All Far East divisional title-game berths have been determined, and those teams are busily going about preparing. Most league titles have been decided. Some teams have already put their equipment on the racks to be taken down again next August.
But one team still has something to play for – a share of the DODDS Japan title, which Matthew C. Perry can secure with a win Saturday in its homecoming game with Zama.
It would be another achievement by a program returning to the varsity level for the first time since 2003. The Samurai play Zama at 11 a.m. Saturday; Perry’s next game is Nov. 8 against defending D-II champion Daegu for the Far East title.
Should the Samurai win Saturday, they would improve to 4-0 in DODDS Japan, a half-game ahead of 3-0 Nile C. Kinnick, the defending champion. Since the two teams play an uneven number of games, by virtue of their unbeaten records, they would share the DODDS Japan title.
Coach Frank Macias say he’s not looking ahead to Daegu. He, his coaches and players want to take care of business against the Trojans, whom Macias called more dangerous than their 0-6 ledger looks.
“They do a lot of good things,” Macias said, noting the play of brother backs Jaelon and Jaedon Baker and big man Gabriel Brumage. “A lot of times, they shoot themselves in the foot. I’m hoping they don’t pull it all together for us.”
“Our record is not reflective of what we are really capable of doing,” Trojans coach Steven Merrell said. “Missed opportunities certainly come back to haunt us. We might have a nice gain, then lose yards to a penalty or unsuccessful play. We’re not able to sustain drives like we want to.”
As for the rest of the Pacific, a pair of homecoming games dot the DODDS Korea slate, with Seoul American traveling to Osan and Daegu entertaining Humphreys.
Playing out the string in Japan are Yokota and Robert D. Edgren, who play their DODDS Japan season finale on Friday. Okinawa features a Friday doubleheader with Singapore All-Star Falcons at Kadena at 3 p.m. and American School In Japan at Kubasaki at 6 p.m.
And the Guam Interscholastic Football League season wraps up Friday with the third-place game, Okkodo at John F. Kennedy, followed by Saturday’s Bamboo Bowl, Father Duenas at George Washington.
