Kadena Panthers win high school championship

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Maeson L. Elleman
  • 18th Wing Public Affairs
KADENA AIR BASE, Japan --  The Kadena High School Panthers made history after blowing out Yokota High School 50-23 during the Pacific Far East football championship Nov. 12.

The team, which went undefeated for the second consecutive season, became the first team in Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) to win the championship two years in a row.

With the aid of Kadena's running backs, Shariff Coleman and Thomas McDonald Jr., the game looked more like a track meet as Kadena scored three times in the first five minutes of play.

The duo paired up for 266 total rushing yards and five touchdowns. The two seniors had eight carries each -- averaging 17.8 yards per carry.

"They have very explosive running backs," said Tim Pujol, Yokota's head coach. "We had hoped to contain them ... and ham them in near the line of scrimmage, because once they break free in the open field, they're really hard to catch, and we didn't do a really good job of that."

With Coleman's 63-yard touchdown run and a blocked punt by Josh Dyer, Kadena trampled Yokota during the first half of the game.

Yokota pushed down the field for a couple more touchdowns in an attempt to close the point gap in the third quarter. But in the end, it wasn't enough to stop Kadena's 10-game winning streak.

For Kadena's senior tight end, Aaron Ahner, and his younger brother, Gabe, victory was bittersweet in the absence of their stepfather.

"It's a bummer he couldn't be here to support us," Aaron said about their parent currently deployed to Southwest Asia. "I know he's proud of us, and we're proud of him too - proud that he's serving our country."

As dependants of servicemembers stationed overseas, many of the players move each year as their parents change bases. For Aaron, it will be the other way around, as he graduates next spring and leaves Kadena High School in his younger brother's hands.

"I really wish it wasn't our last game because I love this team," Aaron added. "I wish we could [play] year-round. We had a great season and I hope next year we'll do the same."

This season will be hard to top with Aaron, who knocked 80 percent of his kick-offs into the end zone, and the two senior running backs, Coleman and McDonald gone. In his final school year at Kadena, Coleman had 110 rushes for a Pacific-best 1,148 yards and 14 touchdowns, while McDonald followed close behind with 99 total carries for 1,033 yards and 19 touchdowns.

"We have a young group of players that finished out the game for us, and showed that they're very green and they've got to hit the weight room," explained Kadena's head coach, Sergio Mendoza. "We've got to work with them on discipline and aggressiveness, but we'll take a month off and then get back to work. I'm very proud of these boys."