GLENDORA, Calif. -- Azusa Pacific began the 2017 season with the goal of making history, and the Cougars finished off the campaign with an emphatic 56-35 win over No. 14-ranked Colorado Mesa.
The performance was a fitting salute to a 19-member senior class honored before the game, a group which included QB Andrew Elffers who promptly delivered a school and conference record-tying six touchdown passes to lead Azusa Pacific's explosive offense. Elffers completed 21-of-37 passes for 333 yards. Sophomore Weston Carr posted his first career 200-yard receiving game with 10 catches for 203 yards and three touchdowns.
Meanwhile, a defense led by seniors Jason Schwartz and Taliuaki Suliafu produced six turnovers and limited the nation's No. 3 scoring offense nearly two touchdowns below its season average while holding the Mavericks to just 327 yards of total offense. The Cougars had five takeaways in the first half alone, including a fumble recovery by Schwartz and the first of Suliafu's two interceptions.
With the win, Azusa Pacific wrapped up the 2017 season with a 7-4 overall record. The Cougars went a perfect 3-0 in non-conference play, elevating the Great Northwest Athletic Conference's Division II non-conference record to 9-2 on the year.
How It Happened: Azusa Pacific produced takeaways on five of Colorado Mesa's eight first-half possessions, cruising into the closing seconds of the first half with a 35-14 lead before the Mavericks captured some momentum heading into halftime with Virnel Moon's 89-yard kickoff return for touchdown to cut the Cougars' lead to 35-21. The Mavericks came back to tie the game with consecutive touchdown drives to start the third quarter and had a chance to take the lead with a 45-yard field goal attempt late in the third quarter.
The Cougars regrouped and took control of the game in the fourth quarter, capping an 8-play, 73-yard scoring drive with Elffers' 26-yard TD pass to Darrell Adams Jr. to spark a 21-point fourth quarter. The defense kept CMU's comeback hopes in check, limiting the Mavericks to 24 yards of total offense in the fourth quarter.
Turning Point: Colorado Mesa scored touchdowns on its first two possessions of the third quarter to tie the game at 35-35, and the Mavericks marched inside the Azusa Pacific 30-yard line with a chance to take the lead. However, Ryan Sheehan's 45-yard field goal attempt hooked to the left of the goalposts, and the Elffers-led offense marched 73 yards down the field to regain the lead.
Azusa Pacific Standouts: Elffers tied the Azusa Pacific and GNAC single-game records for passing touchdowns (6), and his 333-yard passing effort was the second-highest single-game passing yardage of his career. Carr's 10-catch, 203-yard effort was his seventh game this season with at least 160 yards receiving, and he also owns an eight-game streak with at least one touchdown catch. Kurt Scoby rushed for a game-high 160 yards and 2 touchdowns on 34 carries.
Suliafu and Lavell Thomas each had two interceptions, and LeAndre Jefferson had the other one, while Schwartz fell on a fumble forced by Ma'ake Muti to give Azusa Pacific six takeaways. Aaron Berry registered a team-high 10 tackles, including a pair of tackles for loss, and he finished as the team's season tackling leader with 84 tackles.
Colorado Mesa Standouts: Dual-threat QB Eystin Salum led Colorado Mesa with 67 rushing yards on 20 carries, although he was limited to 9-of-22 passing for just 127 yards. David Tann added 9 carries for 60 yards and a touchdown. Tom Saager (13 tackles) and Blake Nelson (12 tackles) paced the Mavericks defense, and Hunter Smith brought down Elffers for a 26-yard sack midway through the third quarter.
What's Next: Azusa Pacific kicks off the 2018 campaign at home against West Texas A&M on Saturday, Sept. 8, 2018.
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