Stripes Blogs - Pacific Sportsblog

SportsBlog Championship Series, title game

Dave Ornauer — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 09:38:20 +0000

Finally, we give closure to the football season, as promised, with the SportsBlog Championship Series title game, the apex of the 12-team, all-inclusive Pacific high school playoff for all comers. George Washington, Guam Interscholastic Football League champion, visiting Kadena, four-time Okinawa Activities Council and two-time Far East Class AA champion.

And awaaaaayyyyyyyyy we go:

Kadena strikes first and keeps the upper hand for the first 2 1/2 quarters. With the Geckos' defense keying on speedy Thomas McDonald and Shariff Coleman, Panthers quarterback Stan Schrock uses several traps and cutback handoffs to fullback Lotty Smith to move the ball; Smith scores twice, while Schrock scores on a sneak and pitches a 5-yard flare pass to Coleman for a score.

Terrific things come in twos: What we learned in Pacific high school basketball Week 1.0

Dave Ornauer — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 08:43:39 +0000

Musings, mutterings and the occasional schmahts as Ornauer tries to contain the ringing in his ears from his first visit Sunday to a Basketball Japan League game, and all its noisy trappings:

-- No doubt, Robert Bliss must thank the PCS gods repeatedly for being so good to his Kadena Panthers boys. Not just one, but two star players moved in from Brussels American, half-brothers Jeremy Howell, a senior, and Jason Sumpter, a junior. Howell averaged 16 points and Sumpter just over 20 and the two combined for 65 rebounds as the Panthers swept their first three games, 92-58 Friday over Koza, 76-55 Saturday over Kitanakagusuku and 68-57 Sunday over Kubasaki.

-- This was a team that was going to be very, very good without the brothers.

First blush at Pacific high school basketball Week 1.0

Dave Ornauer — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 13:21:02 +0000

UPDATED at 11:50 p.m. Friday, 6:20 p.m. Saturday.

Season openers in high school hoops: Friday, Boys, Kinnick 54, Perry 38 at Iwakuni. Edgren 51, Yokota 47 at Misawa. E.J. King 59, Zama 56 at Zama. Kadena 92, Koza 58 on Okinawa. Girls, Zama 30, E.J. King 14. Edgren 52, Yokota 34 at Misawa. Kinnick 81, Perry 18. Itoman 51, Kadena 27.

Saturday, Boys, Kadena 76, Kitanakagusuku 55, Kubasaki 93, Chatan 71 on Okinawa; St. Mary's International 50, E.J. King 45, Robert D. Edgren 46, Yokota 36, Nile C. Kinnick 73, Matthew C. Perry 50 in Japan. Girls, Kitanakagusuku 56, Kadena 29 on Okinawa; Kinnick 52, Perry 9, Edgren 56, Yokota 35 and Seisen International 38, E.J. King 15 in Japan.

Poll: Who is your Pacific high school fall girls Athlete of the Quarter?

Dave Ornauer — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 08:01:17 +0000

* Elissa Mason, tennis, Kadena: First DODEA girl to win back-to-back Far East Tournament singles titles. * Erika Mine, volleyball, Christian Academy In Japan: Earned MVP, led Knights to surprising Class AA title finish. * Kelsey Leon, tennis, American School In Japan: Capture Asia-Pacific Activities Conference singles title. * Siarria Ingram, cross country, Seoul American: Freshman flash helped Falcons soar to Class AA title. * Madeline Strandemo, cross country, Hong Kong International: Takes Asia-Pacific Invitational in 20:39.3. * Kristina Bergman, volleyball, Daegu American: Warriors cop Class A crown, Bergman MVP, Best Blocker honors. * Mary Niemeyer, volleyball, Nile C. Kinnick: Powers Red Devils to school-first Kanto Plain title, 27-0 regular season. * Other: Did I leave somebody out? Shout it out! Click on this button, then post your nominee in a comment.

Poll: Who is your Pacific high school fall boys Athlete of the Quarter?

Dave Ornauer — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 07:54:05 +0000

* Michael Spencer, football, Zama American: School-record 1,154 yards, boosts Trojans to first DODEA Japan, Class A titles. * Thomas Kim, cross country, Seoul American: Flagship runner for Falcons' Far East champion team. * Kyle Sprow, tennis, Kadena: First three-time singles, two-time doubles champion in Far East tournament history. * Miles Peterson, tennis, Christian Academy In Japan: Returns from Colorado, wins Asia-Pacific Invitational title. * Sam Krauth, cross country, American School In Japan: Snags Asia-Pacific Invitational title in 17:34.4. * Shariff Coleman, football, Kadena: League record 1,049 yards, powers Panthers to second Class AA title. * Ted Bolton, tennis, Seoul Foreign: Dominated Korea, Asia-Pacific Activities Conference * Other: Did I leave out somebody? Shout it out! Click on the button, then post your nominee in a comment.

SportsBlog Championship Series, semifinals

Dave Ornauer — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 09:10:27 +0000

As promised, here are the semifinals in the 2009 SportsBlog Championship Series, a 12-team all-comers playoff for Pacific high school football teams no matter their affiliation.

The lineup:
Game 9 -- American School In Japan at Kadena
Game 10 -- Guam High at George Washington

And awayyyyyyyyyyyyyyy we go:

Game 9 -- Perhaps the most spine-tingling battle of the SBS, pitting the Mustangs' Jardine to Jardine passing combo and Alex Busam's all-around play against the Panthers' junior star backs Thomas McDonald, Lotty Smith and Shariff Coleman. Defense steps up big, with each holding the other's offense in check save for McDonald and Coleman each running for touchdowns and Hayden Jardine hitting his brother Tom and Chris Kleindl for TD passes.

Closing the book: What we learned on Far East Tournament Week Day 6.0, Pacific high school football Week 12.0

Dave Ornauer — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 08:12:32 +0000

Musings, mutterings and the occasional schmahts as Ornauer halts, takes five deep breaths, then charges headlong into the winter sports season, just days away:

-- Talk about your emphatic runaways. Thomas McDonald and Shariff Coleman led an offense that ran with machine efficiency on Saturday, scoring two touchdowns each and Kadena's defense did the rest, holding Seoul American to 21 yards and two first downs in a 44-0 Class AA title-game romp.

-- It was the biggest margin of victory in the five-year history of DODEA Pacific Far East football playoffs. It was the first shutout in Class AA title-game history. It was the worst loss in Seoul American's history.

-- How dominant was Kadena's defense?

First blush at Pacific high school football Week 12.0

Dave Ornauer — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 15:08:15 +0000

-- Yokota 24, Guam High 7: Panthers' "Big Four" backs, Daley, Harvin, Forbes and McCloud healthy for the first time in six weeks and it showed.

-- Kadena 44, Seoul American 0: Right from the opening kickoff, it was clear this would be the Panthers' night; T-Mac, Shariff each rush for two TDs.

And off the field:

-- CAJ def. Faith 20-25, 25-23, 25-22, 25-23 for Far East Girls Class AA Volleyball Tournament title. Lowest seed entering the elimination round at No. 7 to win the title since the inception of dual pool/division play in 1995. Coach Tanya Hall's third title in five years and fourth overall.

Throwing caution to the wind and going all out: What we learned on Far East Tournament Week Day 5.0

Dave Ornauer — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 08:25:04 +0000

Musings, mutterings and the occasional schmahts as Ornauer once more gazes out the window at the torrents and wondering if he should bring an outrigger to Mike Petty on Saturday:

-- "It's indescribable. Something I've never felt before.

Panthers prowl on tennis courts: What we learned on Far East Tournament Week Day 4.0

Dave Ornauer — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 06:34:16 +0000

Musings, mutterings and the occasional schmahts as Ornauer sits, wonders and worries whether this wet stuff will clear out in time for Saturday's football games:

-- Now, that's about as emphatic a sweep as you'll ever see. On its home courts at Risner Tennis Center, Kadena walked off with gold medals in four of five events and the overall Far East team title for the first time in five years. The Panthers also won the boys team banner, while Seoul American, which won or shared the previous four team titles, took home the girls team banner.

-- But the Panthers' girls had their hands full in sweeping the singles and doubles. Elissa Mason needed nearly two hours to fend off 2007 champion Kennedy Allen of Seoul American for her second straight singles title.