Andre Encarnacion’s fumble return for a touchdown on a special teams play gave Zama American the breathing room it needed for a season-opening victory against Nile C. Kinnick.

The sophomore picked up a ball jarred loose from punter Corey Gonzalez by Matt Cole and ran 25 yards for a third-quarter score en route to the Trojans’ 32-8 triumph over the Red Devils in the DODDS Japan and Kanto Plain Association of Secondary Schools opener on Friday.

Elsewhere, Yokota, the team Zama displaced for the DODDS Japan title a season ago, got huge running games from Morgan Breazille and Devin Day as the Panthers romped 49-8 at Robert D. Edgren.

And at Okkodo High School, D.J. Cruz, Tegan Brown and Devon Jacobs combined for four rushing touchdowns as Guam High sank Simon Sanchez 26-8.

JapanZama American 32, Nile C. Kinnick 8: “He’s a tough ballplayer. We knew he could do some of those things,” coach Steven Merrell said of Encarnacion, who also recorded two quarterback sacks and even ran four times for 12 yards in relief of starting fullback Michael Spencer at Camp Zama.

“He has to get everything in order and on track and he can be a dominant football player.”

He called Encarnacion’s return touchdown a “key play” which “shows some of the ability he has.”

Spencer (88 yards, 14 carries) scored on a 21-yard run, transfer Mitchell Harrison (32 yards, seven carries) added a 5-yard TD run, while Cole and Darrell Ward (42 yards, five carries) each ran for touchdowns. Stephen Ferrer had a fumble recovery and an interception for Zama.

The win came despite the Trojans losing three fumbles to the Red Devils, who knocked at Zama’s door five times and only came up with a 3-yard touchdown by Richard Villareal, who led both sides with 102 yards on 21 carries.

“We have some things we need to fix,” Merrell said.

The Red Devils were of like mind after Zama racked up three takeaways and three sacks against Kinnick. Still, the new Red Devils coaching staff saw some positives after a 1-8 2009 season.

Even while down by 32 points, Kinnick players on the bench and sideline were up and cheering, “and I think that’s a big step,” said defensive coach Robert Stovall. “Physically, we’re a good team. We have to get our offense down and understand each other on defense.”

Yokota 49, Robert D. Edgren 8: At Misawa Air Base, Day and Breazille torched the Eagles’ defensive ends and outside linebackers, with Day rushing 16 times for 190 yards and four touchdowns. Breazille added 112 yards on four carries and scored three TDs, including a 90-yard kickoff-return touchdown to open the second half.

Gabe Huizar recovered a fumble, and Michael Littman had an interception for Yokota, which gave up only a 25-yard touchdown pass from Zach Davis to Xavier Major in the final period.

GuamGuam High 26, Simon Sanchez 8: At Dededo, Cruz ran 65 yards for a touchdown on the game’s opening play; he finished with 149 yards. Jacobs ran for 125 yards and a pair of scores and Brown 104 yards and the game’s final touchdown in the fourth quarter.

Andrew Galvan recorded 15 tackles and 10 assists, while Thearits Eaton added 10 solo tackles and 14 assists to anchor a defense that allowed only Kassidy Abisia’s rushing touchdown and two-point conversion.

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