Monday, November 11, 2013

PORTLAND, Ore. - Records for rushing, all-purpose running and defense all fell and Azusa Pacific won its first conference title to highlight a remarkable day of football in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference Saturday.

The Cougars wrapped up the conference title Saturday night with a 23-20 home win over Dixie State after Western Oregon had all but eliminated Central Washington 32-26 earlier in the day at Monmouth, leaving the defending champion Wildcats in a tie for second with the Wolves.

Jamie Cacciatore's 25-yard field goal as time expired secured the title for the Cougars, who improved to 8-2, including 8-1 in the GNAC moving two games ahead of the Wildcats (6-4, 6-3) and Wolves (6-4, 6-3) with one game to play.

The season concludes this Saturday as Azusa Pacific heads north to take on Simon Fraser, Central Washington heads south to play Dixie State and Western Oregon travels to Arcata to play Humboldt State.

Among the record setters Saturday were APU running back Terrell Watson, Simon Fraser linebacker Casey Chin, Humboldt State wide receiver Chase Krivashei and Dixie State quarterback Griff Robles.

Watson set a GNAC single season rushing record (1,582) and tied season (18) and career records (29) for rushing touchdowns in APU's victory, while Chin established a new GNAC record for most tackles for loss in a single game (6 1/2) in the Clan's 38-17 home win over Humboldt State.

Krivashei netted a GNAC single-game record of 331 all-purpose yards in his team's loss to Simon Fraser.

Robles had 337 yards in total offense, recording his eighth consecutive 300-yard game and equaling the GNAC single-season record for 300-yard contests.

Meanwhile, Western Oregon running back Joe Harris ripped off a GNAC-record 90-yard run and two more Wolf receivers -Antoinne Wafer and Dustin Hurd - had 100-yard receiving games.  They are the fourth and fifth different WOU receivers to reach the century mark this season, the most in GNAC history.

Chin had 15 total tackles increasing his season totals to 110.  He had 61 solos, just five shy of the GNAC single-season record of 66.  The Clan linebacker ranks seventh nationally in both categories, averaging 12.2 and 6.8, respectively.

He is one of seven players ranked in the Top 10 in this week's national statistical report.

Robles ranks fourth in total offense (371.3).  Central Washington's Isaiah Davis ranks sixth in interceptions (0.6).  CWU's Jesse Zalk  ranks seventh in kickoff returns (31.1). Krivashei ranks eighth in total receptions (8.6). 

Mitch Barnett of Simon Fraser ranks eighth in fumble recoveries (0.33) and Kraig Akins of Western Oregon ranks ninth in forced fumbles (0.4) to complete the list.

In team categories, Simon Fraser ranks second in punt returns (18.9) for the lone Top 10 rank in a major category.

NATIONAL STATISTICS (Through Nov. 10): Team (Top 30):  Passing Offense – 16. Dixie State 314.8; 27. Western Oregon 290.5.  Total Defense – 22. Central Washington 319.1.  Rushing Defense – 12. Central Washington 95.7.   Passing Efficiency Defense – 24. Central Washington 110.0.  Scoring Defense – 14. Central Washington 17.3.  Kickoff Returns – 19. Central Washington 24.0; 27. Simon Fraser 23.2.  Punt Returns – 2. Simon Fraser 18.9.    Pass Sacks – 29. Central Washington 2.70. Punt Return Defense – 12. Central Washington 2.86.  Individual (Top 30): All-Purpose – 23. Chase Krivashei, HSU, 159.3. Rushing – 28. Jordan Todd, CWU, 109.6.  Passing – 12. Griff Robles, DSU, 298.8; 19. Ryan Bergman, WOU, 288.9  Total Offense – 4. Griff Robles, DSU, 371.3.  Receptions – 8. Chase Krivashei, HSU, 8.6; 17. JD Duncan, DSU, 7.1.  Receiving Yards – 21. JD Duncan, DSU, 104.5. Punt Returns – 20. Isaiah Davis, CWU, 13.3. Kickoff Returns – 7. Jesse Zalk, CWU, 31.1. Field Goals – 18. Matt Bruder, HSU, 1.2; 21. Chad Heerspink, SFU, 1.1.  Interceptions – 6. Isaiah Davis, CWU, 0.6.  Total Tackles – 7. Casey Chinn, SFU, 12.2. Solo Tackles – 7. Casey Chin, SFU, 6.8.  Forced Fumbles – 9. Kraig Akins, WOU, 0.4; 17. Keenan North, SFU, 0.33.  Fumbles Recovered – 8. Mitchell Barnett, SFU, 0.33. Passes Defended – 20. Isaiah Davis, CWU, 1.4. 

2013 GNAC INDIVIDUAL STELLAR GAMES

100-Yard Rushing Games: 8 – Terrell Watson, APU. 6 – Jordan Todd, CWU.  5 - Chris Tolbert, SFU. 3 – Griff Robles, DSU; Joe Harris, WOU; Myles Burton, DSC.  1 – Devauntee Hoffman, WOU; Kyle Morris, HSU; Jamarie Sanders, HSU; Joe Harris, WOU.

200-Yard Passing Games: 10 – Griff Robles, DSU.  8 – Ryan Bergman, WOU. 6 - Ryan Stanford, SFU. 5 - Kyle Morris, HSU. 1 – Spencer Phillips, HSU; Casey Mintz, HSU; Jake Nelson, CWU; Dasmen Stewart, APU.

300-Yard Passing Games: 4 – Griff Robles, DSU. 3 – Ryan Bergman, WOU. 1 – Kyle Morris, HSU; Ryan Stanford, SFU; Casey Mintz, HSU.

300-Yard Total Offense Games: 8 – *Griff Robles, DSU.  4 – Ryan Bergman, WOU. 2 – Kyle Morris, HSU; 1 – Ryan Stanford, SFU; Casey Mintz, HSU; Terrell Watson, APU.  *Ties GNAC single-season record.

100-Yard Receiving Games: 5 - Joe Don Duncan, DSU. 4 - Mitch Frei, DSU. 3 - Kelechi Nwadibia, HSU; Tyrell Williams, WOU;  Chase Krivashei, HSU. 2 - Lemar Durant, SFU. 1 - Michael Reeve, WOU; Jesse Zalk, CWU; Robert Borcky, SFU; Lucas Gonsalves, WOU; Antoinne Wafer, WOU; Dustin Hurd, WOU.

GNAC RED LION PLAYERS OF THE WEEK

Offense – Terrell Watson, Azusa Pacific (RB, 6-2, 230, Jr., Oxnard, CA) and Ryan Bergman, Western Oregon (QB, 6-2, 175, Jr., Issaquah, WA) ... Watson rushed for 123 yards and one touchdown and also caught four passes for 33 yards as the Cougars clinched the GNAC title with a 23-20 win over Dixie State.  In the process, Watson set a GNAC single-season rushing record with 1,582 yards, eclipsing the old mark of 1,579 by Humboldt State’s Nick Ricciardulli last season.  Watson scored on a five-yard run in the fourth quarter tying the game at 13-13 and also tying the GNAC single-season record of 18 rushing touchdowns set by Willie Johnson of Central Washington in 2002 ... Bergman passed for 405 yards and four touchdowns to lead the Wolves to a 32-26 win over Central Washington. Bergman leads the GNAC this season with three 400-yard passing game. Saturday’s effort came against a Central Washington defense that hadn’t allowed more than 24 points in a single game all season and had allowed less than 200 yards passing in five of its six previous contests.  Among his touchdown passes was a GNAC season-long 78-yard pass to Dustin Hurd.

Defense – Casey Chin, Simon Fraser (LB, 5-10, 214, Sr., Port Moody, BC – New Westminster) had a GNAC single-game record 6 ½ tackles for losses of 27 yards including 2 ½ sacks for losses of 17, in leading the Clan to a 38-17 home win against Humboldt State.  Chin, who had 15 tackles including 10 solos, broke the old GNAC record for tackles of losses of six set by  Jacob Galloway of Central Washington against Eastern Oregon in 2004.   Chin came into the contest ranked eighth nationally in tackles.  On the season he now has 110 tackles, including 61 solos.  The GNAC single-season records are 128 and 66, respectively, by Caleb Jessup of Western Washington during the 2008 season.

Special Teams – Chase Krivashei, Humboldt State (WR/KR, 5-9, 165, Fr., Corona, CA - Centennial) had 138 return yards in setting a GNAC single-game record for all-purpose yards, finishing with 331 yards.  Krivashei had 113 yards on five kickoff returns and 25 on four punts.  He also had 179 yards on 12 receptions.  The old all-purpose record was 322 by Nat Conley of Central Washington in 2001 against Humboldt State.  All of Conley’s yards came on the ground. On the season, Krivashei ranks second in the GNAC in all-purpose yards (159.3) and is the conference leader in receptions with 86 for 845 yards.

Honorable Mention – Sean Barber, Azusa Pacific (LB, 6-1, 220, Sr., Edgewood, WA - Puyallup), playing for the first time since Oct. 5, led the Cougars with 13 tackles and also had a 29-yard interception return to set up one of three Jamie Cacciatore field goals ... Cacciatore (K, 5-8, 175, So., Orange, CA – El Modena) made all three of his field goal attempts, including the game-winner from 25 yards.  He also converted on two extra points and averaged 37.2 yards on five punts ... Chris Tolbert, Simon Fraser (RB, 6-0, 190, Jr., Silver Spring, MD – Central Connecticut) rushed for 153 yards and two touchdowns recording his fifth 100-yard game of the season and increasing his season rushing total to 902 yards to lead the Clan to a 38-17 win over Humboldt State at Terry Fox Field. Tolbert scored on runs of eight and three yards, the latter with 1:19 remaining in the fourth quarter to seal the victory ... AJ Hull, Western Oregon (DB, 5-10, 170, Fr., Kenai, AK) sealed the Wolves’ win with an interception return for a touchdown with 1:02 remaining in the game.  He also had five tackles.  Hull has three interceptions on the season, two for touchdowns.

Watson Rewriting GNAC Rushing Record Book

Azusa Pacific running back Terrell Watson set a GNAC single-season record for rushing yards Saturday increasing his total to 1,582 yards and eclipsing the old mark of 1,579 by Humboldt State’s Nick Ricciardulli last season. 

He also tied GNAC single-season (18) and career records (29) for rushing touchdowns and is closing in on the GNAC single season and career records for 100-yard rushing games of nine and 14.  He has eight this season and 13 in his two seasons in the conference. 

The current record-holders are Central Washington’s Willie Johnson (2001) for single-season touchdowns (18), HSU’s Ricciardulli for most single-season 100-yard games (9), and HSU’s Lyndon Rowells (2010-11) for most 100-yard career games (14) and most career touchdowns (29).

Another GNAC rushing record fell at Monmouth Saturday as Western Oregon’s Joe Harris, who finished with 141 yards on 13 carries, had a 90-yard non-scoring run in the third quarter. 

That is the longest run from scrimmage in GNAC history eclipsing a 86-yard run by Gabriel Ephard of Simon Fraser against Western Oregon in 2011.  The run didn’t result in points as the Wolves then missed a field goal.

3,373 and Counting

In two seasons in the GNAC, Watson has rushed for 2,676 yards to rank fourth in conference history in career rushing yards.  He needs 160 yards Saturday in APU’s final game of the season at Simon Fraser to match the  record of 2,836 by Jason Taroli of Western Oregon between 1997 and 1999 and in 2001. 

Including 697 yards in his freshman season before APU joined the GNAC, Watson now has rushed for 3,373 yards.  Also ahead of Watson on the GNAC career list is Duncan Sherrard of Western Washington (2,761 between 2002 and 2005) and Lynden Rowells of Humboldt State (2,726 in 2010 and 2011).

100 Yard Receivers

Antoine Wafer (6 receptions) and Dustin Hurd (5 receptions) each had 124 receiving yards in Western Oregon’s 32-26 win over Central Washington Saturday becoming the fourth and fifth different WOU players to reach the century mark this season. 

That is the most in GNAC history. 

Previously four teams – Humboldt State (2001), Central Washington (2008, 2011), Dixie State (2009) and the Wolves (2008, 2010) – have had four 100-yard receivers  in the same season.

Tyrell Williams, Michael Reeve and Lucas Gonsalves have also had 100-yard games this season for the Wolves.

More From The Record Book

Dixie State quarterback Griff Robles had 337 yards in total offense, 74 rushing on 17 carries and 263 passing (19-32-3) in the Red Storm’s loss Saturday at Glendora, recording his eighth consecutive 300-yard total offense game. 

That is twice as many as anyone else in GNAC history.  The previous record was four by Mike Reilly of Central Washington in 2008.  Simon Fraser’s Trey Wheeler matched Reilly’s record last year. 

Robles also matched Reilly’s single-season record of eight 300-yard games he set in 2008.

Long Return, Take 2

Simon Fraser’s Tore Corrado had a 99-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in the Clan’s 38-17 home win against Humboldt State.  That’s the third longest in GNAC history and one yard shy of the record. 

Cache Morgan of Dixie State had a pair of 100-yard returns in 2011 against Adams State and in 2012 against Azusa Pacific.  It was also the second long return by the Clan in two weeks. 

Earl Anderson returned a punt 70 yards for a touchdown in the Clan’s 42-35 loss to Dixie State last Saturday equaling the seventh longest return in GNAC history.

Going The Other Way For 2

Central Washington defensive back Stan Langlow had a two-point defensive PAT in the Wildcats’ loss to Western Oregon.  That’s the eighth defensive PAT in GNAC history. 

The last was by CWU’s Ridge Nielsen last season (Nov. 10, 2012) against Dixie State and was one of three during the 2012 season in the GNAC.

For more GNAC Football News check out the GNAC Weekly Report.