Yokota dominates on both sides of the ball against Edgren

YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan — What Kysiem Banks and the offense began, Jayden Hooker, Luke Beck and Yokota’s secondary finished with a flourish.

The Panthers won big for the second straight week, 53-0 over Robert D. Edgren, in a senior-night Friday game that ended with 6 minutes, 17 seconds left in the fourth quarter due to the 50-point mercy rule.

Banks rushed for 136 yards and two touchdowns on seven carries. Hooker intercepted three passes, the first one a pick-6. Beck ran for a TD and closed the game with a 62-yard interception return for a touchdown.

“The defense played lights out,” Panthers coach Michael Woodworth said. His team held Edgren to 95 yards on 38 plays. The Panthers gave up some big-yardage plays at the beginning, “but we kind of settled in and played Panther football.”

Yokota has outscored its foes 93-6 the last two weeks following a 43-7 thrashing at the hands of Zama. Banks was ejected from that game and came back “very motivated” for Friday’s contest, he said.

“My teammates and coaches came up to me and told me to come back and do what I needed to do,” said Banks, who sat out last week’s 40-6 home win over Matthew C. Perry. “They told me I was a key player on the team and I needed to step up. And I did.”

“He came back and showed why he’s a big-time player and why he’s on the field,” Woodworth said of Banks, who had 190 all-purpose yards. “He’s just an incredible athlete.”

Banks rushed for touchdowns of 16 and 36 yards. Beck, who doubled at quarterback, ran 21 yards for a score. Mitchell Powell scored on a 10-yard run on his only carry. Keito Kawamura-Johnson ran for TDs on his only two carries (36 and 34 yards).

But it was Yokota’s cornerbacks, Beck and Hooker, who put the exclamation point on the outcome.

Hooker took his first interception 42 yards for a touchdown. He had his next two picks on Edgren’s next two possessions.

Hooker had difficulties during his junior year, a few dropped passes, but “he’s been coming into his own” this season, Woodworth said. “He worked hard during the offseason. This game, it seems he came alive.”

“I was not expecting it,” Hooker said. “It just happened. It felt amazing. When I’m focused or concentrating, it’s just me being me.”

Beck’s game-ending pick six came just after the fourth quarter began. “I saw victory. I saw a shutout,” Beck said. “This was the first time we had shut out a team like this. I felt dominance.”

Yokota's Keito Kawamura-Johnson takes off on one of his two touchdown runs. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)

Edgren's Jahvan Smith gets a block from quarterback Liam McDonald. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)

Yokota’s Jayden Hooker accelerates up field for his interception-return touchdown. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)

Edgren quarterback Liam McDonald gets wrapped up by Yokota's Abraham Pence and Luke Beck. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)

Yokota's Quincy Brown tries to elude Edgren's Jayden De Asis. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)

Yokota's Kysiem Banks rushed for two touchdowns and 136 yards on seven carries. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)

Yokota's Mitchell Powell wraps up Edgren's Jayden Marrero. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)

All told, the Panthers had 293 yards on 28 offensive plays, and counting their three returns, 453 all-purpose yards. Beck had 120 total on passes, rushes and his interception.

Yokota’s rushers broke several Edgren tackles, an issue that Eagles defensive coordinator Jeremy Sanders said needs work.

“We saw what they (Panthers) were trying to do, but the commitment to tackling wasn’t there,” Sanders said.

Eagles quarterback Liam McDonald and Edgren’s receivers also misfired on several pass attempts. “We weren’t on the same page,” Sanders said.

The Eagles next travel to Zama and Yokota visits Perry for games scheduled at 6 p.m. next Friday.