Courtney-Hansen running back William “Bull” Caton (4) is wrapped up by Kadena Dragons’ Brandon Chatman (88) on Saturday at Camp Courtney, Okinawa. The Dragons kept hold of first place with a 34-7 victory. (Dave Ornauer / S&S)
Courtney-Hansen running back William “Bull” Caton (4) is wrapped up by Kadena Dragons’ Brandon Chatman (88) on Saturday at Camp Courtney, Okinawa. The Dragons kept hold of first place with a 34-7 victory. (Dave Ornauer / S&S)
Kadena quarterback P.J. Robinson eludes the rush of the Courtney-Hansen defense. (Dave Ornauer / S&S)
CAMP COURTNEY, Okinawa — The Kadena Dragons’ offense generated its lowest output of the season. The defense made sure it wasn’t an issue.
James Francis intercepted three passes and Chris McIver had two interceptions and a fumble recovery for the Dragons, who forced eight turnovers and added two sacks as Kadena remained unbeaten with a 34-7 victory over the Courtney-Hansen Titans on Saturday at Courtney Bowl.
Kadena had been averaging 374.3 yards and 48 points per game, but had only 236 yards Saturday.
The Panthers were also hindered by 15 penalties for 131 yards, including three personal fouls that kept a Titans drive alive in the second quarter.
“Fifty [yards] on one drive, that was too many for me to stomach,” Dragons coach Will Cupp said. “Thankfully, the defense was there. They came to play today.”
Of the eight takeaways, McIver’s interceptions squelched Titans drives that spanned a total of 16 minutes, 30 seconds.
“We couldn’t quite get it done in the [red] zone,” Titans coach Tony Bowman said.
Charles Harris also had an interception, Brandon Chatman and Kelly Morrison each had sacks and Chatman recovered a fumble.
That helped make up for a Dragons offense that, while putting the ball in the end zone five times, hardly resembled the dominant force that had outgunned its first four opponents by an average of 43 points.
“We were trying some new things,” Cupp said of an offense that experimented with an Air Force Academy-style “wingbone,” among other formations. “The offense hasn’t been derailed in any way, shape or form. It can still do what it’s done all season.”
What it’s done most of the season is go to halfback Trent Beavers, who gained 121 yards on 22 carries and scored three times — including a 62-yard scamper on which he appeared to be tackled in the backfield, but broke free, raced around left end and kept on going.
“Beavers is our marquee running back for a reason,” Cupp said. “He’s got that field vision that every coach hopes his running backs have. He turns even dead plays into big plays.”
Quarterback P.J. Robinson hit Jon Robinson with a 45-yard first-quarter scoring pass to give Kadena the lead for good at 8-7. He also ran 24 yards for Kadena’s other touchdown.
The Titans, who were defeated by Kadena 52-3 on Oct. 2, surprised the Dragons early, when quarterback Thomas Aragon hitting Dustin Pellot from 24 yards out on Courtney-Hansen’s first possession.
The Titans, held to 34 yards in their Oct. 2 loss, amassed 153 this time. Grant Hebert recovered two fumbles and Willie Simmons had two of Courtney-Hansen’s three sacks.
Okinawa Football League
(Teams listed in order of playoff tiebreaker seeding)
W L Pct. PF PA
Kadena 5 0 1.000 226 19
Foster-Futenma 4 0 1.000 145 20
Schwab 2 3 .400 74 96
Courtney-Hansen 2 4 .333 62 174
Kinser 1 3 .250 82 78
Ryukyu University 0 4 .000 7 204
Saturday’s game
Kadena 34, Courtney-Hansen 7
Sunday’s games
Kinser vs. Foster-Futenma at Courtney Bowl, Camp Courtney
Schwab vs. Ryukyu University at Courtney Bowl
Saturday, Nov. 13
Kadena vs. Schwab at Courtney Bowl, 1 p.m.
Foster-Futenma vs. Courtney-Hansen at Courtney Bowl, 5 p.m.
Sunday, Nov. 14
Kinser vs. Ryukyu University at Courtney Bowl, 1 p.m.
