Pacific
Unbeaten Perry boys win seventh Far East crown
Stars and Stripes
April 29, 2026
Perry's Noah Charles and Zama's Maxx Ivulich chase the ball. (Arrianna Lennyl Cabrera/Special to Stars and Stripes)
MISAWA AIR BASE, Japan — Following Matthew C. Perry’s loss in last season’s Far East final to E.J. King, the Samurai’s Liam DeMarsico-Birkland approached Perry coach Mark Lange, tears in his eyes, and vowed that the Samurai would not lose a match this season.
“Holy cow, he was right. We didn’t lose,” Lange said Wednesday after the Samurai blanked Zama 2-0 at Eagles Field, capturing their seventh Division II Tournament title and capping a 23-0-3 season.
Cooper Allen and Josh Rodriguez each tapped passes from midfielder and tournament Most Valuable Player Noah Charles into the net for Perry, which scored once in each half on a clear, but chilly evening.
The victory came against a Trojans team that went 14-6-5 this season and was the only team to win a half in a match against the Samurai earlier in the campaign.
“I congratulate them (Samurai) on their win, and I am so proud of how the Zama players gave it their all,” Trojans coach Chad Guisinger said.
In winning the title, Perry broke a tie for most D-II tournament championships with Christian Academy Japan. It was the first D-II title for the Samurai since winning their sixth in 2016, and Lange said his goal since was to “get that seventh star.”
“It still hasn’t hit me that we won this,” said Lange, adding that after 25 years of coaching, “I’m done. I finished on a high note and on my terms. I have the seventh star, I left at the top, that’s what I wanted to do and we did it.”
Perry's Noah Charles and Zama's Conner McCale battle for the ball. (David Shepherd/Special to Stripes)
Zama's Maxx Ivulich charges upfield with the ball as two teammates and two Perry opponents are in trail. (David Shepherd/Special to Stripes)
Perry's Ren Spinosi drives upfield against King's Gabriel Leak. (Arrianna Lennyl Cabrera/Special to Stripes)
Zama's Adrian Venable fights against Perry's Kenshin Dukowitz for possession. (Arrianna Lennyl Cabrera/Special to Stripes)
Perry players, and coach Mark Lange in the background, celebrate their seventh Far East Division II tournament title (David Shepherd/Special to Stripes)
