By Dave Ornauer
Published: January 28, 2008
Or perhaps better known as Falcons Take Flight. Remember, you've entered THE "No-Hate Zone." *smile*
Here goes:
By Dave Ornauer
Published: January 26, 2008
Indeed. Seoul Foreign's longtime coach and athletics director J.P. Rader confirmed in a phone call Saturday that yes, the Crusaders will make their first appearance in a DODDS-Pacific Far East basketball tournament since 1993.
The Crusaders have a long, rich history in DODDS-Pacific tournaments.
By Dave Ornauer
Published: January 26, 2008
Somebody might wish to keep one defender on senior guard Brandon Spencer at all times during next month's postseason tournaments in Korea.
Spencer has averaged 30 points in the last four games, three of them victories, as Daegu American improved to 7-4 on the season Friday with a 73-50 road win at Osan American.
By Dave Ornauer
Published: January 26, 2008
Army Pvt. Nick Madaras often saw children playing soccer with old balls or even tin cans while deployed to Iraq. The Wilton, Conn., native asked his parents to send used balls to distribute to Iraqi children. But Madaras was killed in action in September 2006 before the request could be fulfilled.
ESPN's "SportsCenter" will honor the memory of Madaras and tell the story of how another Wilton resident saw to it that Madaras' wish would be done -- 1,500 soccer balls have been sent from Connecticut to Koresh, Iraq, in Madaras' honor.
By Dave Ornauer
Published: January 22, 2008
A day or so late, but keep in mind, two teams played all the way into Sunday at the 14th Martin Luther King Invitational Tournament. Remember, this is THE "No-Hate Zone." *smile*
Boys
1. Seoul American, 34-6.Four straight wins since break; next test Wednesday at Seoul Foreign.
2. Kadena (Okinawa), 20-11. Lineup back intact, became third HS team to qualify for MLK playoffs; Jamil Barney named tournament MVP, a first for a high schooler.
3. Zama American (Japan), 18-3.Winning streak at seven and counting.
4. Kubasaki (Okinawa), 17-8. Stumbled against Kadena, righted themselves with two wins Saturday.
5. Seoul Foreign,14-3.Five straight wins since the break.
6. American School In Japan, 8-1. On course for best season in eight years.
7, E.J. King (Japan), 9-5.Idle last week.
8.Faith Academy (Philippines), 10-6.A fourth straight Class A title is not out of the conversation.
9. Yongsan International-Seoul, 9-3. First time in school history the Guardians find their way here.
10. St. Paul Christian (Guam), 3-0.Warriors looking sharp early, trying to match girls' title heights.
By Dave Ornauer
Published: January 21, 2008
Jackie Kershaw had quite the weekend in the Martin Luther King Invitational Basketball Tournament's revival.
Not only did she help lead Camp Red Cloud to the title 68-51 over Okinawa Mystics with 15 points and five steals. That came less than a day after she and four others rushed to the side of referee John Zivic, who suffered an on-court heart attack in a Sunday men's game.
By Dave Ornauer
Published: January 20, 2008
Referees can be taken for granted ... until one isn't there.
With 2:42 left in the first half of Sunday's winner's bracket final of the 14th Martin Luther King Invitational Basketball Tournament, veteran referee John Zivic suffered an on-court heart attack.
By Dave Ornauer
Published: January 20, 2008
Don't look now, but a pair of previously sleeping giants have awakened. And if they keep up their current pace, the rest of the Far East high school girls basketball circuit may end up on notice.
Sophomore Jamie Cheniault, newly installed point guard, averaged 14.3 points in three games, all victories, as Daegu American improved to 6-4 on the season, twice beating Korea International and topping Yongsan International-Seoul.
By Dave Ornauer
Published: January 18, 2008
High school wrestling on Okinawa has resembled the pendulum in my folks old grandfather clock.
First, Kubasaki wins 90 of the first 91 Okinawa Activities Council dual meets dating back to 1982. Then, Kadena wins nine straight. Last season, Kubasaki swept the season series.
By Dave Ornauer
Published: January 13, 2008
What a wild way to welcome the New Year.
Two buzzer-beating basketball finishes and an Eagles wrestling team soaring to unexpected heights at Yokosuka Naval Base, and the FIFTH overtime basketball game of the year.
By Dave Ornauer
Published: January 13, 2008
After an abbreviated first-weekend-back-from-break slate (handful of games in Korea snowed out), here's how the Top Tens stack up following games of Jan. 12. Remember, this is THE "No-Hate Zone." *smile*
Boys
1. Kubasaki (Okinawa), 15-7. Still on pace, pounded Oblee Club last week.
2. Seoul American, 32-6.Back on track after 39-point thrashing of Dai Sung High School.
3. Zama American (Japan), 16-3.Stumbled with two straight losses, righted themselves with five straight wins.
4. Kadena (Okinawa), 16-7. Still struggling with Josh Greggs and Roosevelt Payne sidelined.
5. Seoul Foreign,11-3.Played solidly in return from break.
6, E.J. King (Japan), 9-5.3-1 on Tokyo road trip; only loss to Zama in OT.
7. American School In Japan, 5-1. Zama put first blemish on Mustangs' record.
8.Faith Academy (Philippines), 10-6.Vanguards break out of holiday gate 2-1.
9. Robert D. Edgren (Japan), 8-6. Two wins over Yokota over weekend.
10. Yokota (Japan), 11-9. A bit of a slump right now. Let's see if Panthers can remain in the Top Ten.
By Dave Ornauer
Published: January 9, 2008
Now, it's thewrestling afficionados' turn to get their fill of Pacificwide competition.
The green flag waves at 9:30 a.m. Saturday at Yokosuka Middle School, where nine Japan schools and one from Okinawa take to the mat in the Nile C. Kinnick Invitational "Beast of the Far East" tournament.
By Dave Ornauer
Published: January 7, 2008
There appears to be a bit of confusion over what I'm looking for, for the Pacific high school "best fives" of the past 25 years.
Best five from each school, boys and girls. Not the best five of the entire Pacific for the last 25 years, although after we get finished posting all the schools' best fives, we may attempt to do that.
By Dave Ornauer
Published: January 7, 2008
Here are the first high school basketball ratings of the New Year. And this wasn't arrived at easily.
Ornauer spent quite a bit of time Sunday poring over his collection of tea leaves, Ouija boards and crystal balls.
By Dave Ornauer
Published: January 5, 2008
Does the New Years Classic have a future?
That was the question flying around Capps Gym and elsewhere on Yokota Air Base over the weekend, with plenty of speculation about where and when the tournament might commence for a third time.
By Dave Ornauer
Published: January 5, 2008
So much for Kubasaki having trouble finishing games.
For the second straight day, when the chips were down, the Dragons simply Cooked their opposition.
By Dave Ornauer
Published: January 4, 2008
With all six teams (seven including Zama American) taking turns knocking each other off this weekend, who will be left standing as the tried, tested and true No. 1 team in the Pacific?
I'll post the new ratings on Sunday.
By Dave Ornauer
Published: January 4, 2008
All that's leftare the playoffs, with Seoul American seated atop the six-team heap at 5-0 at pool play's end on Friday evening.
Saturday's slate leads off the No. 4 seed Kadena facing No. 5 Nile C. Kinnick at 9 a.m. and No. 3 Kubasaki battling No. 6 St. Mary's International at 10:30 a.m. Seoul American awaits the Game 1 winner at high noon, while No. 2 and host Yokota takes on the Game 2 winner at 1:30 p.m.
By Dave Ornauer
Published: January 3, 2008
Well, that's the Jamil Barney we remember. Total of 55 points and 34 rebounds, most coming in the second half, as Kadena rallied to beat Nile C. Kinnick 56-45, then come back from 22 points down to edge St. Mary's International 63-57 in double-overtime.
Those poor Titans. Definitely the best 0-3 team in this tournament, having lost two games in double-overtime.
By Dave Ornauer
Published: January 2, 2008
What a topsy turvy day it was Wednesday at the ol' ballyard, aka Capps Gym at Yokota High School:
-- Kadena throttles Zama American 60-42, then Jamil Barney is held to two second half points, the Panthers score just two in the fourth quarter and Yokota gives the home fans something to cheer about 57-31.
