Knights top Panthers in a nail-biter to capture title

Kadena's Elijah Whipp plays the ball between CAJ's Haruto Abe and Makoto Clark. (Isaiah Ramirez/Special to Stripe)

KADENA AIR BASE, Okinawa — In a Far East soccer tournament week that featured seven playoff matches going to penalty-kick shootouts, Christian Academy Japan saved the most dramatic of them all for last.

Rohan Ramirez-Thorne booted in the winning penalty kick and keeper Daigo Takakusaki stopped Kadena’s last shootout try, as the Knights dethroned the two-time defending champion Panthers 3-2 in Wednesday’s boys Division I final.

“I have never seen a game like this in my life. This is unbelievable,” Knights coach Charles Smoker said. “Rohan, that guy has fought through injury. Last year, he couldn’t come because of grades. He was determined to come through this year for the team.”

And come through he did in a match that featured a number of twists and turns, through 80 minutes of full time, 20 of extra time, 10 of golden-goal time and finally a PK shootout.

Elijah Whipp got the Panthers on the board early and it appeared Kadena might be raising a third straight banner. But the Knights got the equalizer late in the second half to send it to extra time. There, Kei Kato-Arnold put CAJ up 2-1 in the first extra session.

But Whipp converted a lengthy free kick to draw the sides even late in the second extra session. It stayed 2-2 through the golden-goal periods, sending it to the shootout where Ramirez-Thorne came through.

Smoker called keeper Takakusaki the “emotional foundational leader of the team. Without him, we would not be here. He leads guys who come into our room by his spirit, his intensity, his emotion and great leadership.”

With the win, the Knights increased their D-I title haul to five and now own 11 total Far East soccer tournament banners, including six won at the Division II level. The Panthers were trying for their 10th D-I title, which would match Kubasaki’s girls for most in the Pacific.

Kadena High School yearbook group student-reporter Hunter Swartz contributed to this report.

CAJ players rush onto the field to celebrate their D-I title. (Isaiah Ramirez/Special to Stripes)

CAJ's Raphael Bayliss dribbles against Kadena's Kai Wilson. (Julia Mendoza/Special to Stripes)

Kadena's Elias Cedeno pushes the ball ahead of CAJ's William Arjmandpour. (Julia Mendoza/Special to Stripes)

Kadena's Elijah Whipp drives upfield against CAJ. (Hunter Swartz/Special to Stripes)