Subscribe

YOKOSUKA NAVAL BASE, Japan — Brothers Leonard and Brenden Lynce continued to work early season magic Friday for Nile C. Kinnick.

Brenden Lynce, a senior fullback, rushed 15 times for 126 yards and a touchdown, while Leonard, a junior quarterback, had a TD, 10 tackles and a fumble recovery in the Red Devils’ 22-14 victory over Zama American.

“Both the brothers have been real finds for us,” Kinnick offensive coordinator Jimmy Davis said of the Lynces, transfers from Virginia who in two games, both Red Devils victories, have a combined 287 yards and six TDs on 32 carries.

The two also lifted Kinnick (2-0) into first place in the Japan Football League and Kanto Plain Association of Secondary Schools.

“This was a great start for us,” said Davis, who suffered through three losing seasons in a Kinnick uniform from 1987-89.

“We felt like we controlled the game. The score didn’t reflect it. They’re a good team, but we controlled the tempo.”

The Trojans keyed on Kinnick senior tailback Richie Korth “like gold,” Davis said. “That opened things up for the Lynces.”

Leonard Lynce scored from 2 yards out in the first quarter. Brenden Lynce followed with a 4-yard run before Korth, who finished with 69 yards on 17 tries, capped the scoring with a 2-yard plunge to open the final quarter.

Zama had an early chance to score when Kinnick muffed a punt, setting up the Trojans with first-and-goal at the Red Devils 5. But Kinnick’s defense rose to the occasion.

“The defense had some great moments tonight,” Davis said.

Zama (0-2) scored when Donovan Nance burst into the end zone from 12 yards out in the second quarter.

The Trojans’ Scott Sakraida returned a blocked punt for a score in the third quarter.

“We have to start winning some games,” said second-year Zama coach Ron Geist. “They played their hearts out, just like last week. I have nothing but pride, especially in the second half. They did a really good job.”

Zama hosts Robert D. Edgren (0-1) of Misawa Air Base next Saturday, while Matthew C. Perry of Iwakuni Marine Corps Air Station travels to Yokosuka to visit Kinnick. Yokota hosts the American School In Japan on Friday in the Mustangs’ season opener.

Sign Up for Daily Headlines

Sign up to receive a daily email of today's top military news stories from Stars and Stripes and top news outlets from around the world.

Sign Up Now