Thomas Diaz tries to gain more ground.

Zama quarterback Thomas Diaz looks for running room against Yokota’s Quincy Brown and Corey Carpenter. (Photo by Michael Gasildo/Special to Strip)

YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan — Gabriel Simpkins and his Zama teammates did enough to win the game Thursday. But they didn’t win by enough to knock Yokota out of the chase for a Division II title-game berth.

Simpkins scored three touchdowns and Jin Robles two, each on lengthy runs, as the Trojans (3-2) rallied from a 10-point halftime deficit, scoring 22 unanswered second half points to rally past the Panthers 36-32.

The margin of victory was not enough to overcome the vast point differential the Panthers (2-2) amassed in their 56-35 season-opening win over the Trojans at Zama on Aug. 29. Zama likely needed to win by 22 points to stay ahead of the Panthers in second place in the D-II standings at season’s end.

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AloJapan.com