange Coast College men's basketball team to an 80-74 victory at Golden West College Friday night. The Pirates, 19-11, 7-4 in the Orange Empire Conference, came from behind with a 19-point second-half edge to pull it out, dropping Golden West to 7-20, 3-9. In a game which totaled 41 boards between the two teams, Aaron Bobik and Lanier Brown added 16 and 15 points, respectively for the Pirates.

Bryce Alderton Despite allowing 213 yards to Saddleback College a week ago, Orange Coast's football team remains first against the pass and total defense among the Mission Conference's 12 teams. That defense should get tested again when Fullerton invades OCC at 6 tonight for conference a duel between teams coming off their first losses of the season. Coast (2-1, 0-1 in the conference's American Division) couldn't get its offense going against powerful Saddleback and fell, 30-7, last week.

When: Tonight, 6 Where: Saddleback College Key Pirates: So. QB Taylor Hughes (1,364 passing yards, nine TDs, four rushing TDs); So. DE Dean DeLeone (53 tackles, seven sacks, one kickoff return for TD); So. WR Cameron Hall (32 receptions, 432 yards, one TD). Key Gauchos: So. QB Brian Shrock (1,147 passing yards, 12 TDs); Fr. RB Jai Morris (85 carries, 731 yards, six TDs); So. SS Aaron Brown (team-best 48 tackles, three interceptions). Breakdown: The Pirates (4-3, 0-3 in the National Division)

Barry Faulkner The bright spots were nearly as scarce as shade for the Orange Coast College football team Saturday afternoon at sun-drenched Los Angeles Southwest. For, despite a bright beginning and a flashy finish, the Pirates dropped a 36-19 nonconference decision to the Cougars, who improved to 2-0 while dropping OCC to 0-2. It was the sixth straight defeat for the Pirates, who, according to Coach Mike Taylor, took a step backward from their season-opening 24-17 loss to Glendale.

Gary Gattis was 2 for 5 with three RBIs in the visiting Orange Coast College baseball team's 7-3 victory over Fullerton in Orange Empire Conference play Tuesday. Luke Beck was 2 for 4 with two runs scored and a triple for the Pirates (8-7, 2-1 in the OEC), while Robbie Blauer was 2 for 4 with one run scored and an RBI. Fullerton's Aaron Randall hit a home run in the fifth inning, but the Hornets (11-3, 1-2) couldn't overcome OCC's three-run fifth inning.

Bryce Alderton A win maintaining position at the top of the Orange Empire Conference standings Friday was hardly cause for celebration for the host Orange Coast College men's soccer team after a postgame talk by Coach Jason Smith. The Pirates eked out a 3-2 win over Santiago Canyon, but the score and the level of play could have been much higher, Smith told the team huddled around him after the final whistle sounded. "We were our own worst enemy," Smith said.

The 2007-08 Orange Coast College women’s basketball team personifies the transition game. Coach Mike Thornton’s Pirates, who had eight freshmen in a 10-player rotation that produced a 28-4 record, including a 14-0 mark in the Orange Empire Conference last season, will, once again, feature a fast-paced style revolving around a pressure defense that extends the length of the floor. But there is another meaning to the term this season, as well. As with most community college programs, the two-year revolving door saw a pair of guards, including first-team all-conference guard Robin Smith, exhaust their eligibility and move on. But two players with eligibility remaining have also left, taking with them virtually all of the team’s inside presence.

1966 – Orange Coast 14, Golden West 13 1967 – Orange Coast 10, Golden West 7 1968 – Golden West, 34, Orange Coast 20 1969 – Orange Coast 30, Golden West 20 1970 – Golden West 13, Orange Coast 0 1971 – Orange Coast 21, Golden West 21 1972 – Orange Coast 10, Golden West 6 1973 – Golden West 28, Orange Coast 27 ...

She thought her artistic abilities were forever taken away, then she found a new path. In 2007 Un Joo Kang was in college and working as a makeup artist when a drunken driver crashed into her, crushing the lower half of her body. But five years later, at Orange Coast College she found Extended Opportunities, Programs and Services (EOPS), which provided her with the help she needed to go in a new direction: architecture. "I'm going to cry, but it's one of those things where I couldn't do that before and I can do that now," said Kang, a mother of two. "I shouldn't be walking, let alone be alive.

Orange Coast College sophomore Chris Carlson tops a list of five players named to the All-State team as State Player of the Year as voted upon by the state's baseball coaches. Carlson, the Orange Empire Conference Player of the Year, hit .421 with seven home runs, 43 runs batted in, 37 runs and 11 stolen bases to help the Pirates (36-7-1) win their first outright Orange Empire crown since 1987 and reach the four-team state championship tournament. In addition to being named the state's top player, Carlson won the Big Stick award presented to the state's top hitter.

HUNTINGTON BEACH — Coast Community College District trustees have come out in support of a proposed statewide tax increase aimed at staving off cuts to classes, programs, services and staff. The Board of Trustees unanimously passed a resolution Wednesday in support of Gov. Jerry Brown's proposed tax initiative, which is expected to be placed on the November ballot. Failure of the tax increase would leave the district with a projected $13.7-million deficit in 2013-14 — after using up its reserves to get through 2012-13, Andy Dunn, vice chancellor of finance and administrative services, said during Wednesday's meeting.

BAKERSFIELD - Only seven times in 44 games this season did Orange Coast College baseball Coach John Altobelli have to address his players after a loss. But when it came time to speak from the heart after being eliminated from the California Community College Athletic Assn. State Championship on Saturday, the words he delivered to his team were as obvious as they were true. "I told them that we loved them," Altobelli said of the aftermath of a 5-4 defeat in 12 innings to Rio Hondo in the four-team, double-elimination tournament at Bakersfield Community College.

The 116 members of Orange Coast College's Circle K Club invite Circle K alumni to "A Splash of Color," the service club's end-of-year banquet May 27. The event will take place at OCC's Student Center. Doors will open at 6 p.m. and dinner, catered by the Newport Rib Co., will be served at 7 p.m. Alumni are invited to reserve a seat, at the presale price of $18, by sending an email by May 20 to tinamtqnguyen@gmail.com . Tickets at the door will cost $20. The banquet theme represents the club's diversity and each club member's contributions toward community service.

COSTA MESA - Paul Muñoz threw his roster in the trash when he completed his third season as coach of the Estancia High boys' volleyball team. The season was not a waste, though. The Eagles closed things out at home Wednesday with a 19-25, 25-15, 25-23, 25-19 victory against cross-town rival Costa Mesa. The win allowed Estancia to split the two-match series with the Mustangs in Orange Coast League play. Neither team is moving on to the CIF Southern Section playoffs next week, but this season they each showed signs of getting there in the future.

Sailors reflected on their sport's ever-present dangers as they returned from Ensenada on Monday, two days after fellow competitors perished in an apparent collision. The tragedy reminded them to sail with experienced crew members and craft a careful night watch plan, local racers and experts say. The three confirmed deaths were the first in the 65-year history of the Newport to Ensenada Yacht Race. A fourth crew member of the Aegean, the doomed 37-foot sloop from Long Beach, is still missing and presumed dead.

BASEBALL Orange Coast 5, Irvine Valley 2 COSTA MESA - The Orange Empire Conference champion Pirates concluded their regular season with a home win Thursday at OCC. Joel Licon had a two-RBI single to left for OCC in the sixth inning, helping the Pirates (31-4-1, 18-3 in conference) rally from a 2-0 deficit. Eilert Meyers, Boog Powell and Stefan Sabol also had RBIs for OCC. Brandon Brennan improved to 9-1 after pitching five innings of relief. He allowed a run on three hits, striking out five and walking one. Josh Evans pitched a scoreless nitnh to earn his second save of the year.

BOYS' SWIM Costa Mesa 121, Estancia 44 COSTA MESA - The Mustangs won every event in the Orange Coast League meet Wednesday at Costa Mesa High. Sophomore Tyler Connors bettered his CIF Southern Section Division 3 qualifying time in the 200-yard individual medley, winning in 2:12.93. Junior Quinn Stone earned a consideration time in the 100 free (53.33 seconds). Senior James Lewis won the 200 free (1:55.62) and 500 free (5:15.96) for Costa Mesa, which improved to 4-0 in league.

BASEBALL Orange Coast 8, Fullerton 7 FULLERTON - Boog Powell, Joel Licon and Chris Carlson were a combined five for 10 with six runs batted in to pace the visiting Pirates in the Orange Empire Conference game Tuesday. Sophomore Keegan Yuhl yielded 11 hits and five runs (three earned) in 5 2/3 innings, but earned the win and is now 9-0. Bijan Rademacher worked a perfect ninth to earn his first save in his mound debut. OCC (25-3-1, 12-2 in conference)