Pacific Athletes of the Week: Sept. 27, 2012
L.J. Aguon
Guam High football
Last week — Played the lead role on offense as the Panthers achieved one of the biggest victories in school history, outplaying Kubasaki 28-12 on Saturday on Okinawa. The win pushed Guam High to a Pacific-best 5-0 and was the first for the Panthers against any DODDS Pacific team in school history.
Aguon, a junior, rushed for touchdowns of 4 and 5 yards and tossed a 10-yard touchdown pass to Austy Hines in a game that meant nothing in the DODDS Pacific Far East Division I season and playoff chase, of which Guam High is not a part.
“He could have asked not to play because we’re in the middle of the (Guam league) schedule and one win away from securing home field throughout the playoffs; plus, he’s our only quarterback,” Panthers coach Jacob Dowdell said. “But being the leader he is, he wanted to play, not just for teammates but to prove we are just as good if not better than the other DODDS schools that are part of the Far East playoffs.”
Kaile Johnson
Kinnick volleyball
Last week — Racked up 19 defensive digs and helped lead the Red Devils to a weekend sweep of DODDS Japan matches at Matthew C. Perry. The series was a crucial one between teams that are expected to compete for the titles in the DODDS Pacific Far East Divisions I and II tournaments. The two wins made Kinnick 7-0 this season and 82-1 in the regular season dating back to the start of 2009.
Johnson, a junior, had 12 digs in Kinnick’s 25-14, 25-18, 25-13 win over the Samurai on Friday, then added seven more as the Red Devils downed Perry 25-16, 25-17, 25-18 on Saturday. Johnson leads the team with an average of seven digs per match.
“She wants the ball 115 percent of the time,” coach Al Garrido said. “Although she may seem to be the smallest person on the court, she plays huge at the net and doesn’t back down. Kaile thrives under pressure. She’s the epitome of a great athlete. Kaile Johnson is what I look for in a Red Devil volleyball athlete.”
