Humphreys’ Joshua Canion has been one of the leading rushers in the DODEA-Pacific football this season. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)
URUMA, Okinawa – At around the halfway mark of the fall sports season, there’s quite a bit of activity around the Pacific this weekend.
Among inter-district and inter-divisional events, Daegu is bringing its tennis team to Okinawa to face off against Kadena and Kubasaki on Friday and Saturday, at Kadena Air Base’s Risner tennis complex.
It’s the first of two weekends in which Korea teams will travel to Okinawa; next week, Osan, Daegu and Humphreys will send their golf teams to play Kadena and Kubasaki.
A key Division I football battle features Humphreys traveling to Kadena for the Panthers’ Friday homecoming game; kickoff is at 6 p.m.
Should the Panthers win, it would make them and Division I-leading and defending champion Kubasaki heavy favorites to play in the D-I final on Oct. 25.
However, if the Blackhawks win, it could throw the race for the second seed wide open; even last-place and winless Nile C. Kinnick could have a shot at playing for the title. The Red Devils and Dragons have the week off.
In the Division II race, Matthew C. Perry hosts Yokota at 7 p.m. Friday in a rematch of the 2024 small-schools championship game, won by the Panthers. Meanwhile, Robert D. Edgren travels to Osan for a 6 p.m. Saturday kickoff. Zama has the week off.
On the cross country courses, Humphreys hosts all Korea schools at 10 a.m. Saturday. In Japan, Zama is the host school for a Kanto Plain-area Saturday meet at Tama Hills Recreation Center in Tokyo’s western suburbs, which will also include Edgren.
Kadena’s and Kubasaki’s volleyball teams will compete in the annual Okinawa-American Friendship Tournament, this coming Sunday and Sept. 28. In Korea, Osan welcomes Daegu and Humphreys for a DODEA-Korea jamboree on Saturday.
Perry is a hotbed of activity this weekend. The Samurai welcome E.J. King and Kinnick for both volleyball and tennis Friday and Saturday.
AloJapan.com