Kinnick takes over sole lead of D-I race by beating ASIJ

TOKYO – In what became an offensive slugfest, key defensive plays in the early going helped Nile C. Kinnick set the tone for Saturday’s shootout victory at American School In Japan.

Manny Zarraga and Terrian Fleming each returned fumbles for touchdowns as the Red Devils pulled away for a 62-27 romp over the Mustangs.

“I was hungry for the ball,” Zarraga said of his 15-yard scoop and score on the first play from scrimmage. “I wanted to hit somebody. I wanted to make a play. Instead, I just picked up the ball and went home.”

With 10 seconds left in a first quarter that took more than an hour to play, Fleming gathered a fumble, turned inside and ran 43 yards for a score to make it 35-7 Red Devils.

“I was just thinking about the team,” Fleming said. “We worked hard all summer for this. I can’t let them down. We just put in extra work. We don’t take no for an answer.”

Zarraga also ran 6 yards for a score late in the fourth quarter, and Fleming caught a 25-yard TD pass halfway through the first period. On top of that, Fleming and Zarraga each recorded sacks for Kinnick (2-0), which racked up 456 yards on offense and recovered six ASIJ fumbles.

“We’re very balanced on offense and defense, we’re very comfortable working with each other,” Kinnick coach Dan Joley said. “They understand the flow of the game. They are so driven to tackle, to execute. And they don’t back down.”

Kinnick's Erick Montalve dashes upfield against ASIJ. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)

ASIJ's Jackson Bomoncag recorded 237 yards total offense, throwing for and catching a touchdown pass each. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)

Terrian Fleming caught a touchdown pass and returned a fumble 43 yards for a Kinnick score. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)

ASIJ's Shou Murakami-Moses had three catches for 104 yards, including a 65-yard touchdown reception. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)

Kinniick's Rico Myhand rushed 13 times for 127 yards and two touchdowns. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)

Manny Zarraga returned a fumble 15 yards for a touchdown for Kinnick on the game's first play. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)

ASIJ, which fell to 1-1, also fought to the end, putting up 391 yards of offense, most of it through the air despite missing starting quarterback Ray Takizawa with an injured wrist. Oliver Roth and Jackson Bomoncag combined to go 15-for-30 for 306 yards and three touchdowns.

Jackson recorded 237 yards total offense, throwing a 65-yard TD pass to Shou Murakami-Moses and catching a 4-yard touchdown pass. Roth was 13-for-22 for 231 yards, including the TD pass to Bomoncag and a 14-yard scoring strike to John Doll.

“They threw the ball well. I’m looking forward to playing them again next week,” Joley said of ASIJ, whom the Red Devils host next Friday.

Rico Myhand had 127 yards on 13 carries, including TD runs of 48 and 4 yards for Kinnick. Brady Mauldin went 13-for-21 for 261 yards and four TDs for Kinnick but also threw two interceptions.

Erick Montalve caught four passes for 75 yards, including a 26-yard TD reception, for the Red Devils. Zeph Miyashiro had four catches for 64 yards, including TDs of 4 and 42 yards.

“We faced a team that’s playing at another level,” Mustangs coach John Stanton said. “They have a lot of really good players. We now know what the upper level of Division I looks like. We had opportunities, we had guys open; we just have to make plays. We have to tackle better, get back to fundamentals.”

Doll rushed 12 times for 57 yards and caught three passes for 29 yards and a touchdown. Jackson had six catches for 122 yards and Murakami-Moses three receptions for 104 yards. Roth and Alex Moores each had interceptions for the Mustangs.