Located in Costa Mesa, 40 minutes southwest of Los Angeles the Pirates of Orange Coast Community College had a wrestling program through the 1980-1981 season.
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Larry Nissen
123 lbs |
Nissen won a CCCAA title in 1962
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Hodge
160 lbs
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Unable to find a first name, Hodge won a CCCAA title in 1966
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Dan Lewig
167 lbs
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Lewig twice placed at the CCCAA championships for the Pirates taking third in 1972 & making the finals in 1973
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Tim Bandel
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Bandel came to Orange Coast from Corona del Mar High School. While competing for the Pirates, Bandel also played football. He continued his wrestling career one season at Utah State & one season at Long Beach State after graduating from Orange Coast. He later won a gold medal at the Pan-American Championships.
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Jeff Noon
150 lbs
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Noon Won a CCCAA title in 1974
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Rob Mella
177 lbs
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In the Pirates final season of wrestling, Mella made the CCCAA finals.
There are a few minor corrections/additions to the Orange Coast College list. Ken Roberts won the State title for OCC in 1959 at 191lbs. Larry Nissen won the title in 1962 and 1963. Hodge's first name is Jim. It is actually Dan Lewis (not Lewig) at 167 and it was Dan Lewis, not Tim Bandel, that won the Gold Medal at the 1979 Pan American Games. Dan went on to wrestle for Cal State Fullerton and later became the CSUF Head Coach, He was also the 180.5 lbs. AAU National Freestyle Champion in 1979 and a Freestyle World Team member in '81. Along with Jeff Noon's '74 title, he was 4th in '73. Jeff went on to wrestle at Southern Oregon College were he was a NAIA District Champion in 1975.
ReplyDeleteOthers Orange Coast CCCAA State placers include:
Don Matson - 2nd @ 147lbs in 1962. Matson won the PAC 10 title at 147 for UCLA in 1964. He was the Head Wrestling Coach at Cal State Fullerton for 1968-1982
Gary Casey 5th at 177lbs in 1973. Gary went on to wrestle at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. He place 4th at the Freestyle Nationals in 1977
Paul La Blanc was 6th at 142 lbs. in 1973. Paul went on to Southern California College (now Vanguard University) where he was the District 3 Champion and a NAIA All American (4th). La Blanc also was the 2x National Sambo Champion and a Silver Medalist at the 1983 Pan American Games.
Andy Lasick, 4th at 190lbs. in 1976
Ron Schiliday 4th at 158lbs, in 1976