Pacific Athletes of the Week: Feb. 2, 2012
Chantz Yazzie
Yokota wrestling
Last week — Pinned all six of his opponents to power the Panthers to four dual-meet victories on Friday and the team title in the Department of Defense Dependents Schools Japan wrestling finals on their home mats.
Yazzie, a sophomore and team captain, pinned two foes, boosting Yokota to dual-meet victories over Nile C. Kinnick and Zama American, sealing second place in the Kanto Plain Association of Secondary Schools regular-season standings. Yazzie pinned four more wrestlers and took the 122-pound title as Yokota outdistanced Kinnick 61-44 for the DODDS Japan team title. Yazzie is 13-4 this season.
“He has a strong work ethic and commitment to the team, is constantly trying to improve his technique and conditioning and is a great supporter of his teammates,” Panthers coach Brian Kitts said of Yazzie, an active community member and straight-A student. “He is the type of kid who every coach wishes were on their team.”
De’Asia Brown
Nile C. Kinnick basketball
Last week — Powered the Red Devils to wins in three DODDS Japan games at Sasebo Naval Base. Kinnick is 19-5 overall, third-best record in Japan, and 10-1 in DODDS Japan regular-season games, second behind Yokota. Brown has averaged 25 points and just under 10 assists per game this season.
Brown, a freshman, had 30 points in Kinnick’s 56-39 victory Friday at E.J. King. The Red Devils duplicated that success on Saturday, topping the Cobras 45-26 behind Brown’s 17 points. She had 25 more as Kinnick capped the weekend by beating Robert D. Edgren 55-40.
“She is socially, academically and athletically mature and developed far beyond her years and peers and no doubt is headed in the right direction to have a great and bright future in whatever endeavor she chooses to pursue in life, athletic or not,” coach Sam Williams said. “Coaching this team with her as a member makes my job so much easier and so much more enjoyable.”
