Last week, the football team got a chance to take a deep breath and lick some of its wounds before delving back into the rigors of full speed practices this week.

“Last week we backed off a little bit because we wanted to give the guys a chance to get healthy, but this week we are back at it again,” coach John Featherstone said.

The Warriors expect a Saturday return for a number of players who have missed time for them. Freshman running back Ruddy Irving and sophomore fullback Nick Alaimalo will both spend time in the EC backfield.

“The key we have been trying to work on this whole week was the mental part of the game: not to have any sign of complacency,” Featherstone said.

Complacency might be expected, maybe even understood, but it most certainly is something the team cannot afford to do.

The Warriors currently sit atop the Mission Football Conference’s National Division with an unblemished record, 5-0.

Saturday, EC will travel to Orange Coast College’s LeBard Stadium to take on the Pirates in what will be the first of its five divisional games. Kickoff is set for 5 p.m.

“We know we have our hands full against Orange Coast,” Featherstone said. “We have got to continue to work really hard. It’s like a brand new season right now.”

The Pirates’ top-ranked defense is led by a trio of freshman: defensive lineman Justin Williams; linebacker Dave Ronning, and defensive back Cory Nicol.

Williams is very efficient as a pass rusher and currently ranks second in the conference in sacks and first in both tackles for loss and fumbles recoveries. Ronning is averaging home five tackles a game while Nicol shares the conference lead in passes defended with EC’s Nate Ness.

“They have been hanging in there in every game because of their defense,” Featherstone said.

However, the Warriors do have history on their side as they head into Saturday night’s game. LaBard Stadium was the site of EC’s 1987 national championship victory.

“I told the guys today that it has been a very lucky field for us,” Featherstone said. “The only loss we have had down there was against Riverside in 1989 for the national championship.”

After Orange Coast, the Warriors will return home to face one of the league’s toughest teams, Santa Ana College.

“Santa Ana looks very impressive offensively, and defensively they are playing solid,” Featherstone said.

“They’ve been annihilating teams.”

Santa Ana currently sits in second place behind EC with a record of 4-1. They are the only team in the Mission Football Conference to put up more points than the Warriors have this season.

The football team will then head back out on the road to take on Cerritos College and Golden West before returning home for its final game of the season against Saddleback.

“Could we win all five games? I think so. Could we lose a couple games if we don’t show up? I think we could,” Featherstone said.

“Football is football; if you come out for a game and flop around, you are going to get beat.”

The Warriors will take each week one game at a time as they look to improve on their undefeated record this Saturday.

“We have a bull’s eye on us. When you are undefeated, people are fired up to knock you off,” Featherstone said.