Cougars Hang On to Edge Whittier

AZUSA, CALIF. -- Sophomore quarterback Bryan Lucas threw three touchdown passes in leading Azusa Pacific to a 20-14 nonconference win over Whittier in Azusa Saturday night. Lucas completed 24-of-35 passes for 279 yards, a career high, in leading a new-look no-huddle Cougar offense.

"It was a dream to run an offense like that and have a lot of receivers to throw to," said Lucas about the new system. "The receivers and I were really clicking and they were catching, so I kept throwing to then."

After a scoreless first quarter, it was the Cougar special team that started the scoring. A blocked punt that rolled through the back of the end zone for a safety gave Azusa Pacific a 2-0 lead at 8:52 of the second quarter. Lucas got the offense going with the first of his two touchdown passes to John Daniels, a five-yard completion, with 3:17 left in the quarter. A 2-point conversion attempt field and with no further scoring, the Cougars went into the half up 8-0.

The Cougars stretched the margin to 14-0 when Lucas spotted Justin Duarte from 9 yards out for his second strike of the evening less than 4 minutes into the second half.

Whittier took away the mounting momentum when it blocked a D.J. Williams punt and recovered it on the Azusa Pacific two-yard line. Two plays later, running back Donjay Hardaway scored from a yard out with 4:02 to play in the third quarter and cut the Cougar lead to 14–7.

Lucas and the Cougar offense put the game away with a nine-play, 95-yard drive, culminating in Daniels' second touchdown grab, a 19-yard catch with 10:25 to play, to stretch Azusa Pacific's lead to 20-7.

The Poets tallied their final score when Brian Perez found Jeremy Snyder from 15 yards out with 2:26 to play in the game.

"I'm really proud of the way our offense adjusted to this style of play," said head coach Vic Shealy. "I felt after last week's game against La Verne, our offense needed a spark. The guys were very excited about it and were successful in executing it."

Azusa Pacific hosts the NAIA's No 15-ranked Central Washington next Saturday in the Cougars' final regular-season home contest. The Cougars notched the fourth consecutive victory, and improve to 4-3, while the Poets, who are without the services of starting quarterback Steve Luce, who suffered a separated shoulder last week, fall to 3-3.

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