Football: Bulldogs Open Season with Road Win at Orange Coast, 58-29

COSTA MESA, Calif. - The Allan Hancock College football team opened the season with a 58-29 victory on the road at Orange Coast College on Saturday evening. AHC now holds a 2-0 advantage in the all-team series record with the two teams meeting for the first time last fall. | BOX SCORE

ALLAN HANCOCK (1-0) @ ORANGE COAST (0-1)

QUARTER 1: AHC 14 | OCC 7

Orange Coast scored early with an eight-play drive that ended with the 14-yard touchdown pass after the opening kickoff, but the Bulldogs bounced back by building scoring drives on their next seven possessions before the first half came to a close. 

Caden Harris erased the deficit with a 5-yard scamper on the ensuing drive. Makai Puga pushed the Bulldogs on the next march down the field with a 23-yard touchdown pass from AJ Vele to bring the five-play drive to a close. 

QUARTER 2: AHC 31 | OCC 0

Harris and Anthony Tucker filled most of the third drive with solid rushing attempts before Harris capped things off with a four-yard surge through the goal line. The AHC defense forced a quick three-and-out for OCC before Vele and Puga connected for a 79-yard touchdown completion. 

Justyce Roserie picked up a special teams score after blocking and returning a punt attempt by the Pirates before Vele and Daylan Letisi linked up for an 11-yard touchdown pass. 

Jordan Orcutt closed out the second quarter scoring frenzy with a successful 22-yard field goal attempt. 

QUARTER 3: AHC 7 | OCC 7

Both sides found the end zone when play resumed after the halftime intermission.

The Pirates struck first with a three-play drive that ended with a two-yard rush to score. Hancock answered on the next possession after an eight-play effort that spanned 68 yards, highlighted by a 22-yard scurry from Harris and a 12-yard reception by Tommy Vibabul. Vele and Puga connected once more to close it out with a 10-yard touchdown catch. 

QUARTER 4: AHC 6 | OCC 15

The Pirates scored on their first drive of the final frame and earned a team safety after the Bulldogs recovered a fumble in their own end zone. 

Hancock's defense responded with a midfield forced fumble of their own, which was recovered by Dylan Heath and returned 68 yards for the score.  

Orange Coast closed out the scoring for both sides with a 17-yard completion after going 60 yards on a six-play drive. 

LEADERS

Tackles: Connor Wiles - 9 / Dylan Heath - 9, Jaaden Matthews - 7
Sacks: Vincent Hernandez - 1 / Zekiel Seumalo - 1
Receiving Yards: Makai Puga - 193 yards (3 TD)
Rushing Yards: Caden Harris - 130 yards (2 TD)
Passing Yards: AJ Vele (230 yards, 4 TD, 10-15)

UP NEXT

The Bulldogs will host East LA College for the home opening event on Saturday, September 14th, at 2 PM on the AHC Football Field. This will mark the 9th overall meeting for the two programs with the all-time series record favoring Hancock, 5-3. Tickets can be purchased online at ahcbulldogs.com/ticketing.

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