SANTA ANA - The Dons snapped their four-game losing streak to earn their first home win as well as their first conference win, while retaining the 'Victory Flag' with a 38-16 win over visiting Orange Coast College. The win improves the Dons to 2-5 on the season and 1-2 in the National Southern Conference while the Pirates fall to 2-5 overall and 0-3 in conference.
The defense started things off for the Dons with Kevin Joseph intercepting a pass on Coast's 29-yard line and returning it the distance for a touchdown. That was the first of two interceptions for Joseph who also recovered a fumble later in the game.
Next, it was the offense's turn with Shane Truelove capping off a 10-play, 68-yard drive with a one-yard touchdown run on fourth-and-goal, early in the second quarter. Orange Coast would get on the board with just under five minutes left in the second quarter with a 38-yard field goal by Griff Amies. Those were the final points of the first half as the Dons would take a 14-3 lead into the second half.
The Dons would add four more scores in the third quarter to break the game open. The first score came on a 13-yard touchdown pass from Truelove to Kameron Taylor that put the Dons up 21-3. Ian Miller followed that with a 36-yard field goal to extend the Dons lead to 24-3.
Truelove then threw his second touchdown pass of the game, this time to Kyle Merritt who ran 38 yards for a touchdown. The Dons final touchdown, which made the score 38-3 at the time, was scored by Truelove who ran in from 22 yards out.
The Pirates would score twice in the second quarter, both on touchdowns passes by Jack Foster. The first was a 21-yard pass to D.J. McFadden before Foster found Spencer Ludin for a 24-yard touchdown that made the final score 38-16 after Billy Tanuvasa blocked the extra point.
For the game, the Dons were led by Truelove in two categories as he threw for 182 yards on 9-for-18 passing with two touchdowns and one interception. Truelove also led the team in rushing as he carried the ball seven times for 82 yards and two touchdowns.
Troy Kurtz led the defense with 10 tackles, seven solo, and one forced fumble. He was followed by Jeffrey Worthy who recorded seven tackles, six solo, with one sack and four tackles for a loss. Joseph added six tackles to his two interceptions and fumble recovery while Kekaimano Kaho'ohanohano also recorded six tackles.
The Victory Flag, which features each school's logo as well as a "V" and is flown with the previous year's winning team flown right side up, was introduced to the rivalry in 2010, commemorating the 60th meeting between the two colleges.
The design of the Flag is based on the team's individual victory flags from the 1950's. Part of the early rivalry between the Dons and the Pirates included members of each team attempting to steal the other school's victory flag.
This marks the third time the Dons have held the Victory Flag since it was introduced to the rivalry. The only year Orange Coast has claimed the Flag was in 2011. The Dons are also the first team to hold the Flag for consecutive seasons.
