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KADENA AIR BASE, Okinawa – A veteran running back from the old Okinawa Football League turned back the clock on Saturday and powered his Kadena Dragons into the U.S. Forces Japan-American Football League South Division final.

Emmanuel Griffin rushed 10 times for a season-high 130 yards and two touchdowns, including the game-winning 15-yarder with 6:07 left, as the Dragons rallied to dethrone South champion Foster 32-19 and set up a Saturday South final showdown with regular-season champion Hansen.

“It sure felt just like we won the (OFL) championship in 2005 and the early years,” Griffin said of channeling the days of yore; he’s one of a small handful of OFL holdovers still playing in the USFJ-AFL.

Kadena won league titles in each of the two seasons of the OFL, sponsored by Marine Corps Community Services. Budget cuts and military commitments forced MCCS to shutter the league in 2006.

Griffin credited the offensive line for his performance, which included a 54-yard TD scamper late in the first quarter on which tackle Brandon Fugate sprung him loose.

“They told me before the game, it’s going to be there,” Griffin said of the line play. “They played ferociously. It all started with practice, working on our zone blocking, working on our man-to-man blocking, and it all worked.”

Kadena also got steady work from a bend-but-don’t-break defense that held the Bulldogs to minus-7 yards rushing and one rushing first down, recorded two sacks and forced five turnovers, including four pickoffs. Foster also hurt itself with 13 penalties for 98 yards.

“A lot of misfortune, not capitalizing, not playing a complete football game,” Bulldogs coach Gerald Sharber said.

Griffin’s second touchdown put the Dragons ahead to stay 24-18. Foster tried to rally, but a pass by Sanford James was intercepted by Brandon Farmer and returned to the Foster 2. Cory O’Cull sneaked over from the 1 three plays later to seal it with 36 seconds left.

Foster took its turn rallying from an early 18-6 deficit. Despite aggravating a right ankle sprain, James hit Phillip Offord from 15 yards out as the first half ended, then Jonathan Olivares caught a 23-yard TD pass. Sanford’s extra-point kick made it 19-18 with 7:50 left.

Following Griffin’s first touchdown, Olivares promptly returned the kickoff 75 yards to tie it 6-6 with 1:27 left in the first quarter. The O’Cull got busy, tossing a 17-yard scoring pass to Shawn Avery, then a 36-yarder in stride to Dishawn Harvey 31 seconds before halftime.

O’Cull went 6-for-12 for 120 yards, Devonte Ecford caught two passes for 53 yards and Harvey two for 44.

James finished 17-for-32 for 208 yards, Olivares recorded 184 all-purpose yards on eight touches and Offord 162 on six touches.

ornauer.dave@stripes.com

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Dave Ornauer has been employed by or assigned to Stars and Stripes Pacific almost continuously since March 5, 1981. He covers interservice and high school sports at DODEA-Pacific schools and manages the Pacific Storm Tracker.

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