Zama American lost four of its first six games, suffering through injuries that sidelined four starters, including fleet defender Taylor Cave (ankle).

But on Friday, the defending Far East Girls Class AA soccer champions came alive, getting two goals and an assist from Rachel Walls in a 7-0 home shutout of Robert D. Edgren, a team that beat Zama 4-0 two weeks earlier at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni.

“This was the ‘real’ Zama,” said senior Taylor Russell, who converted a second-half penalty kick.

The difference between the Trojans then and now?

“Teamwork,” Russell said. “We’re getting closer, the chemistry is getting good, we’re practicing harder.”

“This was a good start,” coach Rogers Pitts said. “But we still have a long way to go.”

Cave returned at right fullback for Zama. Katie Scully, Kelsey Oshiro, Sam Callahan and Elissa Newhart each got their first goals of the season for the Trojans against an Edgren team missing midfielder Ashley Hawkins.

Late goals boost Osan boys to stunner over YIS-Seoul

Jake Mattison’s penalty kick in the 75th minute rallied Osan American’s boys soccer team to a 2-1 shocker over two-time defending Boys Class A champion Yongsan International-Seoul.

“We knew it would be a challenge, and to beat them, we’re really proud of the boys,” coach David Hamilton said, two days after the Cougars took a 6-1 pounding at the hands of Taejon Christian International.

“We knew Wednesday wasn’t the real team. … All the hard work is paying off. … We know now we’re on the right track.”

Eric Lee scored in the 65th minute to tie it 1-1.

Jonathan Park’s sixth goal of the season in the 10th minute gave the Guardians the lead.

Around the Pacific

Kadena’s Lotty Smith high-jumped 6 feet, 3 inches, 2 ½ inches shy of the Pacific record, on the first day of a two-day Okinawa Activities Council track and field meet at Kubasaki’s Mike Petty Stadium. Kubasaki’s Vallyne Alleyne broke the school’s shot-put record with a throw of 32 feet, 9 inches, coming within 9 inches of the Pacific record.

On the diamond, Zama American, trailing Robert D. Edgren all the way, scored three times in the bottom of the seventh to edge the Eagles 9-7 in a DODEA-Japan baseball game.

Zama’s girls got an uneven 12-strikeout, 10-walk performance from Alysa Prather, who nonetheless improved to 3-0 with a 12-9 victory over Edgren.

On Thursday, sophomore left-hander Desirae Seals tossed a four-inning no-hitter at Kubasaki, and Mary Schweers drove in four runs and Chelsey Warner belted a three-run inside-the-park homer in a 15-0 victory.

After losses to Seoul Foreign and Osan American, Seoul American’s girls soccer team righted the ship, getting a goal and an assist from Liz Gleaves in a 3-1 victory at Daegu American. “A big win for us,” Falcons coach Billy Ratcliff said.

Edgren’s boys soccer team edged Zama 3-2, partly with the help of an unusual late first-half goal. Zama’s Mike Jorgenson’s clearing pass slammed off the face of Edgren’s Jordan Demientieff all the way to the Eagles’ Matt Linder on the back side of the net, making it 2-1 Edgren.

Nile C. Kinnick’s boys strikers got a 1-0 victory over Matthew C. Perry at Sasebo Naval Base, but it may have come at a high price. Goalkeeper Marcus Boehler exited in the first five minutes with a cut that needed eight staples to close. Forward Triston Barnet later was hospitalized with a possible broken ankle, coach Robert Tiffany said. John Bogen replaced Boehler and made 19 saves to preserve the shutout.

Migrated