Football 9/28/1985 11:56:00 PM Gary Pine

Strong Statement Made

Azusa Pacific Snaps Oxy's 20-game Win Streak

AZUSA, Calif. – Perhaps the magnitude of the game got the best of everyone because this was far from a well-played contest, but there is no mistaking that the end result was monumental.

Playing possibly its most significant game in program history, Azusa Pacific rallied from its first deficit of the young season to beat Occidental, 31-14, before more than 2,000 fans at the Hillside Field Saturday afternoon. The Cougar victory snaps Occidental's 20-game regular-season winning streak and, in the process, serves notice that APU is to be reckoned with as one of the best small-college programs in California, even if its performance today was far from artistic.

The game carried all the hype a local small-college contest could handle. It featured 2 of the nationa's best running backs in each association – Occidental's Vance Mueller (NCAA DIII) and Azusa Pacific's Christian Okoye (NAIA). Occidental arrived on the APU campus as the standard-bearer of small college football in California. Azusa Pacific, on the other hand, was the up-and-comer in local football. Added to the drama was an "NBC Sports" banner that hung the Azusa Pacific pressbox, giving what eventually proved to be a false assumption the thought that the network was present because of the significance of the game (it was discovered after the game that the banner was "borrowed" from the California Angels storage room and was secretively mounted on the pressbox Friday night.)

As for the actual play on the field, the Cougars scored 2 touchdowns on the ground and 2 more through the air, racking up 371 yards of total offense while registering its third straight 30-point game. The Azusa Pacific defense held Oxy's powerful ground game to just 21 yards rushing and for the third straight game held its opponent scoreless in the second half. Those were the highlights.

Conversely, the 2 teams combined for 9 turnovers and 17 penalties. Azusa Pacific eventually found a way to overcome itself. Occidental never did.

Azusa Pacific scored on its first possession of the game when senior QB David Russell capped a 13-play, 70-yard drive with a 1-yard plunge into the endzone to put the Cougars up 7-0 with just under 6 minutes left in the first quarter. A Terry Patterson interception on Oxy's next possession at the Tiger 17-yard line set up a Mike Guipe field goal that gave the Cougars control at 10-0 at the end of the first quarter.

However, Occidental answered, first going 79 yards on the ensuing drive and then parlaying a Cougar roughing-the-kicker penalty to keep alive another drive to tally a pair of Mueller TDs, the first from 2 yards out and the second from the 1-yard line, putting Oxy up 14-10 at halftime. It was the Cougars' first deficit in 3 games this season.

Yet, as it has done continually in this young campaign, the Cougar defense was dominant in the second half. Early in the third quarter, Patterson recovered a Mueller fumble, and 3 plays later Russell connected with senior RB Jon Milhon for a 30-yard TD strike to put the Cougars back up 17-14.

On the strength of defensive tackles Eric Lemaster and Rod Price, the Cougars sacked Oxy QB Pat Guthrie 5 times and forced him to fumble the ball twice. Guthrie was never able to find his rhythm, completing just 12-of-33 passes for 149 yards. He was picked off again late in the game by Cougar safety Mark Bitetti, who returned the interception 32 yards to seal the Tigers' fate.

Christian Okoye rushed for a game-high 147 yards on 23 carries. His 5-yard TD blast with 4 minutes left in the third quarter highlighted a 5-play, 40-yard drive that gave the Cougars some breathing room at 24-14 heading into the fourth quarter. Okoye, fullback Greg Johnson, and Milhon rushed for a combined 257 yards, averaging 6.6 yards on their 39 carries throughout the game.

Senior WR Ted Campbell capped the game's scoring early in the fourth quarter with a 20-yard TD grab from Russell. Russell, who entered the game having completed 26-of-31 passes through the first 2 games of the season, was frustrated by the Tiger defense, and was held to a 6-for-16 effort for just 96 yards and his first 2 interceptions of the year.

With the win Azusa Pacific improves to 3-0 on the season. Dating back to last year, APU has now won 10 straight, the longest winning streak in program history. Additionally, the Cougars' 112 points scored thus far are the most through 3 games in program history.

With the setback, Occidental drops to 2-1 and suffers its first regular-season loss since falling 32-31 at Cal Lutheran to open the 1983 season.

Print Friendly Version

Players Mentioned

#1 Ted Campbell: WR; 6' 0"; Senior

#6 Mike Guipe: PK; 6' 0"; Junior

#7 David Russell: QB; 5' 11"; Senior

#8 Terry Patterson: DB; 6' 0"; Senior

#28 Jon Milhon: RB; 5' 7"; Senior

#35 Christian Okoye: RB; 6' 2"; Senior

#41 Greg Johnson: RB; 5' 8"; Senior

#49 Mark Bitetti: DB; 5' 9"; Senior

#64 Rod Price: NG; 6' 2"; Junior

Players Mentioned

#1 Ted Campbell
: 6' 0"; Senior
: WR

#6 Mike Guipe
: 6' 0"; Junior
: PK

#7 David Russell
: 5' 11"; Senior
: QB

#8 Terry Patterson
: 6' 0"; Senior
: DB

#28 Jon Milhon
: 5' 7"; Senior
: RB

#35 Christian Okoye
: 6' 2"; Senior
: RB

#41 Greg Johnson
: 5' 8"; Senior
: RB

#49 Mark Bitetti
: 5' 9"; Senior
: DB

#64 Rod Price
: 6' 2"; Junior
: NG