A Good Opening Sign

AZUSA, CALIF. -- Junior J. D. Fox settled down in his first collegiate start to lead Azuza Pacific to an 18-12 come-from-behind victory over national power La Verne, Saturday night in Azusa.

Fox completed 16-of-25 passes for 199 yards and none was bigger than his last, a 37-yard TD strike to junior Elijah Raphael with 5:12 left in the game. The play capped a 6-play, 86-yard drive in which Fox went 4-of-5 for 89 yards.

The victory snapped La Vernes 21-game regular-season winning streak. The Leopards were handed their first defeat since Oct. 15, 1993, when they fell to Azusa Pacific, 37-32 in La Verne.

The Cougars grabbed a quick 7-0 lead win La Verne mishandled a punt snap that was downed at the Leo 10-yard line. On the next play, Raphael went to his left, turned around and scampered in the opposite direction for a touchdown on his first carry as a Cougar.

La Verne answered with a pair of second quarter TDs. Junior QB Ryan Hawkins, who started for Azusa Pacific last year, hit Ervie Barrnes on a 20-yard TD strike in the endzone to pull the Leo's to within a point. They took the lead on their next possession when Anthony Rice, who rushed for 133 yards on 41 carries (ties a school record) capped an 8-play, 52-yard drive with a 1-yard TD dive.

The Cougars thwarted three La Verne drives with second-half interceptions. Senior Allen Hamm, who was beaten on Barnes TD, secured the Cougar victory when he picked off a Hawkins pass at the Azusa Pacific 30-yard line with less than a minute to play.

"La Verne's defensive gameplan gave us an opportunity to pass and we did," said Cougar Head Coach Vic Shealy. "Fox and our receiving corps executed the passing offense well on that last drive."

Azusa Pacific opens a season at 1-0, while La Verne falls to 0-1.

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