Monday, October 14, 2013

PORTLAND, Ore. -  Former Kansas City Chief Christian Okoye was in attendance Saturday to watch his alma mater Azusa Pacific play Simon Fraser.

That was good timing for Okoye who got to watch as Cougar running back Terrell Watson broke his 27-year old school single-game rushing record.

Watson rushed for 302 yards and five touchdowns eclipsing Okoye's old  record of 248 he held jointly with  Marcus Lampkin.  Okoye rushed for 248 in 1986 against Cal Lutheran.  Lampkin equaled his mark in 2005 against Valley City State.

Watson also broke APU career records for rushing touchdowns and total touchdowns increasing his totals to 38 and 39.  He also became just the second player in GNAC history to rush for 300 yards in a single game joining Central Washington’s Nat Conley who had 322 yards against Humboldt State in 2001. 

In two seasons in the GNAC, Watson has rushed for 2,032 yards  and ranks 10th on the GNAC all-time chart.  Counting the season before APU joined the GNAC, Watson has a grand total of 2,729 career rushing yards.

Watson, who had 232 yards and four touchdowns in the fourth quarter alone, was selected as the GNAC Red Lion Offensive Player of the Week.

Azusa Pacific scored 41 points in the second half, including 31 in the fourth quarter, to rally from a 23-3 deficit and defeat Simon Fraser 44-36.

The 41-point second half was the highest scoring second half in school history.  The Cougars scored 51 points in a half twice in the 2004 season, but each came in the first half of games. 

Its 31-point fourth quarter was just three points shy of the GNAC record for most points in a quarter set by Central Washington against Western Oregon.

How Close Was the GNAC First-Half?

Except for double-digit comebacks by co-leaders Central Washington and Azusa Pacific Saturday, five teams would have finished the first half of the conference race tied with 3-2 records. 

CWU overcame a 17-3 first-half deficit to edge Dixie State 27-24 and Azusa Pacific overcame a 23-3 deficit at halftime to edge Simon Fraser to stay tied for first. 

The largest deficit ever overcome in GNAC history was 24 points by Humboldt State against Western Oregon in 2001.

Jesse Zalk keyed CWU's comeback gaining 217 all-purpose yards, including 113 on three kickoff returns and 104 yards on a GNAC season-high 14 receptions to earn GNAC Special Team Player of the Week honors.

In the second quarter, he returned a kickoff 53 yards to set up a 34-yard field goal by Sean McDonald. Zalk scored on a seven-yard TD reception with 2:28 left to tie the game at 24-24. 

He then set up a game-winning 44-yard field goal by Sean McDonald with a 26-yard catch to the Dixie 29 with 14 seconds remaining.  

The second half opens this Saturday with Central Washington playing at Simon Fraser (2 p.m.), Humboldt State entertaining Azusa Pacific (6 p.m.) and Western Oregon visiting Dixie State (6 p.m.).

Central Washington Among National Defensive Leaders

Central Washington is ranked in the Top 10 in two team defensive categories in this week's NCAA Division II national statistical report.

The Wildcats are ranked seventh in scoring defense allowing 14.8 points per game and 10th in rushing defense allowing 88.7 yards per game.

In individual categories the top ranked player is Western Oregon's Kraig Akins who ranks sixth in forced fumbles with three in six games.  CWU's Isaiah Davis ranks seventh in interceptions with four in six games.

NATIONAL STATISTICS (Through Oct. 12): Team (Top 30): Total Defense – 28. Central Washington 320.2. Scoring Defense – 7. Central Washington 14.8. Rushing Defense – 10. Central Washington 88.7. Passing Offense – 19. Dixie State 306.8.  Passing Efficiency Defense – 12. Central Washington 101.3.  Kick Returns – 26. Central Washington 23.6. Kick Return Defense – 19. Simon Fraser 16.13. Punt Returns – 29. Simon Fraser 12.71. Punt Return Defense – 23. Central Washington 3.44. Pass Sacks – 21. Central Washington 3.0. Individuals (Top 30): Rushing – 19. Jordan Todd, CWU, 120.2.  Passing – 24. Griff Robles, DSU, 281.0. Total Offense – 11. Griff Robles, DSC, 339.3. Scoring – 20. JD Duncan, DSU, 10.0. Receptions – 9. Chase Krivashei, HSU, 8.3; 23. JD Duncan, DSU, 7.0.  Punt Returns -  24. Isaiah Davis, CWU, 11.8. Field Goals – 8. Chad Heerspink, SFU, 1.50; 26. Matt Bruder, HSU, 1.20. Interceptions – 7. Isaiah Davis, CWU, 0.67; 18. Casey Chin, SFU, 0.60; 24. Daniel Moffett, DSU, 0.50. Kickoff Returns – 27. Patrick Tepea, WOU, 28.2. Total Tackles – 8. Casey Chin, SFU, 12.2; 29. Jake Duncan, DSU, 10.2.  Solo Tackles – 17. Casey Chin, SFU, 6.4. Tackles For Losses – 26. Kraig Akins, WOU, 1.6. Pass Sacks – 16. Timothy Ehinger, DSU, 1.0; 19. Kraig Akins, WOU. 0.9.  Forced Fumbles – 6. Kraig Akins, WOU, 0.50; 17. Eric Murphy, SFU, 0.40; 30. Timothy Ehinger, DSU, Robert Metz, DSU, and Deionte Gordon, CWU, 0.33. Fumbles Recovered – 15. Mitchell Barnett, SFU, 0.40; 29. Ronnie Hicks, HSU, Ryan Moreno, HSU, and Nathan Sanchez, HSU, 0.40.  Passes Defended – 7. Isaiah Davis, CWU, 1.8.

For more GNAC football highlights, check out the GNAC Weekly Report.