Clan loses season finale to Azusa Pacific

GLENDORA, Calif. – Simon Fraser University scored the first and last touchdowns of the game. In between, Azusa Pacific reeled off 38 points for a 38-17 victory over the Clan in the final 2015 football game of the season.

The loss left Simon Fraser 0-9 overall and 0-6 in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference. Azusa Pacific concludes the season 6-4 (3-3 GNAC).

A Ryan Stanford 37-yard touchdown pass to Christian Berger late in the first quarter gave Simon Fraser an early 7-0 lead – it was Berger’s second TD of the season. Clan WR Justin Buren capped the scoring with his first rushing TD of the season, a nine-yard run early in the fourth quarter after the Clan blocked a punt and recovered the ball at the APU 23-yard line. Four plays later the Clan scored.

But in the second and third quarters Azusa Pacific controlled the game, outscoring the Clan 38-3.

Azusa Pacific punted on each of its first three possessions before a fumble recovery off a quarterback sack in the end zone ignited their attack. The APU offense responded with scores on the next five consecutive drives with a second-quarter touchdown and field goal, followed by three consecutive third-quarter TDs.

The Clan’s senior kicker Tiernan Docherty made a 28-yard field goal in the third quarter, capping a 6 play, 76 yard drive to complete the Clan scoring.

For the second consecutive week, Simon Fraser running back Ante Milanovic-Litre rushed for over 100-yards, with a career-high 157 yards on 26 carries. Last week Litre ran for 142 yards on 21 carries and scored two touchdowns in the loss to Western Oregon.

SFU used three quarterbacks in the game with starter Ryan Stanford finishing 8-of-19 for 133-yards. Backup Tyler Nickel was 4-of-10 passing for 27 yards.

The Cougars had five quarterback sacks in the game.

Five different SFU receivers caught at least one pass each, led by Earl Anderson with three catches for 60 yards.

Defensively Jordan Herdman led the Clan with 15 tackles, eight solo.

QB Andrew Elffers rushed for 118 yards and threw for 185 yards to lead Azusa Pacific.

Elffers threw a 34-yard TD pass to Blake Robertson, who later took a handoff and threw a touchdown pass of his own to fellow WR Ethan Zeidler in a 21-point third quarter that gave Azusa Pacific a 38-10 lead. Robertson became the only player in the GNAC this season to throw and pass for TDs in the same game, and he was one of seven different Cougars with a reception in the victory.