What may have gone unnoticed Saturday at Bonk Field was the game experience that each team had going into the historic first regular-season meeting of Okinawa at Japan.

Yokota played its eighth game of the season, including two preseason contests with Japanese schools. Though the Panthers' run defense may need a bit of Brasso, Yokota's game experience very much showed in its offensive execution. Let's say 321 rushing yards on 52 carries, more than 6 yards a try, and six touchdowns is not peanuts.

Kubasaki, meanwhile, was playing its first game as a varsity unit. Until that point, Kadena and Kubasaki had played as split squads, some 60 players per school, being evaluated and studied to determine which ones qualified to play in the Okinawa Activities Council best-of-three series starting Friday at Kubasaki.

While Yokota's offense chugged like a well-oiled machine, the Dragons showed some potential, particularly running back Marquette Warren, who ran for 111 yards on nine carries including a 50-yard touchdown.

Saturday's game meant nothing in terms of qualifying for the playoffs, but it did reveal to each team where they stand in terms of interarea play. And what they have to do to prepare for the playoffs, now less than a month away.

What I'd really like to see next year ... is the six Class AA football-playing schools in Japan and Korea get together Columbus Day weekend for a tripleheader at, say, Kubasaki's Mike Petty Stadium.

Games at 1, 4 and 7 p.m., Seoul American vs. Zama American, Yokota vs. Kadena and Kubasaki vs. Nile C. Kinnick. Sort of like the Europe playoffs Super Six, all three championship games at one locale. Not for title glory in this instance, but a nice spin for the regular season.