Wrestling26th Nile C. Kinnick Invitational “Beast of the Far East” Wrestling TournamentWhen — 9 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 25, 2020.Where — Yokosuka Naval Base, Japan.What — Second of two in-season non-DODEA-sponsored invitational wrestling tournament, the first being the 7th “Rumble on the Rock” Dec. 14 on Okinawa. A platform for teams participating in next month’s Far East Tournament at Osan to judge where they stand and what they need to work on.Who’s coming — Shonan Military Academy (defending team champion), host Nile C. Kinnick, Yokota, Zama, Robert D. Edgren, Matthew C. Perry, E.J. King, Christian Academy Japan, American School In Japan and St. Mary’s, Kubasaki and Kadena.Returning champions — Rin Zoot, 148 pounds, ASIJ; Haydn Peterson, 215, Kubasaki; Marshall China, heavyweight, Perry. All three are reigning Far East champions as well; Zoot was named Far East Outstanding Wrestler a year ago.Format — Single-elimination with consolation bouts in all 13 weight classes, with wrestleback to determine a “true” runner-up finisher if the wrestler placing third loses to the weight-class champion.Also — “Beast” this year features the five most decorated Division I teams in Far East tournament history, Kubasaki (26 titles), St. Mary’s (17), Kinnick (12), Kadena (6) and ASIJ (4). Edgren is tops among Division II teams with 11 Far East titles.

Basketball4th American School In Japan Kanto Classic Basketball Tournament When — Thursday-Saturday.Where — Tokyo.What — Largest gathering of teams in the four main northwest Pacific school districts in the four-year history of the tournament – 27 teams total, including eight DODEA schools from Japan, Korea, Okinawa and, for the first time, Guam High’s boys team.Who’s coming Boys — Japan: Yokota, Zama, Nile C. Kinnick, Robert D. Edgren, host ASIJ, Christian Academy Japan, St. Mary’s. Okinawa: Kubasaki, Kadena. Korea: Humphreys (defending champion). Guam: Okkodo, St. Paul Christian, Father Duenas.Girls — Japan: Yokota, Zama, Nile C. Kinnick, Robert D. Edgren, host ASIJ, CAJ, Seisen. Okinawa: Kubasaki, Kadena. Korea: Humphreys. Guam: Okkodo, St. Paul Christian, Academy of Our Lady (defending champion).Format — Partial round-robin play first two days, single-elimination bracket play with consolation on third day. Each team is guaranteed six games and each team awakens Saturday with a chance to win the tournament.Also — This is believed to be the largest field of teams in any Pacific-wide invitational high school tournament in the last 40 years. The last time 25 or more Pacific high school teams were in the same general location for a basketball event of any kind was in February 2011, when 16 boys and 15 girls teams played in their respective Far East tournaments on Guam. … All participating teams except Academy, Okkodo’s boys and girls, Father Duenas, Edgren’s boys and Humphreys girls have won at least one Far East tournament title.