Kubasaki's Ryan Hater rushed for four touchdowns and 258 yards against Kinnick. (Jim Mills/Special to Stripes)

URUMA, Okinawa – Humphreys suffered two close regular-season defeats at the hands of defending Far East Division I champion Kubasaki.

Now, the Blackhawks are hoping the third time they meet the Dragons is the charm.

Running back Joshua Canion, quarterback Bradley Miller and the Blackhawks are in their second D-I final since the program joined the DODEA-Pacific large-schools field eight years ago.

They’ll take on running backs Ryan Hater, Ethan Ferch and the Dragons, who have three D-I titles to their credit.

Beating a team like the Dragons is much easier said than done, Blackhawks coach Reggie Meno said, considering Kubasaki has won 12 straight games dating back to the 2024 season opener.

The Dragons also have DODEA-Pacific’s stingiest defense, giving up an average of six points per game.

“To beat a team like Kubasaki requires continuous effort, play execution and minimizing penalties,” said Meno, whose Blackhawks have D-I’s top scoring offense, at 21.6 points per game.

While it might seem like the Dragons and Blackhawks are intimately familiar with each other, neither should expect the other to continue doing what they did before, Kubasaki coach Tony Alvarado said.

“We are emphasizing to our players not to treat this game like someone you have already seen,” Alvarado said.

“Expect the unexpected. We know they will put in some wrinkles to put us off our game, but the truth is, all we can do is control how we play the game.”

The teams will tee it up against each other Friday at Kubasaki’s Mike Petty Stadium, where the D-I final was played last year. The Dragons blanked Kadena 13-0 in that contest.

Humphreys played in the D-I final six years ago at Kadena, where the Blackhawks fell 14-12. The Panther defense stopped a two-point conversion attempt in the closing seconds to preserve the victory.

Humphreys' Joshua Canion cuts his way between Kadena defenders Farid Goumondokoye and Daniel Dawadu. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)

Hater and Canion have been the most recognizable threats for the respective teams on both sides of the ball. Each has breakaway speed and can break tackles, turning seemingly short gains into long TD runs.

The key for the Dragons, Alvarado said, is getting off to a good start and, like Meno said, cutting down on errors.

“We have to limit our mistakes – we have been horrible in the first half,” Alvarado said. “Make sure we tackle well and wrap up. Hit hard, keep things simple and trust your teammates. Line up correctly, know who is your key and what is your responsibility.”

“We have to ensure that all 22 players are firing on all cylinders,” Meno said. “When any of the 22 are in the game, they must stay focused and play hard until they hear the whistle.”

Naturally, Kubasaki will key on Canion and Humphreys on Hater, but they are far from the only strong players who bear watching, Alvarado said.

“Humphreys has a strong runner in Josh Cannon, but we know he is not the only playmaker out there,” Alvarado said.

“Execute on offense. Ryan Hater had a breakout game” in Kubasaki’s 35-13 win over Nile C. Kinnick earlier this month, “and there should be more of this if our offensive line can make the right blocks and open up the holes.”

Friday’s kickoff is at 6 p.m. The forecast shows mostly-cloudy skies with possible showers in the early afternoon and late evening and temperatures hovering around 80.

“We have been hammering home to our players for them to ‘do your job,’” Alvarado said. “If you do that then you will be ready for no matter what Humphreys brings to the field.”

The same applies to the Blackhawks, Meno said. “To bring home a championship. There is no other reason.”