KADENA AIR BASE, Okinawa — Saturday’s season-opening 34-6 romp by Foster over Yokosuka could be called a passing of the torch from veteran receiver Corey Moore to a group of young Bulldogs speedsters.
Roger Veal caught two touchdown passes and Quentin White snagged one as defending U.S. Forces Japan-American Football League champion Foster unveiled a multi-pronged passing attack.
"The Bulldogs are here, and we’re still the team to beat," said Veal, who combined with White and Luke Hicks to catch five passes for 105 yards. "Watch out for the receiver corps. We come to play, we practice hard every day, and we’re going to come out and show what we can do."
"So many weapons, so many toys," said quarterback Frank Bryant, who tossed three TD passes and went 5-for-8 for 99 yards.
Moore wasn’t completely left out of the picture; he caught a late first-half 3-yard TD pass from Bryant, but as a tight end.
"We have a lot of speed, which is why I moved to the inside," Moore said. "We have those young boys on the outside. They’re doing a good job, and as long as they keep stepping it up, I don’t mind."
The Bulldogs’ defense and special teams recorded three sacks, a fumble and a blocked punt returned for a TD. Tyron Francis’ punt block rolled into the hands of Jamar Jarrell, who returned it 25 yards for a touchdown.
Yokosuka, a seven-time USFJ-AFL champion, was held to 106 yards and six first downs.
Backup quarterback Anthony Seaman and receiver David Hamilton hooked up for Yokosuka’s lone TD, a 20-yard strike in the second half.
"They’re fast, they have athletes, they’re in good shape," Seahawks coach James Price said, adding that such a defeat was perhaps the best thing for his team.
"They were ready for USFJ football. We were not. They played, and they beat us. We have to take that back to the drawing board and fix it."
Yokosuka’s Lorenz Piper ran 20 times for 82 yards .
Saturday’s game marked the start of the 11th season since the USFJ-AFL was constituted out of the remnants of the old USFJ.
The league has its third commissioner in three years, Sean Dath, a civilian at Yokosuka Naval Base; he replaces the retiring Robert Cole. USFJ-AFL keeps its current format of North and South Divisions with three teams each, with a stepladder playoff system in July.
