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YONGSAN GARRISON, South Korea — The celebration after Seoul American’s victory over Yokota barely had died down Saturday when a grim reality set in.

Well-begun is only half-done, coach Julian Harden told his Falcons. There’s still another game to play — and this one is on the road, on Okinawa against the Kubasaki Dragons on Saturday for the Far East High School Class AA football championship.

“We have to finish this,” Harden said Wednesday, four days after Seoul American earned its berth in the large-schools title game by handing the Panthers their first on-field loss in 61 months. “It’s not enough just to get there. We don’t want to do this half-baked. It’s not a fluke. We want to show that we’re a legitimate contender.”

To do that, they must get past a Kubasaki team that came alive offensively after losing senior playmaker Stephen Thompson to an ankle injury. A balanced offense accounted for two passing touchdowns and three rushing TDs in a 32-12 victory over Guam High at Guam Naval Station.

And as with last weekend’s semifinals, Saturday’s title clash matches teams that never have met — another visit to uncharted territory, said Harden and Kubasaki coach Fred Bales.

“I guess that’s the great thing about this new playoff system, getting teams together who had never seen one another,” Bales said. “An air of mystery. We certainly felt it on Guam. We played hard. We’re expecting something similar this week. It’s exciting stuff.”

Kickoff for the championship game is at 7 p.m. Saturday at Kubasaki’s Mike Petty Stadium on Camp Foster.

A crowd of more than 1,000 is expected for a contest pitting two teams that play similar styles, each with a pair of sturdy running backs, a steady quarterback and sure-handed if not overly quick receivers. Each plays a physical, shut-down defense.

The two coaches said they planned to exchange game videotapes, which each said would give them an idea — but not much more — of what the other team runs.

“Film gives you an idea of what you might see but you still have to play the game,” Bales said.

Both coaches also said they didn’t plan to depart much from what made them successful.

“We won’t do anything differently,” Bales said. “Your toughest opponent is always yourself. You have to play at the highest possible level.”

Harden said his players can expect a battle with “physical guys. They’re going to come at us with hard-nosed football and let the chips fall where they may. I intend to do the same thing. Just come right at them. There’s only so many variations they can throw at us. We have to be prepared for everything.”

Far East football playoffs

Class AA

Saturday, Nov. 5

Semifinals

Seoul American 13, Yokota 10

Kubasaki 32, Guam High 12

Saturday, Nov. 12

Championship

Seoul American at Kubasaki, 7 p.m.

Far East football playoffs

Class AA

Saturday, Nov. 5

Semifinals

Seoul American 13, Yokota 10

Kubasaki 32, Guam High 12

Saturday, Nov. 12

Championship

Seoul American at Kubasaki, 7 p.m.

Class A

Saturday, Nov. 5

Championship

Osan American 16, Robert D. Edgren 14

Dave Ornauer's Week 11 outlook and Week 10 honors

Saturday, Nov. 12

Far East Class AA championship game

Seoul American 20, Kubasaki 17

Week 10 grid honors

Seoul American-Charles Jones 13 tackles, 29-yard fumble-return touchdown. Marque Snow 14 tackles, 1 sack. Daniel Cain 11 tackles, 1 sack. Calvin Lasane 101 yards, 6-yard touchdown run, 7 carries. David Smalls 74 yards, 20 carries.

Yokota-Anthony McNeill 156 all-purpose yards (87 yard, 15 carries; 55 yards, 2 returns; 14 yards, 2 catches).

Osan American-Will Rapoza 120 all-purpose yards (101 yards, 19-yard touchdown run, 23 carries; 19 yards, 1 return). Carlos Albaladejo 1 fumble recovery, 34-yard field goal, 1 sack.

Robert D. Edgren-Jacques Moton 165 all-purpose yards (156 yards, touchdown runs of 9 and 4 yards, 25 carries; 9 yards, 1 return).

Kubasaki-Lenard White 109 yards, 16-yard touchdown run, 12 carries. Rafael Mew touchdown passes of 32 yards to Michael Bennett, 27 yards to Justin McCaw. Tim Gardner 57 yards, 1-yard touchdown run, 13 carries; 2 interceptions.

Guam High-Ashton Adams 131 yards, 89-yard touchdown run, 11 carries; 7 tackles.

The Top Ten

The Top Ten teams in the Stars and Stripes’ 2005 Far East high school football ratings, with records through Oct. 22, points and week’s rating, as compiled by Dave Ornauer of Stars and Stripes sports. Ratings are based primarily on teams’ win-loss records, quality of wins, strength of overall roster, point differential, team and individual statistics, strength of schedule and strength of leagues. Maximum rating is 500 points:

Record Pts Pvs

1. Seoul American 5-0 464 3

2. Geo. Washington (Guam) 7-0 460 2

3. Kubasaki (Okinawa) 3-1 456 4

4. Yokota (Japan) 7-1 452 1

5. American School In Japan 5-1 424 5

6. Father Duenas (Guam) 5-2 416 6

7. Kadena (Okinawa) 1-2 404 7

8. Nile C. Kinnick (Japan) 4-4 372 9

9. Osan American (S. Korea) 3-2 368 —

10. John F. Kennedy (Guam) 4-3 364 10

Class AA capsules

Seoul American Falcons

Yongsan Garrison, South Korea

2005 record: 5-0, 119 points for, 28 points against, Department of Defense Dependents Schools-Korea Football League champion.

Head coach: Julian Harden, third season, 13-0, three DODDS-Korea League championships.

Base offense: Pro.

Base defense: 5-man front.

Players to watch: Calvin Lasane and David Smalls, 1-2 RB punch; Bruce Voelker, QB; Charles Jones, Daniel Cain, Marque Snow, defensive interior.

Noteworthy: Owners of Pacific-best 25-game winning streak. Won Class AA semifinal 13-10 over Yokota on Saturday at Falcons Field.

Scouting report(provided by Osan American coach Tony Alvarado): Seoul American is big and strong. They play ball in the trenches. They’ll keep coming at you and wear you down by the fourth quarter. You need really strong tackling. Lasane breaks tackles to get his yards. Smalls is quick; he has excellent moves. Just when you think you have them covered, Voelker will hit a 15- or 20-yard pass, or Snow will pound for 7 or 8 yards. They have four big guns coming at you. You have to cover all bases.

Kubasaki Dragons

Camp Foster, Okinawa

2005 record: 3-1, 86 points for, 34 points against, Okinawa Activities Council champion.

Head coach: Frederick Bales, first season.

Base offense: Multiple.

Base defense: Multiple 4- and 5-man fronts.

Players to watch: Lenard White, Tim Gardner and David Motu, RBs; Rafael Mew, QB-CB; Terry Hilson, LB.

Noteworthy: Beat Guam High 32-12 in Saturday’s Class AA semifinal at Guam Naval Station.

Scouting report(provided by Kadena coach Brian Wetherington): Fred runs a balanced offense. If you can force them to do just one thing, shut down the run and force them to pass or vice versa, take out one aspect, force them to do something they’re not comfortable with, you have a chance. They’re sound defensively. Trying to crack that defense depends on who’s in better condition.

author picture
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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