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KADENA AIR BASE, Okinawa — Terrell Dixon Jr. tied the score and won the game with a pair of 1-yard quarterback sneaks, the last one coming in overtime as Foster rallied from a 6-0 deficit to dethrone Kadena 12-6 in the Torii Bowl title game.

It was the third time the Bulldogs won the U.S. Forces Japan-American Football League title and their first since 2012. It was also the first time the league’s championship game went to overtime. Kadena lost the Torii Bowl for the third time in four seasons.

Dixon came on to relieve injured starting quarterback Paul Shaver with 3:45 left in the third quarter, the Bulldogs trailing 6-0 and having turned the ball over six times. Shaver hurt his shoulder during Foster’s 20-14 semifinal win over Hansen on June 5.

On a Ryukyu Middle School Habu Field turf slickened by a pregame downpour, Dixon led the Bulldogs on three possessions in regulation time, finally bursting over to tie the game 6-6 with 2:14 left in the fourth quarter. Carl Williams was halted on a two-point conversion try that might have won it in regulation.

In the extra session, Williams ran twice for 8 yards, Brennen Howell rushed 10 yards for a first down and Dixon gained the last 7 yards, capping the possession with a 1-yard sneak.

Kadena took over and lost 22 yards on three plays, each carries by quarterbacks. On the Dragons’ last-ditch fourth-down attempt, Brandon Avery’s pass was picked off by Chuckie Bissette to seal it.

Starting QB Kevin Cortez broke a 0-0 deadlock for Kadena with a 1-yard sneak of his own 5:05 before halftime.

It was a game of missed opportunities and mistakes on both sides. The Dragons were penalized 11 times for 102 yards, a handful of them negating big-play runs. Avery had runs of 65 and 50 yards called back on penalties, the first of which would have resulted in a touchdown.

Foster hurt itself with turnovers. Andre Hilton picked off two Bulldogs passes and Christopher Hill recovered two Foster fumbles. Dixon returned a fumble 28 yards, one of three takeaways for the Bulldogs.

Neither side was able to generate much offense, combining for 176 yards, less than the length of two fields. Foster outgained Kadena 134-42. Dixon had 128 all-purpose yards on 19 touches.

sports@stripes.com

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