Senior Haruki Jones, with ball, returns to his natural position, running back. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)
Seventh in a series of preseason previews detailing DODEA-Pacific football teams.
MISAWA AIR BASE, Japan – Haruki Jones thought he and Robert D. Edgren’s football team were in solid position to end a lengthy Far East Division II title drought.
They’d gone 3-1 in the D-II regular season and earned host rights to a playoff game Oct. 18 against Matthew C. Perry, a team the Eagles blanked 20-0 early in the season.
But a championship was not to be. Perry avenged that regular-season defeat by downing the Eagles 27-21 in that rematch, this time on Edgren’s home field.
“Definitely after that loss, we really feel motivated now,” Jones said of the players returning from that heartbreaking loss. “I like to win every week. I’m hoping we can bounce back from that.”
It’s been 12 years since the Eagles have even reached the D-II final, and 17 since they captured their last title.
“We’ve been talking about that since last season,” Jones said, adding that the Eagles are hoping that last season’s leap into contention carries over into this one. “We’re trying to build on that and take the banner home,” Jones said.
He's won four Far East Division I girls soccer tournament titles and helmed tennis teams during his 40 years of coaching. Now, Hoa Nguyen, 63, of Texas, is coaching football for the first time. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)
Sophomore Jayden Botoy takes over at quarterback for the Eagles. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)
Jeremy Sanders, a former Eagles head coach, returns to what he calls his "sanctuary" as defensive coordinator, back with the team after a three-year absence. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)
Senior Brandon Garrido-Manalo missed last season with an injury, but is back to anchor Edgren's offensive and defensive lines, and is hoping to sip a taste of title glory that eluded the Eagles last year. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)
Eagles offensive assistant T.J. Hobbs describes a play in the Edgren huddle. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)
While eight players return, six of them starters, there’s yet another new head coach, the Eagles’ fifth in five seasons.
Hoa Nguyen, 63, a native of Texas, has coached for 40 years, most of them within DODEA, but mostly tennis and soccer, winning four Far East Division I girls soccer tournament titles.
But football? “Never, ever,” Nguyen said.
Still, one thing he says he emphasized with past teams and with the Eagles now, is building not just a competitive team, but a family.
“To win a championship, you have to work and win as a team. And these guys are working as a team,” Nguyen said.
Last year’s coach, Brian Johnson, is the Far East D-II girls volleyball and boys soccer tournament director. Some players in Nguyen’s classes last school year “twisted my arm to be the coach, so I twisted the arm of the principal (Terrance Cobb),” Nguyen said. “I love these kids.”
A new old face in Eagles football lore returns as defensive coordinator, former Edgren head coach Jeremy Sanders, after an absence of three seasons. “This is my sanctuary,” he said. “This is where I’m at peace.”
Defense, Nguyen said, will be a hallmark of the Eagles, as it was last year, when they recorded two shutouts among their three wins. Back after missing last season to injury is senior Brandon Garrido-Manalo; he’ll anchor the offensive and defensive lines.
“We all love to play football,” Garrido-Manalo said. “We want to win some games again and represent the Edgren Eagles.”
With the rise of Jayden Botoy, a sophomore, into the quarterback position, Jones returns to his natural spot, running back.
“I think we’ll fight for it,” Nguyen said of chasing the ever-elusive title. “We were close last year. We lost a lot of good players, but we have enough back from last season that we feel we can contend.”
Edgren opens the season on the road Sept. 5 at Yokota, then hosts Matthew C. Perry in a rematch of that playoff defeat.
Robert D. Edgren Eagles
2024 season record — 3-3 overall.
Head coach — Hoa Nguyen, first season. Has coached tennis and soccer for 40 years.
Championships — DODEA-Pacific Far East Division II titles in 2006-08, six title-game appearances in all.
Returning players — 8.
Returning starters — 6.
Key performers — Haruki Jones, Sr., RB; Jayden Botoy, So., QB; Brandon Garrido-Manalo, Sr., OL-DL.
Strengths — Defense, particularly for the line and secondary. Solid assistant coaching core, features the return of former Eagles head coach Jeremy Sanders, coaching the defense.
Drawbacks — Inexperience; more than half the roster has never played football before. Nguyen becomes the team’s fifth head coach in five seasons.
Overview — Reloading-contending. It has been 12 years since the Eagles reached the Far East D-II final and 17 years since they won the championship. Nguyen says enough returns from last year to replace a cadre of graduates and become contenders to end the title drought.
2025 season schedule
Friday, Sept. 5
Edgren at Yokota
Friday, Sept. 12
Matthew C. Perry at Edgren
Saturday, Sept. 20
Edgren at Osan
Friday, Sept. 26
Edgren at Zama
Friday, Oct. 3
Yokota at Edgren
Postseason
Championship
Friday, Oct. 24
No. 2 at No. 1, teams, time and site to be determined.
