Williams Runs Wild as Azusa Advances

Running back Jack Williams ran for 198 yards and two touchdowns and quarterback Neo Aoga threw for a school-record 426 yards and two more scores as Azusa Pacific defeated Hastings of Nebraska, 38-35, in an NAIA quarterfinal game Saturday night before 2,107 at Azusa.

The Cougars (9-2) trailed, 27-24, going into the fourth quarter. But Williams’ run from inside the Hastings one-yard line gave them the lead for good only 56 seconds into the quarter.

It was the first loss of the year for Hastings, which fell to 11-1.

The Cougars will next host top-seeded and 12-0 Georgetown of Kentucky in a semifinal on Saturday night at 6 p.m.

After a scoreless first 15 minutes, Aoga opened the scoring with a 32-yard scoring strike to Caleb Willis only six seconds into the second quarter. He connected with Willis again in the third quarter to give Hastings a 20-17 lead.

After a 45-yard run by Hastings’ Travis Soucie made it 27-17 with 9:15 to go in the third, the Cougars responded with a five-play, 72-yard drive, capped off by Williams’ other score, another one-yarder.

Backup quarterback Luke Winslow and sophomore running back Adam Shelly connected on a two-yard pass for the Cougars’ other touchdown. That made it 38-27 Azusa Pacific with 3:53 to play.

Bo Bienskowaski scored on a four-yard run only 49 seconds later for the Broncos, who made the two-point conversion.