Soggy showdown set at Zama featuring top backs, lines

YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan — Gabriel Simpkins and Kysiem Banks have seen quite a bit of each other the past couple of football seasons. Especially last year, when the two speedy backs were part of a back-and-forth battle for the ages.

And they’re about to go at it once more, in what might be the first of several potential Games of the Season.

Yokota visits Zama on Friday in the first of two battles that could determine Far East title-game rights. Kickoff is at 6 p.m. and the forecast calls for rain.

“Lots of running,” Yokota coach Michael Woodworth said. “The team that makes the least mistakes” will come out the winner.

And the team that controls the interior will have much to do with whether Banks and Simpkins can match their season openers, which their teams each won by comfortable margins.

“It will come down to which linemen on offense and defense dominate the game,” Trojans coach Shawen Smith said.

The Trojans and Panthers split two meetings in 2025, each featuring offensive fireworks. Yokota took the season opener 56-35, and the Trojans eventually replied with a 36-32 triumph.

The Panthers earned the points tiebreaker edge and reached the Far East Division II championship, which they won for the second straight year.

Last Saturday at Osan, Banks racked up 348 all-purpose yards and accounted for five touchdowns plus two interceptions, including a 98-yard pick six.

The night before at Robert D. Edgren, Simpkins rushed for touchdowns of 14, 41 and 96 yards to power the Trojans past the Eagles 41-0.

From a casual observer’s perspective, Banks and Simpkins will be the ones to watch. But without the proper escorts, they’ll be challenged to equal or better their totals of a week ago.

“Games are won or lost in the trenches,” Smith said.

Though Yokota holds the championship pedigree, Woodworth said no team can wave a couple of Far East banners in an opponent’s face and expect them to capitulate.

“We will be facing a well-coached Zama team that is hungry and wants to prove they are the team to beat this year,” Woodworth said.

“When you have to gameplan because of an athlete, it says a lot about the kind of impact he has in the game as a player,” Woodworth said. “I think we’re both evenly matched and rain will be a factor.”

Yokota’s Kysiem Banks, with the ball, accounted for five touchdowns and had two interceptions, including a pick six, Saturday at Osan. (Noah Hong/Special to Stripes)

Elsewhere

American School In Japan makes its return Friday to the Division I race when the Mustangs visit South Korea to play Humphreys, big winners last week at Kadena.

Osan travels to Edgren for a Saturday evening game. The Cougars and Eagles are each hoping to level their win-loss records at 1-1.

Indoors on the hardwood and outdoors on the courts, Edgren’s girls volleyball and tennis teams head to Matthew C. Perry for a weekend series of matches. E.J. King’s tennis and volleyball teams play Friday and Saturday at Zama.

Okinawa Christian hosts Kadena and Kubasaki in a cross country meet Friday afternoon. DODEA-Japan and Kanto schools face off at Tama Hills Recreation Center on Saturday.

Humphreys has a full slate of tennis this weekend, as the Blackhawks host Seoul International on Friday and Taejon Christian on Saturday. Daegu entertains Yongsan International-Seoul on Saturday.

Osan’s boys and girls volleyball teams travel to Dwight School Seoul and Daegu’s teams visit Korea Kent Foreign on Friday.