Friday, May 25, 2001

Far East high school soccer tourney
field is pared down to eight teams

Story and photos by Dave Ornauer, Stars and Stripes

MISAWA AIR BASE, Japan — Wishing, hoping, worrying and praying.

As the field for the Far East High School boys soccer tournament was pared to eight teams Wednesday, a few squads spent some anxious moments at Robert D. Edgren High School awaiting their fate.

"Very stressful," said Seoul American coach Steve Boyd, whose Falcons bided their time on the bubble but advanced to the medal round that started Thursday.

American School in Japan, Kubasaki and Yokota earned top seeds for the next round by winning their respective pools. Seoul American, Zama American, Christian Academy In Japan, Nile C. Kinnick and Kadena also advanced to the medal round, a single-elimination format with a consolation bracket.

"The party’s starting now," Yokota coach Paul Heino said.

Heino’s Panthers clinched Pool C’s top seed with a 1-0 victory over Kadena of Okinawa. Clyde Soumas, who scored in the 39th minute, said the match proved that Yokota’s first Kanto Plain title since 1986 was no fluke.

"We’re in good standing," he said about beating Kadena, the 1999 Far East champion. "That was a confidence builder right there."

"And we still have a lot more left," added defender Blake Anderson.

The loss was Kadena’s first in four tournament games.

The race for Pool B’s three playoff berths was settled quickly.

Okinawa’s Kubasaki clinched the top seed as Corey Niro had two assists and a goal and Sergio Rodriguez had a goal and an assist in a 4-1 victory over No. 2 seed Christian Academy In Japan.

Kubasaki coach Alrick Munroe was looking ahead to a fierce playoff.

"The top eight teams, it won’t matter who you play," he said. "You’ll get the same [competitive] game."

Nile C. Kinnick of Japan took the third seed with two easy victories, including a 4-0 shutout that eliminated Guam High.

Guam High, loaded with freshmen, played a defensive game, a strategy that worked in a 1-1 tie earlier in the day against Kubasaki.

"We have to do what we have to do with what we’ve got," Panthers assistant coach Nick Quiambao said.

The chase in Pool A went down to the wire, with Seoul American, Zama American and Robert D. Edgren fighting for two playoff spots.

Zama American coach Patrick Buckley was battling divided loyalties along the way. Buckley coached Seoul American in the 1999 Far East tournament, but needed to beat his former school to clinch the pool’s No. 2 seed.

It didn’t happen, as Seoul American edged Zama 2-1.

"It was tough to be a part of," Buckley said of the loss. "I’m a strong man. I can take it. I pulled out every lucky charm I had, my Irish [ski] cap and my Guinness sweatshirt. They [Mustangs] were bound to win."

"That had to be a tough loss for Zama. I know exactly how he [Buckley] feels," Boyd, the Falcons’ coach, said.

The Trojans then waited and hoped top-seeded American School In Japan beat host Robert D. Edgren.

After a scoreless first half, ASIJ pulled away, getting two goals and an assist from Toshi Matsubara in a 4-0 triumph.

It gave ASIJ the No. 1 seed, while the Falcons and Trojans fell behind at Nos. 2 and 3.

PREVIOUS TOURNAMENT STORY:
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Tournament notebook

By Dave Ornauer, Stars and Stripes

MISAWA AIR BASE, Japan — Not only was Guam High eliminated from title contention Wednesday in the Far East soccer tournament, but the Panthers lost two star players for Thursday’s consolation round.

Striker Derrick Ikehara and sweeper Matt Wiggins, both seniors, traveled to Guam late Wednesday to attend the school’s graduation, scheduled for Thursday night.

"That was bad planning," Wiggins said about the scheduling of the tournament and commencement exercises.

The Department of Defense Education Activity-Pacific’s Far East Activities Council moved up the dates of the soccer tournament so Guam High could compete.

The Panthers finished round-robin play 1-2-1 and were seeded 10th. The top eight teams advanced to Thursday’s medal round.

"We were getting into the rhythm," Wiggins said. "It’s like taking a piece out of a motor. But I have confidence in my teammates."

General’s sons spark Kadena

They didn’t wear their father’s stars, but Scott and Kent North gave Okinawa’s Kadena Panthers a commanding presence.

Scott, a senior, starts most games in net for the Panthers, while Kent, a freshman, plays in the defensive backfield. They are the sons of Kadena’s 18th Wing commander Brig. Gen. Gary L. North.

"They were a nice pick-up for us," Panthers coach Michael Callahan said.

The brothers have been at Kadena for about a year after transferring to Okinawa from Burke, Va. The brothers, who call Charlottesville, Va., home, lived in Burke for a year while their father was on a one-year assignment to Kunsan Air Base, South Korea. Scott attended Lake Braddock High and played soccer there.

The Far East tournament was a homecoming of sorts for the brothers. Their father was assigned to Misawa in the mid-1990s.

Wednesday’s scoring summaries

POOL A

Zama American 2, Robert D. Edgren 1

Edgren—Evan Phillips (unassisted), 7th minute; Zama—Ryan McGovern (unassisted), 59th minute; Zama—Ryan McGovern (Jimmy Flatley), 61st minute.

ASIJ 1, Okinawa Christian Int’l  0

ASIJ—Andrew Steele (Yujin Narita), 48th minute.

Seoul American 2, Zama American 1

Seoul—B.J. Swint (Kellen Bean), 11th minute; Seoul—James Ewigleben (Jonathan Kim), 35th minute; Zama—Ryota Nishiyori, 44th minute (penalty kick).

ASIJ 4, Robert D. Edgren 0

ASIJ—Joji Kokuryo (Andrew Steele), 40th minute; ASIJ—Toshi Matsubara (David McCagg), 51st minute; ASIJ—Toshi Matsubara (unassisted), 58th minute; ASIJ—Sean Lyngaas (Toshi Matsubara), 67th minute.

POOL B

Kubasaki 1, Guam High 1

Kubasaki—Corey Niro (Michael Berger), 48th minute; Guam High—Jarreau Graham (Ryan DeLaire), 53rd minute.

Christian Acad. In Japan 7, E.J. King 0

CAJ—Thomas Hill (unassisted), 4th minute; CAJ—Thomas Hill (unassisted), 20th minute; CAJ—Luke Cummings (Thomas Hill), 35th minute; CAJ—David Millard (Caleb Cummings), 46th minute; CAJ—Caleb Cummings (Takeshi Niiho), 55th minute; CAJ—Shinji Anzai (Luke Cummings), 60th minute ;CAJ—Stig Olson (unassisted), 69th minute.

Nile C. Kinnick 4, Guam High 0

Kinnick—Go Yamada (Paul Graham), 10th minute; Kinnick—Anthony Beasley (unassisted), 12th minute; Kinnick—George Murray (unassisted), 18th minute; Kinnick—Go Yamada (Anthony Beasley), 43rd minute.

Kubasaki 4, Christian Acad. In Japan 1

CAJ—Shinji Anzai (Thomas Hill), 3rd minute; Kubasaki—Kevin Ware (Corey Niro), 11th minute; Kubasaki—Corey Niro (unassisted), 35th minute; Kubasaki—Sergio Rodriguez (Corey Niro), 44th minute; Kubasaki—Pat Maddox (Sergio Rodriguez), 60th minute.

Nile C. Kinnick 7, E.J. King 1

Kinnick—Dan Takahashi (unassisted), 2nd minute; Kinnick—Go Yamada (Rudy Ibanez), 6th minute; Kinnick—Anthony Beasley (Go Yamada), 9th minute; Kinnick—Mike Manese (unassisted), 16th minute; Kinnick—Dan Takahashi (Mike Manese), 25th minute ;Kinnick—Dan Takahashi (Jonathan Osborne), 47th minute; Kinnick—Matt Milnichuk (Jonathan Osborne), 61st minute.

POOL C

Osan American 1, Matthew C. Perry 1

M.C. Perry—J.R. Abad (unassisted), 5th minute; Osan—Mike Rojko (Thomas Kim), 22nd minute.

Yokota 1, Kadena 0

Yokota—Clyde Soumas (Ken-Taro Plude), 39th minute.

Yokota 5, Osan American 1

Yokota—Josh Diekmann, 27th minute (own goal); Yokota—Michael Chamberlain (Jason Kingery), 42nd minute; Osan—Jason Pederson, 45th minute (own goal); Yokota—Michael Chamberlain (unassisted), 60th minute; Yokota—Will Hajiaghamohseni (unassisted), 61st minute; Yokota—Clyde Soumas (unassisted), 68th minute.

Kadena 3, Matthew C. Perry 0

Kadena—Mac Kiewthiang (Mike Sullivan), 33rd minute; Kadena—Mac Kiewthiang (Eric Jones), 43rd minute; Kadena—Eric Jones (Evan Eykelbosh), 45th minute.

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