Pirates set to take on Rustlers in rivalry matchup

COSTA MESA -- The Orange Coast College football team will meet their old friends from up the 405 Freeway on Thursday as the Pirates take on rival Golden West College in the 54th meeting of the "Battle of the Bell", beginning at 2 p.m. at GWC.

The Pirates are looking to snap the spell the Rustlers have had on them as of late. GWC has won seven straight and 11 of the past 12 meetings between the two district rivals. Coast's last victory over the Rustlers came in 2015, a 17-14 win at LeBard Stadium.

But as the old saying goes ... "Anything can happen in a rivalry game" so the Pirates are looking to carry their momentum from Week 5's 19-7 win over East L.A. into Thursday's game. 

The Pirate defense -- led by the trio of Jayden Niumata (7 tackles), Joseph Near (6 tackles, 1 forced fumble) and Tanner Muir (6 tackles) held the Huskies to just seven points and just 82 yards rushing for the afternoon. Meanwhile on offense, quarterback Zach Congalton overcame a sluggish passing game (9-of-25, 83 yards, 1 TD, 2 Int) with 80 rushing yards and a touchdown on just 11 carries.

For the season, Congalton has 1,229 yards of total offense and a combined 12 touchdowns on the ground and in the air for OCC. Anthony Osorio and Paul Mendoza have combined for 263 rushing yards to add to the Pirate ground game, while Congalton's favorite passing target has been wide receiver Isaiah Esquibel, who has 31 receptions fro 358 yards and a pair of touchdowns.

For the Rustlers (4-1), it has been another solid campaign in 2024. After a stunning 22-7 setback to San Diego Mesa, GWC has found its winning form with wins over ELAC and Citrus by a combined score of 94-14.

Much like the Pirates, the Rustlers' quarterback, Will Burns, has been a double threat for his club, throwing for 809 yards and 11 touchdowns, while also leading the ground game with 300 rushing yards and a touchdown on 45 carries. The RB trio of Kendric Thomas, Beck Walker and Aaron Mitchell have combined for 520 rushing yards and four touchdowns, while the WR trio of Robert Sarmiento, Trey Nelson and Noah Burdick have totaled 51 catches for 545 receiving yards and five TDs. 

It's a balanced attack for the Rustlers, who average 184.4 yards/game in the air and 174 yards/game on the ground.

GWC's top tackler has been freshman linebacker Brandon Soleau, who has amassed 24 tackles (15 solo) with a sack, two tackles for loss and a forced fumble. GWC has picked off nine passes on defense as well ... by nine different players.