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SANTA ANA, CA - Kekoa Crowell's one-yard run on third-and-goal with 13 seconds left let visiting Orange Coast College (5-3, 2-1) escape Santa Ana Stadium/Eddie West Field with a 10-7 win over Santa Ana College (5-3, 1-2) in Mission Conference National Division play, Saturday.
Crowell's game-winning touchdown capped off a 13-play, 78-yard drive that was aided by a questionable defensive holding on fourth-and-goal at the Santa Ana 11. The Dons appeared to be headed for the win when Crowell's pass to Damola Adeniji fell incomplete but was negated when a defensive holding penalty was called giving the Pirates first-and-goal at Santa Ana 5.
Orange Coast's signal-caller, who completed 21 of 39 for 226 yards, took the game over on the Pirates' final three plays rushing for four yards to the Dons' 1 on first-and-goal, spiking the ball with 17 seconds remaining on second-and-goal and scoring the game-winner on a rollout to the right.
Despite being shutout for the first 56 minutes, Santa Ana was kept in the game by its stingy defense that yielded just a 34-yard field goal to Kyle Vandenbos late in the second quarter that gave the Pirates a 3-0 halftime lead. The Dons took their first lead of the game, 6-3, on David Buehler's two-yard run with 3:51 left. Buehler's run came one play after Santa Ana picked up a first-and-goal at the Orange Coast 2 when the Pirates where penalized for pass interference. Curtis Gladden made it 7-3 by converting the extra point.
The Pirates' defense, which led the Mission Conference coming into the game allowing 299 yards per game, lived up to its billing giving up just 240 total yards to the Dons who were averaging 425 in hits first six games.
Kaleo Igarta led Santa Ana's rushing attack with a team-high 103 yards on just 14 carries. The Pirates held Dons' quarterback Daniel Morales in check as the sophomore completed just 12 of 32 for 120 yards and two interceptions.
Sophomores Donny Spreeman and Ryan Diaz keyed the Santa Ana defense finishing with eight and seven tackles respectively. Spreeman registered a team-high six solo stops and assisted on two others while Diaz had four unassisted tackles, three assisted tackles and forced a fumble. Eric Peevey was also in on seven tackles (3 solo, 4 unassisted) while Kyle Lancaster finished with six tackles including a tackle for loss. Anthony Martinez forced one of two Orange Coast fumbles while Nathan Dedic tallied the lone interception for the Dons.
The Dons had their chances but came away empty on three other scoring opportunities when Gladden, who set a school record and tied a national record with five field goals two weeks ago in a 29-27 win over Golden West, missed on field goal attempts of 39, 37 and 44 yards.
Next: Santa Ana College (5-3, 1-2) at Saddleback College (4-3, 2-1), Saturday, November 5, 5 p.m.
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