CAJ's Takatoshi Kanemura and Kadena's Will Weatherill scrap for the ball. (Erika Burnham/Special to Stripes)

KADENA AIR BASE, Okinawa – One of the leading members of Kadena’s defending Far East soccer champion team played a huge role Wednesday in helping the Panthers make it two straight titles.

Elijah Whipp notched the only two goals of the match in the second half as the Panthers blanked Christian Academy Japan 2-0 in Wednesday’s Far East Division I tournament final at Ryukyu Middle School’s Habu Field.

The junior striker finished the season with 38 goals and was named the D-I tournament’s Most Valuable Player and Golden Boot award winner.

“Eli was huge,” coach Abe Summers said. “He’s a special player. Without him, we wouldn’t be here. You can’t get the ball in there by yourself, but he was the finisher. He was like a machine.”

The Panthers finished 18-1-2 after going 21-0 last season, with what Summer equated to an all-star team, most of which either graduated or transferred after last season, leaving Kadena with plenty of questions.

“We had such a good team last year,” Summers said. “It was kind of a foregone conclusion that we were going to win.”

Aside from many seniors leaving, striker Frank Stare transferred and midfielder Jelani McGhee couldn’t play due to an ankle injury.

“We really had to come together as a team,” Summers said. “Everybody had to step up and work together. It was a huge team effort. It was amazing.”

Kadena concluded its season by capturing its Pacific-record ninth D-I title. The Knights had won the Division II crowns the last two years and were seeking their fourth D-I title and combined 11th overall.

Kadena's Landon Reyes boots the ball against CAJ's Takatoshi Kanemura. (Erika Burnham/Special to Stripes)

Kadena's Gabriel Cedeno and CAJ's Takuma Seto chase the ball. (Erika Burnham/Special to Stripes)

Kadena's Elias Cedeno heads the ball against CAJ. (Nathan Asato/Special to Stripes)

CAJ's William Arjmandpour plays the ball against Kadena's Elijah Whipp. (Nathan Asato/Special to Stripes)

Kadena's Elias Cedeno heads the ball against CAJ's Hiro Maruyama. (Nathan Asato/Special to Stripes)

CAJ's Kei Arnold and Kadena's Elias Cedeno scrap for the ball. (Nathan Asato/Special to Stripes)