Santa Ana Dons lead the pack heading into final two weeks of the season
With just one loss in OEC play, Santa Ana College is atop the standings just ahead of Irvine Valley College and Saddleback College with meetings against both teams.
Well past the midway point of the season, the Santa Ana Dons (13-9, 7-1) are currently leading the pack in first place of the Orange Empire Conference. If the season ended today, the Dons would accomplish a feat that has not been done since the turn of the 21st century, winning the conference title (last done in 1999-00 Coach Ray Rodriguez).
Last season's OEC champion Saddleback College (20-5, 6-2) is also making a strong push for the title and is the only team to hand Santa Ana a conference loss. Irvine Valley College (22-3, 7-2) is a team that cannot be over-looked boasting an excellent overall record and like Saddleback is only a game behind the Dons.
Locked in at fourth place is Riverside City College (10-16, 4-5). Cypress College (7-17, 2-7), Orange Coast College (8-17, 2-6), and Fullerton College (6-18, 2-7) round out the rest of the Orange Empire Conference, as it appears to be a three-team race for the 2013-14 OEC title.
With four games remaining, the title won't come easy to any of the teams involved. Irvine Valley just defeated Saddleback to pull into the mix while the first place Dons still have to play both teams.
Santa Ana travels to Irvine Valley on February 11 before hosting Saddleback on February 19 with a game against Orange Coast in between. Also standing in the Dons way is a Cypress team that took SAC to the wire in the first round.
The Lasers have their home game with the Dons before traveling to Fullerton on February 13. Irvine Valley then hosts Riverside for its final game of the season.
Saddleback hosts Orange Coast and Cypress before its game at Santa Ana. The Gauchos end their season at home against Fullerton.