Azusa Pacific Football Team Still Seeking Division II Playoff Bid

Clinging to faint hopes for a National Assn. of Intercollegiate Athletics Division II playoff berth, the Azusa Pacific University football team will play host to the University of San Diego in its season finale at 1:30 p.m. Saturday.

The Cougars, who were ranked 20th in Division II last week before suffering a 27-23 loss to UC Santa Barbara, are 6-2. San Diego, one of the top teams on the West Coast in the NCAA Division III, is also 6-2.

“We’re going to tell our kids that with a win against San Diego, at 7-2, we’re not out of the national playoff picture,” Azusa Coach Jim Milhon said. “And 7-2 is a lot better than 6-3.”

But Milhon expects a difficult game from the Toreros, who defeated Azusa, 24-6, last season.

“(San Diego) beat Menlo at Menlo and did it handily (28-14 on Oct. 27),” Milhon said. “That’s something we have not done well.”

He is also concerned about San Diego’s passing game and its defense.

“Their quarterback, Brian Murphy, is a senior and plays very well,” Milhon said. “He really handled us last year. Their defense is active and our offense will face a challenge against them. We’ve got to shake ourselves from the Santa Barbara loss and come back and play well in order to win.”

Azusa quarterback Brian Hunt has established several school passing records in the past two weeks. Hunt, a senior and former Glendora High standout, completed 40 of 62 passes for 416 yards--all school single-game records--in the loss to Santa Barbara.

He also became the school’s single-season leader in completions with 197, passing yardage with 2,342 and total offense with 2,357.

The Cougars have also received strong play from their defense, which is ranked in the Division II top 10 in rushing defense and total defense.

After finishing a disappointing 23rd at the 1990 Air Force Premier tournament in Colorado Springs, Colo., last week, the Cal Poly Pomona women’s volleyball team will return to California Collegiate Athletic Assn. play when it visits Cal State Los Angeles at 7:30 p.m. Friday.

The Broncos (27-11 overall and 4-2 in the conference as the week began) are ranked 10th in NCAA Division II by the American Volleyball Coaches Assn.

Cal State L.A. (13-18, 1-6) has been sparked by senior outside hitter Patty Lomeli, who leads the conference in hitting percentage at .312. She is also ranked No. 5 in Division II with an average of 4.01 kills.

Among the leaders for Pomona have been sophomore outside hitter Alicia Burns, senior outside hitter Jody Fee and senior middle blocker Linda Tschasar.

The East Los Angeles College men’s soccer team, ranked No. 2 among state community colleges with an 18-1 record, will wrap up its schedule with a game against visiting Mt. San Antonio at 3 p.m. Friday.

The Huskies’ only loss was to Cal State San Bernardino, 1-0.

East Los Angeles has been led on offense by freshman forward Julio Umana with 16 goals and freshman midfielder Jose Moran with 14 goals. The top defensive player has been freshman sweeper Jose Umana, Julio’s twin brother.

“We think he’s the finest sweeper in Southern California,” Coach Bob Oseguera said.

The Huskies, who have allowed only 11 goals, also have an outstanding goalkeeper in Diego Reyes. The sophomore has 10 shutouts.

Oseguera expects his team to be one of the favorites when the state regional playoffs start Nov. 17. The Huskies lost to Orange Coast, 2-1, in the Southern California final last year.

“We feel we’re a better team this year,” he said. “Depth has been a real plus for us this year.”