By Dave Ornauer
Published: September 30, 2008
Week 5 Top Ten
The Top Ten teams in the Stars and Stripes' 2008 Far East high school football ratings, with records through Sept. 27, points and last week’s rating, as compiled by Dave Ornauer of Stars and Stripes sports. Ratings are based on teams' win-loss records, quality of wins, strength of roster, schedule and leagues, point differential and team and individual statistics. Maximum rating is 500 points:
Record Pts Pvs
1.Kadena(Okinawa) 2-0 456 1
2.Father Duenas Memorial (Guam) 5-0436 2
3. Seoul American 3-0 432 3
4. Yokota (Japan) 4-1 424 4
5. Simon Sanchez (Guam) 4-1 420 5
6. American School In Japan 2-1 400 6
7.Robert D. Edgren 3-2396 8
8.Kubasaki (Okinawa) 1-2 376 7
9. George Washington (Guam) 3-2 372 9
10. Daegu American (South Korea) 1-2 340 10
Week 5 grid honors
Kadena-Brandon Harris 152 all-purpose yards, 1 touchdown (40 yards, 12 carries; 112 yards, 1 touchdown, 4 returns; 2 interceptions). Lamar Smith 99 yards total offense, 2 touchdowns (3-for-8, 91 yards, 2 touchdowns; 8 yards, 8 carries).
Yokota-Derick Seward 313 yards, 1 touchdown, 31 carries; 1 fumble recovery. DeEric Harvin 170 all-purpose yards, 2 touchdowns (59 yards, 1 touchdown, 15 carries; 111 yards, 1 touchdown, 2 returns).
Daegu American-Trey Griffin 160 yards total offense, 2 touchdowns (9-for-18, 130 yards, 1 touchdown; 30 yards, 1 touchdown, 6 carries). Felix Quinata 9 tackles, 1 fumble recovery.
Seoul American-Trinadai Stansel 73 yards, 7 carries; 2 game-saving solo tackles; 2 pass breakups.
Guam High-Brian Sanders 180 yards, 3 touchdowns, 19 carries.
George Washington-Ted Nelson 3-for-5, 52 yards, 3 touchdowns.
Robert D. Edgren-Johnell Alexander 231 all-purpose yards, 2 touchdowns (181 yards, 2 touchdowns, 18 carries; 50 yards, 3 returns; 2 interceptions).
By Dave Ornauer
Published: September 28, 2008
-- They don't get much more scary than they did Saturday afternoon at Camp Walker's Kelly Field. Quite a nice comeback by Seoul American, which trailed much of the day 14-3 on the KellyTurf. Nico Scholl falling on a fumble in the Daegu end zone and Willie Brown's 8-yard touchdown catch to cap a 13-point run within six minutes of the final period.
-- Trinidai Stansel continues todo it on both sides of the ball. Ran for 73 yards to keep some drives alive, and made two game-saving tackles. Also broke up two passes.
By Dave Ornauer
Published: September 27, 2008
*donning my best Fred Rogers cardigan, sitting back in my easy chair, smiling for the camera*
Well, Mr. Hokkaido Milk asked me to tell a story aboutthe great Northwest Airlines rescue of the Far East Boys Basketball Tournaments in 1986. So here we go, boys and girls and SportsBlog campers:
By Dave Ornauer
Published: September 26, 2008
-- Kadena is, simply put, a very, very dangerous team. Brandon Harrisor Anthony Tarver sniffing out the nearest interception and taking it to the house. Big-armed Lamar Smith striking just the right note with the well-placed pass on fourth down. And how about Stan Schrock, leaping over double coverage to catch that fourth-down pass? A defense that allowed deepest penetration by Kubasaki to Kadena's 38, and only two first downs the whole game?
-- Kubasaki takes better care of the football, the best-of-five Okinawa Activities Council season series would at least be even at 1-1. The Dragons's takeaway to turnover ratio in the two games thus far? One takeaway to 11 giveaways, including seven interceptions.
By Dave Ornauer
Published: September 25, 2008
Some camping trip this was. Try 11 universities and three summer volleyball camps in five states in 25 days of driving hither and thither.
Thus was the lot of Osan American Cougars junior Nicole Sparks and senior Laura Vega, along with the latter's mom and dad Christine and Gualberto. Kentucky, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Virginia.
By Dave Ornauer
Published: September 24, 2008
Week 4 Top Ten
The Top Ten teams in the Stars and Stripes' 2008 Far East high school football ratings, with records through Sept. 22, points and last week’s rating, as compiled by Dave Ornauer of Stars and Stripes sports. Ratings are based on teams' win-loss records, quality of wins, strength of roster, schedule and leagues, point differential and team and individual statistics. Maximum rating is 500 points:
Record Pts Pvs
1.Kadena(Okinawa) 1-0 448 2
2.Father Duenas Memorial (Guam) 4-0432 4
3. Seoul American 2-0 428 3
4. Yokota (Japan) 3-1 420 1
5. Simon Sanchez (Guam) 3-1 416 5
6. American School In Japan 2-0 412 7
7.Kubasaki (Okinawa) 1-1 40010
8.Robert D. Edgren 2-2392 6
9. George Washington (Guam) 2-2 368 8
10. Daegu American (South Korea) 1-1 348 --
Week 4 grid honors
Nile C. Kinnick—Tyree Hunt 250 yards, 2 touchdowns, 19 carries. Dennis Ray 112 yards, 1 touchdown, 5 catches; 1 interception. Jon Bollinger 158 yards total offense, 1 touchdown (7-for-14, 119 yards, 1 touchdown; 39 yard, 5 carries); 2 interceptions.
Zama American-Michael Spencer 176 yards, 1 touchdown 16 carries.
Yokota-Derick “Rookie” Seward 146 yards, 1 touchdown, 16 carries; 1 fumble recovery. DeEric Harvin 103 all-purpose yards, 1 touchdown (88 yards, 1 touchdown, 20 carries; 15 yards, 1 return).
Kubasaki-Kaleb Robinson 6-for-9, 152 yards, 1 touchdown. Don Hampton 12 tackles, 1 fumble recovery. Dionte Waite 93 yards, 2 catches that set up touchdowns.
Robert D. Edgren-Johnell Alexander 217 all-purpose yards, 2 touchdowns (107 yards, 1 touchdown, 9 carries; 110 yards, 1 touchdown, 2 returns).
Father Duenas Memorial-Will Williams 78 yards, 2 touchdowns, 6 carries.
George Washington-Kyle Reyes 102 yards, 10 carries.
Southern-Mario Martinez 161 yards, 4 touchdowns, 12 carries; 42-yard touchdown catch.
Week 5 outlook
Friday
Japan
Zama American at Robert D. Edgren, 7 p.m.-Johnell Alexander, Eagles quite hungry after heartbreaking 1-point home loss last Saturday. Michael Spencer must step up again with the injury to Trojans QB Emmanuel Sloan. … Eagles 20, Trojans 6.
American School In Japan at Yokota, 7 p.m.-One of two things can happen to Yokota in the wake of its loss at Kubasaki; bewilderment or lighting a fire under it. I’m sure it’s the latter. Air ASIJ should get its toughest test yet with its new A-11 offense. … Panthers 18, Mustangs 11.
Guam
Father Duenas Memorial vs. Guam High at Blue Jacket Field, Naval Station “Big Navy,” 7 p.m.-Michael Moser, Brian Sanders, Ricco Brunner, Myron Marshall and the Panthers do hang in game after game, but it will take a lot to rein in Will Williams and the Friars. … Friars 22, Panthers 8.
Okinawa
Kadena at Kubasaki, 7 p.m.-Dragons got a huge boost by beating Yokota. But this group of Panthers, Kubasaki hasn’t beaten since the 2005 season. Kadena is the champion until somebody knocks ’em off. … Panthers 19, Dragons 12.
By Dave Ornauer
Published: September 21, 2008
The below passage came in from former Robert D. Edgren Eagles wrestler Alyssa Rodriguez, a tribute to her Eagles coach Justin Edmonds. And I mean, what a tribute.
Which leads me to ask SportsBlog Nation, who is or was your favourite coach, and why? What lasting impression did your favourite coach leave you? What will you best remember about that coach? In what ways did that coach motivate you to get the most out of yourself? Team? Unity? Character? Responsibility?
By Dave Ornauer
Published: September 21, 2008
-- All things must pass, including record regular-season winning streaks. It took a 1,000-mile journey to Okinawa and a comeback from a 14-0 deficit in the first three minutes to do it, but Yokota met its match in the right arm of Kaleb Robinson, a 12-tackle performance by Don Hampton and the Kubasaki Dragons, 18-14 at Mike Petty. 51-game regular-season winning streak is now history.
-- Robinson is nothing if not resilient. Playing with a separated left (non-throwing) shoulder, Robinson atoned for his four-interception game Sept. 5 at Kadena by going 6-for-9 for 152 yards, including the game-winning 20-yard TD strike to Andrew Candelaria with just over three minutes left.
By Dave Ornauer
Published: September 20, 2008
Different year, different site, same result, as the Air Force women and Army men repeated their All-Armed Forces softball tournament titles, held at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Fla.
Each team went 7-2, with Army's menfinishing a game ahead of 6-3 Air Force, and Air Force women three games ahead of Army and Marine Corps.
By Dave Ornauer
Published: September 19, 2008
What we learned from Friday's games (all two of them, thanks to Typhoon Sinlaku; which pushed one game back to Monday):
-- We may havewitnessedTrey Griffin's coming-out party at Osan American's Cougars Field. The Daegu American sophomore tossed two touchdown passes to Thomas Smith as the defending Class A runner-up Warriors beat Osan 28-10. Phillip Cox lived in the Cougars' backfield, causing four sacks. David Martinez ran back an interception for a TD. A good effort on both sides of the ball for Daegu.
By Dave Ornauer
Published: September 17, 2008
Talk about two of a kind. Last Nov. 7, Seoul American's Kennedy Allen and Kadena's Kyle Sprow earned singles gold medals in the Far East High School Tennis Tournament at Kadena Air Base, Okinawa.
Now juniors, they'll try for two in a row come Nov. 3-5, again at Kadena. Unless something changes, they'll graduate in place on June 10, 2009 after having taken their best shot at an unprecedented three straight golds. They even had the same teaching pro growing up, Tokio Nakamatsu of Kadena's Risner Tennis Center, which hosts Far East.
By Dave Ornauer
Published: September 17, 2008
SportsBlog Nation, just to show that it can be done ... Got an e-mail from Avianca Manning, former spiking star of last year's third-place Far East Girls Class AA Volleyball Tournament team, Seoul American.
She and former Daegu American basketball scoring machine Brandon Spencer are attending Florida A&M in Tallahassee, and each are hoping to put "SK" on the map.
By Dave Ornauer
Published: September 15, 2008
And while we're on the subject of best teams and players of all time, let's see if we can't move the debate indoors, to the land of bump-set-and-spike:
Which volleyball team was the Pacific's best since Ornauer began covering high school sports in 1982? What set them apart and made them lap the field ahead of any other team or program?
By Dave Ornauer
Published: September 15, 2008
OK, campers, since we had so much fun with this during basketball season last winter, let's try this new SportsBlog Nation wrinkle:
Which football team was the Pacific's best since Ornauer began covering high school sports in 1982? What set them apart and made them lap the field ahead of any other team or program?
By Dave Ornauer
Published: September 14, 2008
Week 3 Top Ten
The Top Ten teams in the Stars and Stripes' 2008 Far East high school football ratings, with records through Sept. 13, points and last week’s rating, as compiled by Dave Ornauer of Stars and Stripes sports. Ratings are based on teams' win-loss records, quality of wins, strength of roster, schedule and leagues, point differential and team and individual statistics. Maximum rating is 500 points:
Record Pts Pvs
1. Yokota (Japan) 3-0 452 2
2.Kadena(Okinawa) 1-0 448 1
3. Seoul American 2-0 428 4
4.Father Duenas Memorial (Guam) 3-0424 5
5. Simon Sanchez (Guam) 2-1 412 7
6.Robert D. Edgren 2-1408 3
7. American School In Japan 1-0 39210
8. George Washington (Guam) 2-1 384 9
9. Guam High 1-1 380 6
10.Kubasaki (Okinawa) 0-1 376 8
Week 3 grid honors
Yokota-Tony Presnell 183 all-purpose yards (142 yards, 1 touchdown, 22 carries; 41 yards, 2 returns). DeEric Harvin 6-for-8, 158 yards, 1 touchdown. Andy Silva 125 yards, 1 touchdown, 4 catches. Derick “Rookie” Seward 107 all-purpose yards (74 yards, 1 touchdown, 15 carries; 33 yards, 2 catches).
Robert D. Edgren-Johnell Alexander 245 all-purpose yards (140 yards, 1 touchdown, 13 carries; 25 yards, 1 catch; 80 yards, 4 returns).
Seoul American-Johnnie Hickson 2 touchdown catches, 1 interception. Han Yoon 2 sacks.
Nile C. Kinnick-Tyree Hunt 122 yards, 2 touchdowns, 17 carries.
American School In Japan-Seaun Eddy 1 touchdown catch, 4 interceptions.
Guam High-Jacob Wright 8 tackles.
Father Duenas Memorial-Will Williams 130 yards total offense (55 yards, 1 touchdown, 6 carries; 4-for-14, 75 yards, 1 touchdown). Coby Schaefer 2 sacks.
George Washington-Manny Cruz 8 tackles, 1 sack. Ted Nelson 3 touchdown passes, 1 touchdown run.
Simon Sanchez-Franklin Sojo 98 yards, 2 touchdowns, 12 carries.
By Dave Ornauer
Published: September 14, 2008
Musings and mutterings after a breakneck trip to Misawa and back in just under 15 hours, getting reacquainted with muscles I didn't remember I had along the way ...
-- Not since the days of Joe King, Randy Truluck and Don "Bamm-Bamm" LaPlante has a Misawa JETS football team had a chance to celebrate something like this. Misawa Air Base earned its second U.S. Forces Japan-American Football League title since 2005, but the first one came as the Marauders private club team. This is the first time a Jets green-and-white team has won a title since sharing the old USFJ crown in 1985 with Yokota. Congrats!
By Dave Ornauer
Published: September 12, 2008
A very creditable job by the Robert D. Edgren Eagles. Johnell Alexander's speed kept the Eagles within a point early in the third quarter at 7-6. Then, Yokota does what it always does, find a way to win when the chips are down. That 58-yard touchdown pass from DeEric Harvin to Andy Silva goes over his head or out of bounds, it's a different game. A break here and there. The chips fell Yokota's way. Let's see what happens in the rematch Oct. 24 at the Eagles' Nest. That's a big, physical and quick Edgren team that proved it can stay with the champs for at least three quarters.
Memo to all Kanto Plain Association of Secondary Schools coaches: Do not throw in Seaun Eddy's direction. He and the American School In Japan Mustangs will make you pay. Try four picks in the first half against Nile C. Kinnick. Ornauer almost had the score right; thing is, Air ASIJ with its A-11 attack did the winning. Plenty to be joyful about in Mustang Valley.
By Dave Ornauer
Published: September 8, 2008
Week 2 Top Ten
The Top Ten teams in the Stars and Stripes' 2008 Far East high school football ratings, with records through Sept. 6, points and last week’s rating, as compiled by Dave Ornauer of Stars and Stripes sports. Ratings are based on teams' win-loss records, quality of wins, strength of roster, schedule and leagues, point differential and team and individual statistics. Maximum rating is 500 points:
Record Pts Pvs
1.Kadena(Okinawa) 1-0 448 1
2. Yokota (Japan) 2-0 444 2
3.Robert D. Edgren 2-0432 3
4. Seoul American 1-0 420 5
5.Father Duenas Memorial (Guam) 2-0416 6
6. Guam High 1-0 404 7
7. Simon Sanchez (Guam) 1-1 392 9
8.Kubasaki (Okinawa) 0-1 376 8
9. George Washington (Guam) 1-1 368 4
10. American School In Japan 0-0 36410
Week 2 grid honors
Kadena-Brandon Harris 72 all-purpose yards (49 yards, 1 touchdown, 13 carries); 2 interceptions.
Kubasaki-Marquette Warren 119 yards, 17 carries.
Yokota-Derick “Rookie” Seward 153 yards, 4 touchdowns, 6 carries.
Robert D. Edgren-Jamal Dennis 108 yards, 2 touchdowns, 12 carries. Johnell Alexander 200 all-purpose yards (120 yards, 17 carries; 80 yards, 6 returns).
Nile C. Kinnick-Jon Bollinger 10-for-19, 144 yards, 1 touchdown. Tyree Hunt 323 all-purpose yards (108 yards, 1 touchdown, 15 carries; 151 yards, 1 touchdown, 3 returns; 64 yards, 3 catches). Cameron Butts 104 all-purpose yards (34 yards, 7 carries; 70 yards, 4 returns).
Seoul American-Brent Spencer 7-for-12, 77 yards, 1 touchdown; 1 interception. Demetrius Johnson 61 yards, 1 touchdown, 5 carries; 1 interception. Joe McLean 9 tackles, 3 sacks.
Daegu American-Antoine Feagen 124 all-purpose yards (109 yards, 2 returns; 15 yards, 1 interception). Phillip Cox 12 tackles, 2 sacks. Jared Connie 6 tackles, forced fumble, 2 fumble recoveries.
Guam High-D’Andre Weaver 77 yards, 1 touchdown, 5 carries; 5 tackles. Brian Saunders 76 yards, 2 touchdowns, 18 carries. Michael Moser 145 total-offense yards (67 yards, 16 carries; 78 yards, 1 touchdown, 6 catches). Aaron Cosey 11-for-24, 150 yards, 1 touchdown. James White 2 interceptions.
Southern-Darren Apiag 10 tackles, 1 sack. Clifford Kusperbeck 9 tackles, 1 sack.
Simon Sanchez-Franklin Sojo 82 yards, 1 touchdown, 23 carries. Shane Aguon 5-for-7, 87 yards, 1 touchdown.
George Washington-Ted Nelson 3-for-14, 82 yards, 2 touchdowns.
By Dave Ornauer
Published: September 7, 2008
Musings and mutterings after spending 2 1/2 weeks on the road visiting nine of 12 DODDS and DDESS schools and looking around for the guy who sells the eye toothpicks:
-- That loud thud you heard about 10 a.m. Saturday was the jaws of many a St. Mary's International cross-country runner watching Andrew Quallio picking up right where he left off last year (click here for complete Saturday results). The Zama American senior sped over the Tama Hills Recreation Center's 2.9-mile course in 15 minutes, 20.4 seconds; Ion Fukazawa, an excellent St. Mary's runner, managed to finish 1:36.8 behind that. I say again: We need to bring back the international schools to Far East to get the truest gauge of how good Andrew really is compared to the entire rest of the Pacific.
By Dave Ornauer
Published: September 6, 2008
What we learned on the gridiron on Saturday afternoon, as we join the parched Seoul American Falcons, Daegu American Warriors and Guam High Panthers in their search for the guy who sells the ice-cold water (man, was it hot this weekend or WHAT????):
-- Don't read too much into Seoul's 20-0 shutout of Daegu at Falcon Field. It was the season opener, the Falcons did what any good team is supposed to do, capitalised on the Warriors' mistakes, but Daegu played Seoul very even in the second half. Take away the fumble inside the 5 and the interception-return touchdown and you almost have a rerun of last year's 3-0 Seoul victory. Seoul's a good team. So is Daegu.
By Dave Ornauer
Published: September 6, 2008
Brief scouting report through the eyes of a non-football coach during Friday's Pacific high school gridiron contests, hours after we somewhat whetted our NFL appetites for the 2008 season:
-- Brandon Harris and Kadena picked up right where it left off last year, when the Panthers won the Class AA football title. Harris ran for a touchdown and had two interceptions, a third of Kadena's six takeaways as it shut out Kubasaki 13-0 at Kadena's McDonald Stadium. But the most significant number: A combined 27 penalties for 228 yards. That's nearly a third of the game's 100 plays. Season-opening games tend to go like that. Most certainly, the execution will improve when the teams meet again Sept. 26 at Kubasaki's Mike Petty Stadium.
By Dave Ornauer
Published: September 6, 2008
Can Celine Baldevia, Laura Vega, Nicole Sparks and Osan American's spikers do it again? Can Seoul American rebuild after losing the core of its volleyball team?
Can Kadena make it five Far Eastcross-country team titles since 2002? Can defending boyschampion Andrew Quallio of Zama American make it back-to-back titles? Can fellow senior and 2006 champion Nadine Mulvany rise back to the top?
By Dave Ornauer
Published: September 3, 2008
It's official -- the U.S. Forces Japan-American Football League title game, postponed due to transportation problems that left Yokosuka stranded, will be played at 2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 13, at Misawa Air Base's Hillside Stadium.
Yokosuka Seahawks, trying for their seventh Torii Bowl title in eight years. Misawa Jets, trying for their first USFJ title of any kind since splitting the old USFJ title with Yokota in 1985 (the Misawa Marauders won the Torii Bowl three years ago).
By Dave Ornauer
Published: September 2, 2008
Hope this is an enjoyable way to look ahead to the coming week as well as gauge the best teams and the top players from Week 1. Here goes:
Week 1 Top Ten
The Top Ten teams in the Stars and Stripes' 2008 Far East high school football ratings, with records through Aug. 30, points and last season’s final rating, as compiled by Dave Ornauer of Stars and Stripes sports. Ratings are based on teams' win-loss records, quality of wins, strength of roster, schedule and leagues, point differential and team and individual statistics. Maximum rating is 500 points:
Record Pts Pvs
1.Kadena(Okinawa) 0-0 444 1
2. Yokota (Japan) 1-0 436 2
3.Robert D. Edgren 1-0428 4
4. George Washington (Guam) 1-0 420 5
5. Seoul American 0-0 412 6
6.Father Duenas Memorial (Guam) 1-0408 3
7. Guam High 0-0 392 10
8.Kubasaki (Okinawa) 0-0 384--
9. Simon Sanchez (Guam) 0-0 376 7
10. American School In Japan 0-0 364--
