SPORTSCOPE : Azusa Pacific Hopes for Redemption Against Struggling Cal Lutheran

After watching its three-game winning streak come to an end against Menlo College last week, Azusa Pacific will try to return to its successful ways against Cal Lutheran at 1:30 p.m. Saturday at Thousand Oaks.

Azusa Pacific, which suffered a 40-28 loss to Menlo, takes a 3-3 record against Cal Lutheran.

The Kingsmen are 2-6 and have lost two games in a row. However, they have played a difficult schedule, including the last four games against NCAA Division II squads.

Two of the leaders for Azusa Pacific have been running back Tommy Daniel, who rushed for 102 yards in 35 carries against Menlo, and wide receiver Kevin Griffin, who had five receptions.

Cal Lutheran has been paced by quarterback Dan Nagelmann, wide receiver Shane Hawkins and running back Dean Henderson.

The Cougars have been headed on defense by a strong group of linebackers that includes Jeff Gustin and Phil Heppner, the team’s top tacklers.

In other games matching four-year colleges Saturday, Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (2-5) visits La Verne (2-5) at 1:30 p.m. and Pomona-Pitzer (1-5) plays at Whittier (2-5) at 7:30 p.m. in the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.

Claremont will have to contain the passing of La Verne quarterback Mark Brown. Brown had his best game of the season in La Verne’s 42-27 win over Pomona-Pitzer last week, passing for 404 yards and six touchdowns.

La Verne has a solid receiver in tight end John Kusleika who caught eight passes for 180 yards and two touchdowns against Pomona.

Claremont suffered a 35-21 loss to Redlands last week.

Dave Johnson, former Azusa Pacific University track star and one of the top athletes in the world in the decathlon, has been selected by the Athletic Congress (TAC) as one of the five finalists for the 1989 Jesse Owens Award.

The award honors the top track athlete in the U.S. The winner will be announced by TAC at its convention Dec. 1 in Washington D.C.

Johnson, 27, has produced a world-best mark of 8,549 points in the decathlon this season. He competed for Azusa Pacific in 1985 and 1986 and still trains at the school.

Other finalists for the award are triple jumper Mike Conley, hurdlers Sandra Farmer-Patrick and Roger Kingdom and distance runner Patty Sue Plumer.

Two basketball players from the San Gabriel Valley have received honorable mention on the preseason Street & Smith’s High School All-America squad.

La Day Smith, a 6-6 forward from Muir High of Pasadena, was listed among the top seniors in the nation. John McWilliams, a 6-5 junior from Pomona, earned honorable mention on the all-underclassmen team.

McWilliams completed a brilliant season as a sophomore, averaging 24.2 points and 12.2 rebounds, and was selected to the All-Southern Section Division III team. He is also a standout at wide receiver in football.

Smith was a starter for Muir as a junior and averaged about 10 points.

Seven schools from the San Gabriel Valley are in the latest Kinney California State High School Cross-Country Rankings.

Topping the list is Maranatha of Sierra Madre, which has climbed to No. 3 in boys Division III and No. 4 in girls Division III after impressive performances in the Mt. San Antonio College Invitational last week.

Three other valley squads are ranked in boys divisions. San Gabriel is rated No. 10 in Division I, South Pasadena No. 6 in Division II and La Salle of Pasadena No. 5 in Division III.

Among girls, South Hills of West Covina is listed No. 6 and San Marino is tied for 10th with Mitty of San Jose in Division II.