Allen steps into the spotlight for Blackhawks and delivers

KADENA AIR BASE, Okinawa – Marek Allen served as understudy for starting quarterback Bradley Miller last season. In Saturday’s season opener, he showed what he could as a starter.

The senior scored twice on long runs and tossed a pair of short touchdown passes as Humphreys raced to a 25-0 first-half lead, kept Kadena’s offense off the board and came away 27-2 winners.

“He played within the system,” coach Tyrone Powers said. “He can do so many things. He can run the ball, he can pass, he plays solid defense, he’s our kicker, he’s our punter. He stays within the system. And he did very well tonight.”

The defending Far East Division I champion Blackhawks were the fourth team this weekend to win a season opener by 25 points or more. The Panthers fell to 0-2 for the first time in the DODEA-Pacific playoff era starting in 2005.

Allen ran for touchdowns of 70 and 60 yards. The first one, “I broke a tackle, it looked like they had given up on the play, so I just spun out and kept on going,” Allen said. “The second one, I just saw grass and took off.”

He added two touchdown passes, one of 15 yards to Jeremiah Odom and the other of 5 yards to Dallas Hunter. The teams traded second-half safeties to cap the scoring.

The Panthers had three days to prepare for the game due to Typhoon Saudel, which forced schools to close on Tuesday and Wednesday morning. Kadena was already missing two starters and lost three more players during the game.

“Injuries and more mental mistakes,” said coach Sergio Mendoza, whose Panthers now have a couple of weeks off “to clean things up.”

“Humphreys came to play, they played hard-nosed football, so credit to them, too. We have to correct mistakes and grind. These kids want to grind. It’s not always about the wins. Sometimes it’s about the lessons we’re learning and growing.”

Humphreys plays its home opener next Friday at 6 p.m. against American School In Japan. Kadena next faces Kubasaki at 6 p.m. Sept. 11.

Kadena’s A.J. Webster tries to outrun Humphreys’ Brian Taylor. (Julia Mendoza/Special to Stripes)

Humphreys' Brian Taylor gets corraled by Kadena's Sean Cupp, Jaden Orcozo and Noel Dankwa. (Julia Mendoza/Special to Stripes)

Kadena's A.J. Webster slices between Humphreys defenders. (Julia Mendoza/Special to Stripes)

Kadena's Carson Kenderdine and Sean Cupp wrap up Humphreys' Dallas Hunter. (Heather Mendoza/Special to Stripes)

Kadena's A.J. Webster tries to elude Humphreys' Jeremiah Odom. (Heather Mendoza/Special to Stripes)

Kadena's Dylan O'Neal tries to outrun Humphreys' Killian Carmody. (Heather Mendoza/Special to Stripes)

Kadena's Sean Cupp tries to elude Humphreys' Broderiick Carmody. (Heather Mendoza/Special to Stripes)