YOKOSUKA NAVAL BASE, Japan -- Better known for his abilities on the soccer pitch, Matt Linder proved pretty fair on the gridiron on a blustery Friday night at Yokosuka’s Berkey Field.

Linder ran for two touchdowns and recovered a fumble and Zach Davis added a TD run as Robert D. Edgren closed its DODDS Japan season on a happy note, winning for the first time in eight triess, 19-6, at Nile C. Kinnick.

“This is amazing,” coach Michael Gros said. “Finally, they came together and played like a team. Minimal mistakes. Minimal penalties. The kids played an amazing game.”

Battling northeasterly winds exceeding 20 mph with Typhoon Chaba approaching from the southwest, the Eagles, who fell 27-20 at home to Kinnick (2-7) after leading 20-13 on Oct. 1, rolled to a 19-0 lead and were never threatened as the teams split their annual Toku Horse series.

Linder had 174 yards and touchdown runs of 9 and 15 yards on 27 carries. Davis added a 5-yard scoring run and intercepted a Kinnick pass. Sean Gammel had 33 yards on two carries.

The Red Devils finally scored on Quinton Holden’s 2-yard run early in the fourth quarter after Edgren had replaced its defensive starters. Holden ran 12 times for 45 yards and was 3-for-5 passing for 64 yards.

Dustin Kimbrell had 77 yards on four returns and David Mason caught a 55-yard pass from Holden.

“We couldn’t get anything going,” said coach Dan Joley of Kinnick, adding that he envisions a brighter future for the Red Devils. “The seniors set the foundation and turned things around for Kinnick.”

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