O’Neal’s grabs help Kadena topple Kubasaki

KADENA AIR BASE, Okinawa – Just when all seemed lost for Kadena, Dylan O’Neal’s vertical leap and clutch hands came to the rescue.

The senior receiver set up the game-tying touchdown with a 47-yard catch and snagged the game-winning 29-yard TD pass as the Panthers rallied from a 12-6 deficit for their first win of the season, 18-12 Friday over Kubasaki at Habu Field.

“I saw him slip,” O’Neal said of Dragons defender Keyonte Lopez, “and I knew I had to make a play. I caught it at the highest point (of my jump) and just green grass ahead of me.”

O’Neal turned and ran into the end zone for the touchdown with 10:03 left that put the Panthers ahead to stay. “We had to have the will to win. We had to be aggressive and we were,” O’Neal said.

Earlier in the second half, O’Neal broke free from two defenders to haul in a 53-yard pass that put the Panthers at the Kubasaki 3-yard line. Two plays later, quarterback Hunter Swartz sneaked in from the 1-yard line to tie it.

Neither team could convert on its extra-point or two-point conversion tries, though Kubasaki’s Alex Opel hit two first-half field goals.

Kadena's Dylan O'Neal skies to make the catch against Kubasaki's Mateo Solano. (Kai Redden/Speciial to Stripes)

Kubasaki's Keyonte Lopez looks for room agqainst Kadena's Carson Kendeerdine and Cameron Lacey. (Kai Redden/Speciial to Stripes)

Kubasaki quarterback Maurice Brown cuts around right end. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)

Kubasaki's Keyonte Lopez stiff-arms Kadena defender Cameron Lacey. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)

Kadena's A.J. Webster breaks into the clear. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)

Kadena's Noel Dankwa tries to elude Kubasaki's Maurice Brown. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)

The win earned the Panthers a split of the season series with the Dragons, who beat Kadena 21-14 in the season opener on Aug. 21. They’re each 1-2, but Kubasaki still owns the points tiebreaker in head-to-head play with regard to the Far East Division I playoff standings.

“We needed the win more than we needed the point,” Panthers assistant coach Jermaine Baker told the team huddle after the game.

Kubasaki lost despite outgaining the Panthers 309-282. The game was a flag fest, with the teams combining for 28 penalties for 241 yards.

Kadena scored on its opening drive, with Swartz sneaking over from 2 yards out, set up by a 56-yard scamper by A.J. Webster. Opel replied with field goals of 23 and 22 yards, the second one knotting the score 4:23 before halftime.

Opel caught a tipped pass from Lopez which turned into an 84-yard touchdown strike and gave the Dragons a brief 12-6 third-quarter lead. The pass struck Kubasaki receiver Kaleb Sablan in his hands, rose into the air and settled into Open’s arms.

Webster led all ballcarriers with 146 yards on 20 carries. O’Neal and Webster each had interceptions for the Panthers. Lopez paced the Dragons with 75 yards on 19 carries. Mateo Solano had two sacks for Kubasaki.

The Panthers had one last gasp in the closing seconds to try to gain the point differential tiebreaker, but Swartz’s Hail Mary pass attempt was intercepted by Solano.

Kadena has next week off and resumes play on Sept. 25 at Nile C. Kinnick. The Dragons play a rare home game at Camp Hansen next Saturday against Humphreys.