AZUSA, CALIF. -- It took five tries and a 4th quarter defensive stand, but Azusa Pacific finally defeated Chapman 26-21 in Azusa, Saturday night, for the Cougars first ever win over the Panthers.
"We were poor defensively, but we played real well offensively, considering we were down 2 linemen," said Cougar head coach Vic Shealy, who is now 1-3 against Chapman. "We broke down fundamentally, but we still played hard and our effort was big."
Junior running back/cornerback Jack Williams was the difference, rushing for 229 yards and 1 TD, intercepting a pass in the end zone and making the game-clinching pass deflection on 4th down to give the Cougars the victory, and improve to 3-2 this season. Williams' 229 rushing yards is the 5th best single game performance by a Cougar running back, and the first 200-yard game since Elijah Raphael ran for 211 against the Panthers in 1996.
"The holes were opening up and I wasn't getting touched for 10-15 yards," said Williams.
The Cougars got on the board early, using a pair of long runs by Williams to set up a 1 yard TD run for senior QB Geoff Buffum less than 5 minutes into the game. Chapman got their first points on a safety after the Cougars botched a punt attempt.
Tony Thompson ran in a 1-yard TD early in the 2nd quarter to give the Panthers a 9-7 lead. The Cougars answered with a 23-yard TD pass from Buffum to senior all-American Dexter Davis to give the Cougars a 14-9 lead. But the Panthers used a 1-yard run by Nate Ballinger to take a 15-14 lead at the half.
On the Cougars second drive of the second half, Williams ran the ball in from 21 yards out to give Azusa Pacific a 20-15 lead. Buffum and Davis set up the TD run with a 49-yard pass-and-catch. The Panthers scored on the final play of the 3rd quarter when Greg Hyland hit Dave Vaccaro, giving Chapman its final lead, 21-20.
Only 3 minutes into the 4th quarter, Buffum and Davis hooked up for a 10-yard TD to give the Cougars a 26-21 lead.
The Cougars stopped the Panthers on a 4th and goal from the 19 when Williams knocked down a Hyland pass.
"Jack (Williams) and Dexter (Davis) are the heart of our offense," said Shealy.
Davis finished with 8 receptions for 121 yards and 2 TDs and Buffum was 12-for-25 for 152 yards and 2 TD passes. Senior linebacker Jamen Wurm finished with a career-high 19 tackles (11 solo) and senior linebacker Elbert Baker had 14 tackles (12 solo).
Scoring by Quarters
Chapman 2 13 6 0 -- 21
Azusa Pacific 7 7 6 6 -- 26
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
SCORING
Geoff Buffum (APU) 1 run, 10:10 1st quarter, (Daichendt kick)
Chapman safety (Litchfield tackled in end zone), 6:08 1st quarter
Thompson (CU) 1 run, 12:15 2nd quarter, (Freer kick)
Dexter Davis (APU) 23 pass, 9:11 2nd quarter, (Daichendt kick)
Nate Ballinger (CU) 1 run, 4:48 2nd quarter, (run failed)
Jack Williams (APU) 21 run, 7:31 3rd quarter, (pass failed)
Dave Vaccaro (CU) 9 pass, 0:00 3rd quarter, (pass failed)
Dexter Davis (APU) 10 pass, 11:55 4th quarter,(run failed)
PASSING
Geoff Buffum (APU) 12-25, 152 yds, 2 TD, 0 INT
Jack Williams (APU) 0-1, 0 yds, 0 TD, 0 INT
Greg Hyland (CU) 18-37, 151 yds, 1 TD, 1 INT
RUSHING
Jack Williams (APU), 20 att., 229 yds, 1 TD
Nate Ballinger (CU), 25 att., 99 yds, 1 TD
TEAM STATISTICS
APU CU
OFFENSE 388 yds 304 yds
RUSHING 236 yds 153 yds
PASSING 152 yds 151 yds
