While veteran soccer coach Don Lawrence enters 1998 with a watchful eye cast on his defense, he has had little to worry about with his offense - a unit that he terms "the best-ever at Azusa Pacific." The top 3 scorers of a year ago are back, including NAIA All-American forwards, senior Jason Roufs (second team) and junior Carlos Ochoa (third team). The high-scoring duo combined for 36 goals and 83 points in just 20 games last year to become the most prolific single-season scoring pair in Azusa Pacific history. As they begin the 1998 season, Roufs is fourth on the all-time Cougar scoring chart with 88 points (39 goals), and Ochoa is eighth with 69 points (28 goals). Roufs, who tied the GSAC season scoring record last year with 45 points (thanks to another GSAC-record 13-game goal scoring streak), needs another 45 points this year to become the GSAC's all-time scorer. Toss in senior Eric Smith, perhaps the GSAC's best sub the past 2 seasons, and the trio form a 3-man front that is quite difficult to stop. "We may not start a 3-man front," said Lawrence, "but we'll go to it at strategic moments, and they will wreak havoc. Our offense will be a handful."

Of course every good offense is vitally dependent upon an excellent midfield. There too, like his front-line, Lawrence has a confident feel about his midfield unit. Azusa Pacific returns plenty of speed and skill to the middle and then adds one of California's premier high school players to complete a midfield that should rank among the best in the NAIA. "We think our midfield can match-up with anyone in the nation," said Lawrence. Senior speedsters Jess Hetherington and Will Cummins are hard-nosed players that provide necessary leadership based on deep and vast soccer experience. Freshman Matt Duntsch, the 1998 Colorado High School Player of the Year is an outstanding ball-handlers, who can engineer a high-speed offense. Freshman Matt Evans, a Parade All-American out of Maranatha High in Sierra Madre, Calif., is the key to the Cougar midfield, moving in as an outstanding play-maker. "Evans is very creative, and he'll have free reign," added Lawrence. "This entire midfield will create counter-attacks and complement the Roufs-Ochoa-Smith line. With this midfield, we can shoot from anywhere on the field, and defenses will have a hard time figuring from where the shot is coming."

A revamped Cougar defense is built around senior goal keeper Tim Gorman, the lone returning starter on defense. Gorman fashioned a fine 1.01 goals against average in his first season as a Cougar. However, after shaking off the first-game jitters, Gorman became nearly unbeatable, carving out a microscopic 0.61 over the final 15 games, which included 7 shutouts. Certainly, he received plenty of help from a stellar set of defenders that have all since departed. Gorman will need to step up again and continue to post some impressive numbers in the net.

Around Gorman is a boatload of new Cougars, including highly sought-after sophomore Oscar Hernandez, a transfer from El Camino CC, who will be the hub of the defense at central-defender. Burly junior Peter McGovern, a member of St. John's 1996 NCAA Division I national championship team, freshman Dan Wilson out of state prep soccer power Royal High in Simi Valley, Calif., and transfer Mike Ditta, who comes over from GSAC rival Southern California College, figure to vie for positions flanking Hernandez on defense. Additionally, strong-legged veteran Kevin Haras returns to the mix of both the Cougar midfield and defense. Despite a 2-year layoff and never playing college soccer, freshman Ryan Fridborg should have an immediate impact. Junior D.J. Ries, a member of DeAnza's California state community college championship team, is a promising newcomer in the Cougar defense and should see a lot of playing time.

In keeping with recent Cougar schedules, Azusa Pacific's 1998 slate is a challenge. And Lawrence is hoping that once again the NAIA national champion will come through the Canyon City just it has the past 2 seasons. The Cougars' 20-game schedule features the nationally-ranked teams from Cal Poly Pomona (NCAA Division II), Berry (NAIA), Fresno Pacific (NAIA), Westmont (NAIA), and Birmingham-Southern (NAIA). The schedule includes visits to traditional NCAA Division III powers UC San Diego and Claremont-Mudd. Also, a trio of top-flight tournaments hosted by Azusa Pacific, Westmont and Birmingham-Southern are on tap. The Cougar Classic, from which the past 2 NAIA national champs have come (1996 - Lindsey Wilson; 1997 - Seattle University), features another strong field with Azusa Pacific, Westmont and Baker University, which a year came within 1 victory over advancing to the NAIA Championship Tournament. At Westmont, the Cougars squares off with former NAIA power Hawaii Pacific (the Cougars 1996 Far West Regional championship game foe), which moves to NCAA Division II in 1998. In Birmingham, Ala., host site of the 1998 NAIA Championship Tournament, Azusa Pacific meets Berry, ranked 24th in the final NAIA poll last year, and Birmingham-Southern, the 1995 NAIA national runner-up and ranked No. 11 in last year's final coaches' poll.

"There aren't any 'gimmes' on this schedule," said Lawrence as he peered over the schedule. "But it's not as if we haven't faced a schedule like this. We seem to rise to the challenge. I think good opponents have brought out the best in us the past few seasons. And hopefully it will again. We look good on paper but selflessness and defense will be crucial for us. If we give ourselves up for the sake of the game, this team could be very good."