After Kadena came up short in Far East volleyball and basketball, Jazlene Vergara and the Panthers went out champions in Far East softball, the final tournament of the season and Vergara's career. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)
KADENA AIR BASE, Okinawa — What better way is there for a student-athlete to end their DODEA-Pacific school years by winning their last Far East tournament?
That was Jazlene Vergara, a Kadena senior. Her volleyball and basketball seasons could be summed up in one word: frustration. But oh, how wonderful that softball tournament title felt.
“That made it something I’ll never forget about my senior year,” said Vergara, who was named Kadena’s girls Athlete of the Year for school year 2025-26.
The tail end of the previous school year portended good things for Vergara and the Panthers, who had closed out the year with their third straight Far East Division I Softball Tournament title.
Along came the volleyball season, and the first of two major disappointments. The Panthers reached the Far East championship match, but fell short in their bid for a school-first D-I title.
“Going into the volleyball Far East finals felt like an amazing accomplishment as is, but the thought of winning it for Kadena for the first time made me want it even more,” Vergara said.
Alas, Kadena lost the final at Kubasaki in four sets, 18-25, 26-24, 25-18, 26-24.
“Watching that ball drop for the last time (on match point) definitely struck something in me, knowing that it was the last time I’d be playing volleyball again,” Vergara said.
Defending their D-I Far East basketball tournament title also proved to be heartbreaking. Kadena failed to reach center court, losing 52-36 to American School In Japan in the final four, then 42-35 to Seisen in the third-place game on Feb. 3.
“I had a lot of pressure and urge to go for the (repeat),” Vergara said of basketball season. “Injuries and sickness really brought us down when competing at Far East. Watching the last seconds … go down, knowing it was over, definitely felt like a heartbreak.”
But then came softball and a chance for redemption, which Vergara achieved and walked away from high school athletics as a long-sought champion. She was also honored by her school as one of two athletes of the year.
The Panthers went 19-1-1 on the season, their only loss in the regular season to island-rival Kubasaki. Vergara batted .742 with a 1.969 OPS, walked 17 times and stole 46 bases, only being caught once.
And then there was the Far East D-I final April 21 at Yokosuka Naval Base. The only final in which Kadena played at a neutral site.
“Finally, getting to win softball Far East brought me so much joy after constantly taking the loss throughout this (school) year,” Vergara said. The Panthers rallied past Humphreys to win 11-7. “It definitely felt like a good way to wrap up my high school sports career.”
Edgren keeper Ethan Young dives to make a save. Surrounding him are Zama's Asher Morris and Eagles teammates Dan Larson, Caden Crow and Jayden de Asis. (David Shepherd/Special to Stripes)
Denali Clites, right, played volleyball, basketball and soccer for Daegu. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)
Evan Son played tennis and soccer for Daegu. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)
Keira Marrero played libero on a senior-heavy Edgren team. (Annika Farin/Special to Stripes)
Humphreys' Joshua Canion, chased by Kadena's Braylon Stephens, led the Blackhawks with 79 yards on 12 carries and their lone offensive touchdown. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)
Humphreys junior Caedence Blair takes on Daegu sophomore Ailani “KT” Green. (Daniel Pak/Special to Stripes)
King’s Nolan Grubb, right, tries to get the ball from Osan’s Lucas Harman. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)
Aniah Little played volleyball, basketball and soccer for E.J. King. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)
Jaden Patsel closed out his Kadena basketball career with clutch shots to help win two in-season tournaments. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)
The other athletes selected by each DODEA-Pacific school:
Daegu – Evan Son, senior, tennis, soccer. Denali Clites, senior, volleyball, basketball, soccer.
Robert D. Edgren – Ethan Young, senior, football, soccer. Ren Dick, senior, football, basketball, track and field. Keira Marrero, senior, volleyball, softball.
Guam High – Caleb Steele, senior, cross country, track and field. Hayden Buck, senior, cheerleading, soccer, trach and field.
Humphreys – Joshua Canion, senior, football, basketball, track and field. Caedence Blair, junior, volleyball, basketball.
Kadena – Jaden Patsel, senior, basketball. Jazlene Vergara, senior, volleyball, basketball, softball.
E.J. King – Nolan Grubb, junior, cross country, basketball, soccer. Aniah Little, junior, volleyball, basketball, soccer.
Nile C. Kinnick – Isaiah Kimbrough, senior, basketball. Julia Blackwell, senior, wrestling, soccer.
Kubasaki – Ryan Hater, senior, football, track. Kayden Hammac, junior, volleyball, soccer.
Osan – Aiden Machmer, senior, volleyball, soccer. Emily Smith, senior, cross country, basketball, track and field.
Matthew C. Perry – Ren Spinosi, senior, tennis, basketball, soccer. Carmela Sudo, freshman, volleyball, basketball, soccer.
Yokota – Matthew Rowland, senior, cross country, track and field. Ty’Lasia Anu-Newby, senior, volleyball, basketball, soccer.
Zama – Trotsky “Toro” McClendon, senior, football, basketball, baseball. Evangeline Nelson, senior, volleyball, wrestling, softball.
Kinnick’s Julia Blackwell, right, tries to support her keeper, Jailah McDonald, as Kubasaki’s Lilyana Carillo and Alexa Welsh converge. (Hunter Swartz/Special to Stripes)
Isaiah Kimbrough earned a second straight MVP for three-time Far East Division I basketball champion Kinnick. (Cynthia Abel/Special to Stripes)
Not only did Kayden Hammac, right, help lead Kubasaki to its second straight Far East Division I soccer title ... she also ran in the Mike Petty track meet in March, coming in second in two sprints and anchoring the winning relay team. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)
Ryan Hater played football and ran track for Kubasaki. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)
Osan's Aiden Machmer plays the ball in front of Zama's Sean Grady. (David Shepherd/Special to Stripes)
Osan's Emily Smith drives against a TCIS defender. (Ashley Angell/Special to Stripes)
Ren Spinosi starred in tennis, basketball and soccer for Perry. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)
Yokota's Ty'Lasia Anu-Newby and King's Kirrah Watson head the ball. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)
Matthew Rowland ran cross country and track for Yokota. (Natalie DeLeo/Special to Stripes)
Zama's Toro McClendon played football, basketball and baseball. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)
Eangeline Nelson played volleyball, wrestled and played softball for Zama. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)
