BRIEFS:OCC earns bowl

The Orange Coast College football team will take on Mt. San Antonio in the U.S. Bank Beach Bowl on Saturday at 4 p.m. at Santa Monica College, the Commission on Athletics announced Sunday.

The Pirates (7-3) dropped out of the state championship tournament picture with Saturday’s 17-13 loss to rival Golden West, but with the Southern California region’s No. 8 ranking, they still earned the bowl and will face the No. 7 Mounties (8-2).

Mt. SAC finished the regular season as the American Division’s co-champion with Palomar, but was denied a berth in the state championship tournament by way of a 42-7 loss to the Comets on Nov. 4.

Palomar (6-4), ranked No. 14, earned the eighth seed in the state championship tournament and will take on top-seeded Saddleback in the National Bowl.

OCC has lost its past four meetings with Mt. SAC, dating back to 2001. OCC is 1-12 against the Mounties since 1992. The Pirates defeated Mt. SAC, 26-25, in 2000.

UCI’S MELLO HONORED

UC Irvine junior Colin Mello was named Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Player of the Week in men’s water polo for the week ending Nov. 5.

Mello, a driver, scored six goals including both UCI scores in overtime in a 12-11 win over Long Beach State Nov. 2.

Mello had a career-high seven goals in the Anteaters’ 11-8 win over Cal Baptist Nov. 5.

He might be up for the honor again, as he also scored four goals, including the game winner with 1:57 to play to lift the No. 11 Anteaters to a 9-8 upset victory over fourth-ranked Stanford Saturday.

UCI will play at Long Beach Saturday at noon.