TOKYO – Just when it appeared Kubasaki was going to make it 2-for-2 in finals appearances, Elyse Davidson, Allie Rogers and American School In Japan volleyball righted the ship and rallied to win its ASIJ-YUJO volleyball tournament.

Davidson, named the Player of the Tournament, finished with 17 kills and five block points, while Rogers added eight kills and 18 assists as the Mustangs came from two sets down to defeat the Dragons 20-25, 23-25, 25-22, 25-22, 15-13.

That on top of ASIJ captured everything there was to win in the weekend’s Asia-Pacific Invitational cross-country meet, and the Mustangs’ football team upset two-time defending Far East Division I champion Kadena 34-20.

“It’s a great day to be a Mustang,” Rogers said after the volleyball victory.

“Finally!” senior middle blocker Savannah Napierski said. ASIJ had lost to Kubasaki in last year’s final, and had also fallen to the Dragons in the last two Far East D-I volleyball tournament finals.

Now Napierski and the Mustangs are hoping they can also dethrone Kubasaki at next month’s D-I volleyball at Seoul American.

“Far East,” she said. “It can be done. After tonight … we were two sets behind. Anything can be done.”

Napierski had five kills as ASIJ overcame the Dragons’ own armada of spikers, including Alanna Stein (11 kills) Chloe’ Stevens, Jenna Guerrero and Maiya Larry (10 each). Stein and Stevens each had five block points and Mimi Larry 42 assists.

The overall API cross-country title went to ASIJ, which also won Saturday’s team-relay event at John F. Kennedy High School on Guam. St. Mary’s and Seisen of Tokyo combined to finish second overall.

Ryan Nishida and defending Far East champion Lisa Watanuki each won their respective 3.1-mile races Friday and paired up to win the team relay Saturday.

Lotz, Eilmes take top spots as Kinnick winsMISAWA AIR BASE, Japan – Jerry Lotz won his final DODEA-Japan cross country race by the narrowest of margins, edging teammate Aki Sibbo by one second and Yokota’s Jeff Ferrand by four. On the girls side, Rissa Eilmes, a freshman, had little trouble outdistancing teammate Lucy Bailey by 26 seconds.

Together, Lotz and Eilmes helped lead Nile C. Kinnick to the team championships in the DODEA-Japan event run at Misawa’s Citizens’ Forestry Park off base.

“Jerry’s been wanting to go out on top or as close as he can get,” Kinnick coach Luke Voth said. “He not only works extra hard, he’s a mature young man and a leader.”

Eilmes has plenty of upside, Voth said. “She has more in her,” he said. “She’s still learning that she’s very talented, learning how to go out and race with her uppers.”

Lotz was timed in 18 minutes, 45 seconds, with Sibbo checking in in 18:46 and Ferrand in 18:49. Eilmes ran 22:23, 26 seconds better than Bailey and 50 ahead of Yokota’s Ai Robbins.

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