OK, campers, since we had so much fun with this during basketball season last winter, let's try this new SportsBlog Nation wrinkle:
Which football team was the Pacific's best since Ornauer began covering high school sports in 1982? What set them apart and made them lap the field ahead of any other team or program?
Also, which was the best single-season football team? And which team has risen above the others as the most consistent winning program?
And who do you believe were the best players ever to don a football uniform in the region? Best quarterback? Best running back? Best lineman? Best coverage corners? Best kickers?
We're talking the best in any year from 1982 to the present.
SportsBlog Nation ... feel free to chime in, sound off and be true to your school. Everybody's input will be duly considered along with my own observations, skillfully blended into the best teams each school can offer since February 1982.
And it doesn't have to be your school. If you feel somebody leaps off the page and merits consideration from halfway across the ocean, don't hesitate to nominate.
We made this work resoundingly in basketball. Let the gridiron debate begin!
C'mon! Let's hear it!
Join Dave on Facebook
Top HIigh School Football Players of Past 25 Years
Ray Rivers
Quaterback--- Shannon White (Kadena H.S.) 1985-86; quick triple option QB had excellent game management skills.
Halfback------- Donald Weems (Kadena H.S) 1986; Mr inside and Mr.outside in one complete package. Later was starting running back on 1987 Kadena Falcons.
Cornerback---- Larry Harrison (Kadena H.S.) 1985-86; Hard hitter and excellent and playing and finding the football. Larry was also excellent at returning punts and kickoffs.
Reciever-----Stacy Smith (Kubusaki H.S.) 1982; Stacy had good speed and a lot of heart. He was tough for opponents to stop on misdirection and reverse plays. Later played division II college football at Central State (Edmond Okla).
Full Back---Ricky White (Kadena H.S.) 1985-86,yes Shannon's brother, hard hitting, no bones about it pile driving fullback.
CURRENT PLAYER MAY BE THE BEST OF ALL (Sophomore at San Antonio Madison H.S.)
Aarron Greene scored nine rushing touchdowns two weeks ago in his teams 65-59 victory over Keervile Tivy of Keervile Texas. This past week had 198 yards rushing and threw a 40 yard touchdown strike off a double pass in his teams 24-21 victory over the New Braunfels Unicorns on the FOX SPORTS NET High School Game of the week.
best
Quarterback- I'd have to say Ryan Robinson from Seoul American during the time when football was ys and in the beginning of high school Football around (02-03? not sure)
Running back- Even though he shared loads with David Smalls in 05.. Calvin Lesane from Seoul American was probably the best all around running back I have seen. Strong, Quick, good vision he had it all.
Linemen - This is a hard choice but I will go with Aaron Clifton from Osan American(01-04) Very good center who was quick,smart, nd had great football IQ.
Receiver - Jeremy Christopher from Seoul American(03-06)has one of the best hands I have seen period. If it is thrown his way, it is almost a sure bet for him to catch, however hard the grab might be
Kicker - Carlos Albaladejo from Osan American(03-06) did it all for Osan American did it all for them on special teams. Had a great leg which was always reliable to put kickoffs in the end zone for touch backs or blast the punts for long yds.
1995 Kanto Plains All Star Team
To be quite honest, I can only go off what I've actually been through. 1994-1996, I've seen the best of the best. Guys like Lou Lewis, Shane Miller, Antwan Brown, Jared Warner, and many others. Kanto Plains was the SEC of Far East football. That's when we had lineman averaging around 200 to 250. I've seen the league from 1999 up to now and these kids are small. There maybe two players per team that really looks varsity and the rest of them look like freshmen players dressed out in varsity uniforms. I would have to say that the 1995 Kanto Plains All Star Team had the best players that played the game.
1995 All Star Team
I have to agree with Fred Ellis. I was on that All Star Team and Jared Warner, Lou Lewis, Nelson Willis, Jeff Bourke, Mike Gamboa, Dale Rieck, Duane Lowe, Lashawn Williams and Hannibal Dew were the core of the 1995 Championship Kinnick Team. Hannibal was over 300 pounds and Lashawn played fullback at 250. Throw in the players from Zama and Yokota and there is no one who could have beaten us ever. We played a Japanese All Star Team and at halftime the score was 48-6.
Game Film
Hawk DT,
Do you have a copy of that game because I never could get a copy of it? If so, please let me know cause I would love to have a copy of that game.
1995 All Star Team
Sorry, I know for sure I don't have game film, but I believe I have the newspaper article and some team pictures, I was wearing #41 for that game. By the way congratulations on your victory over us this past Saturday. I am now playing for the Yokosuka Seahawks and am #56 on the D-line. If you are interested in what I can find then you can ask Coach Price or Coach Cole to give you Dale's email address.
1992 Kubasaki Dragons
This team has to be up there, right Dave? Made up of the 5-0 Samurai and 3-2 Shogun, we swept Kadena 17-6, 43-8 then won 44-12 AT Yokota.
I'm not sure about 1982 but
I'm not sure about 1982 but From what I've seen and been around I would say that the best football team would be SAHS in 05. They didnt have Far East this year, but we did beat Singapore in the world bowl 51-0.
Teams that I think have been the most consistent would be the Yokota Panthers because They have won the JFL for a long time now, and SAHS because they have won KAIAC every year.
Best QB... I would have to say Bruce Voelker... He was a strong QB with a great arm, accuracy, IQ, just a fun guy to be around. The only game he lost as the QB for SAHS was in 06 when we lost to Kubasaki :[
Best RB... This is tough.. Theres been so many good backs in my 4 years at SAHS... Lets see... Leo Paceho,David Smalls, Calvin Lesane, Carlos A, Sean Shattuck, Anthony Mcneil, Brandon Harrris, Terry Stephens,Kris Stadler,Motu,... If i could chose one of them I would choose Leo.
Best WR.. Most Def Jeremy "ice man" christopher.. He catches anything thrown his way.
Best Lineman...I dont know...theres been a lot of good lineman, but I would have to say Marque Snow.
Best DB..I would have to say David Smalls.
Running back #32
I would have to say the best running back would be Levi Brown Kadena high school Bucs 1983 season and the 1984 season. First Freshman to start on Kadena football teams and the First Freshman to start on the all Star team made the all Far East team as a Freshman and Sophmore he could do it all Has the record for the longest kick off return End Zone to End Zone, Set a mark for all purpouse yards in one game 300 plus yards . MR Everything Kickoff returner, Punt returner, Def back. He play with players like Larry Harrison, Jeff Rowe. Play aganist players like Kevin Jopeha, Lee Holloway.
1995 Korea All-Stars
I know this will stir up a hornet's nest within the Kanto Plain, but where is the love for the 1995 Korea All-Stars? Sure, they were youth activities, but that league also produced David Page, owner of every passing record in the Pacific, who went on to start for parts of two seasons at SMU; and Wesly Mallard, who walked on and earned a scholarship at Oregon and played parts of six seasons in the NFL.
Didn't they play 9 man football?
Sure records were being broken over there but what kind of competition were they playing against. The Singapore all star team did not seem to be as competitive as the Japanese all star team we played against. Bottom line is we screamed and hollered to our coaches that we wanted to play the all stars from Korea and for some reason we were told that they had other obligations with the Singapore All Stars. The 1995 Kanto Plain All Star team consisted of Yokota Panthers, Zama Trojans, Kinnick Red Devils, Edgren Eagles and if we would have gotten the game against Korea, add in the ASIJ Mustangs. Like I said, we were the SEC of the Far East and they were Hawaii playing in the WAC. That's the difference.
Kanto vs Korea
Korea did play 9 man football. Football is a game where you need a complete team. I am sure that they did not have talent across the board like we did. Also that All Star team only had a week of practice in Zama and we destroyed the Japanese All Star team.
Re: Kanto vs. Korea
We'll never know how that turned out, but boy, that would have been fun to watch. Kadena was supposed to send a combined Panthers team to Korea in November 1995, but their flight was diverted to real-world mission. That also would have been fun, and very much like Kanto vs. Korea would have been -- high-flying air show vs. grind-it-out ground game.
Kanto vs. Korea
I had the pleasure of working as white hat for every game played by the Seoul-based Korea YS teams in 91 and 93. In 92 I split Referee and Head Linesman duty with Randy Jordan who was stationed at Camp Casey. I wish I could remember some of the players, but I know the best teams in those days were coached by Bennie Jackson. I was lucky enough to be on the field in 91 when the Korea all-stars beat Guam (GW, I think) on a missed extra point in OT. That rivals any game I've ever officiated. I was also on the field for the 92 game with Singapore and the 93 game with Guam at Taegu. Although it's hard to beat the Texas schoolboy football I've seen the last 15 years, those Yongsan days were some of the best times of my 30 years in football officiating.
Korea over JFK in 1991
Lee:
The game you officiated, Korea won that 16-8 in overtime over Guam's John F. Kennedy Islanders. JFK rammed the ball down Korea's throats on its first possession ... and didn't score again.
Agreed, Korea had some ballers in 93-95
Thanks for taking up for us on that one Dave. I actually played in that game. There was all this talk about the two running backs for Guam and because we did play 9 man football all season and only had about a week to practice for All-Stars we were a little nervous...and you're right they ran it down our throats and didn't score again. Now to throw some names out there for you: Rob Boyd running back Daegu Warriors was a beast, Kevin Phillips, Chucki McDew, Mike Parker the twins Rance and Lance (two of the fastest cats out there...unfortunately Lance passed away a few years ago), Charles Calhoun and myself (Jason Dean :P) oh and my boy Sae "Sammy" Avelino so don't get it twisted, just because we played 9 man football doesnt mean we didn't have some big boys out there that could play.
Glad you mentioned Wesley Mallard, David Page and Eric "Golden" Molden from the Dragons too...Korea had some ballers don't sleep!!
Players from the Yongsan Team
In 1991 the Seoul American HS Team had a duo, Jesse Acosta and Aaron Collins, that I believe were on the all star team. Yongsan Chang, Hyun Woo Chang, and I think Mark Ripley played that year too. You can find a couple of these guys on Facebook.
Re: Players from the Yongsan Team
The Triple-A pass-happy pair was part of the 1990 All-Star team that traveled to Yokosuka and lost to that season's Kanto Plain champion Nile C. Kinnick. The 1991 All-Star team featured league MVP Peter Aguirre.
Players from the Yongsan team/JFK game
I remeber that game. JFK was a huge team. The big guys were strong and the small guys were quick. That was the most intense game I ever played. It got so bad the JFK guys started a fight with the refs and the players. I still have the tape from the game...man that was a good one.
Pete Aguirre
"Coach" Ellis and Hawkdt
All-Stars and Kinnick
We only had three days of practice and Kinnick dominated the All-Star roster. The stretch from 95-98 (?) was our best at Nile C.Kinnick at least as far as I know.
Let's not knock 9-man football. Here in Rota, Spain, we work just as hard as you old men did back then, and we play 9-man.
I can't imagine the Korea team being as big and rough as our all-star team. I remember the reports being that they were more a passing league. I never saw them play tho.
I would like to see those teams from Kinnick in the mid 90's play against the Yokota power from the late 90's early 2000's.
hugs and kisses
rs
Re: "Coach" Ellis and Hawkdt
Wow. LaShawn Williams, Lou Lewis, Jared Warner, George Thompson, Daniel Ayrs, Eean Tyson and the Red Devils vs. Jo-Jo Anthony, Darren Taylor, Mike Chamberlain, Josh Diekmann, DaWaughn Washington, Jason Atauia and the Panthers. What a smorgasbord of talent.
heart
And dont forget the team with a heart.......Ray Gannon, the Zamora brothers, Potato Calhoun, Matt Engstrand, and Brad Warner
Re: heart
Gannon, 1997. Engstrand, 1998. Will of steel. Teams that Gannon and Engstrand refused to let lose. Teams molded in their image.
Coach Stovall
You are correct, that was the best stretch for Nile C. Kinnick. We were a lot bigger, stronger and faster back then. I can't imagine the Korean teams having anyone near our size. I think the smallest lineman we had was 220 or so. I don't know much about the Yokota teams from the 90s but didn't Yokota also win every year in the 80s except for 1 year when Kinnick won?
Dale
Kanto titles in the 1980s and beyond
1980: Kinnick
1981: Yokota
1982: Yokota
1983: ASIJ
1984: Yokota
1985: Yokota
1986: Yokota
1987: Yokota
1988: Yokota
1989: Yokota
1990: Kinnick
1991: Yokota
1992: Yokota
1993: Yokota
1994: Zama/ASIJ shared
1995: Kinnick
1996: Kinnick (unbeaten)
1997: Kinnick
1998: Kinnick
1999-present: Yokota
1994 season
1994 was competitive in Kanto and Okinawa. Zama and ASIJ were co-champs as were Kubasaki's Samurai and Kadena's 2 teams. I would have liked to have seen Kadena vs. Zama that season. I knew both teams well and there would have been some hard hits that game. What do you think Dave?
Re: 1994 season
A school official from Okinawa made the trip with me to see ASIJ beat Zama 21-16 at Mustang Valley, clinching each a share of the Kanto Plain league title. He remarked to me after the game that neither team would have done much against Kadena.
But these things go in cycles and the pendulum swings back and forth. Earlier this decade, Yokota might have dominated even Kadena's and Kubasaki's full varsity teams, just as they each have beaten Yokota three of the four times Yokota has faced them the past three years. You just never know until you hit the field.
In any case, yes, that 1994 season was all about parity. Three-way tie on Okinawa, two-way ties on Guam and in Kanto. Only Page's Yongsan Dragons won an outright title that season. As venerable Kadena Coach Bill Mierzejewski remarked to me that season, "Ain't parity fun?"
Kadena vs. Zama. Josh Brandt vs. Lou Lewis. Coach Bill's wing-T vs. Jay Gilbo's "big backfield" of Hux Jones, Lee Spires and Jason Sugg. If either side would have thrown more than three passes, I'd have been shocked. That game would have taken less than 2 hours to play.
Re: 1994 season
Actually, Kadena and Zama had pretty sound passing games that year. I think Kris Simmons passing to Bernard Davis/Marcus Dixon and Todd McGovern's dual threat attack would have been factors.
Re: 1994 season
You can't forget about my other weapons that year either: Xavier Pierce and Willie Rowland at TB, Chris Johnson WR, Terrance Murphy WR, Jason Holland FB, etc. That was an awesome year to play football at Kadena. I only wish we had the opportunity to play more games each season. Have they fixed that yet? In the states, they play 10 or 11 games each year before post-season.
Yes, they've fixed it
Kadena and Kubasaki now play a full varsity season. Best of five against each other, and Kubasaki also plays biennial home and homes with Yokota and Daegu, and Kadena will also play Edgren and a Kanto team to be determined. Things have definitely changed since you were in these parts. Hope the years have been good to you!
I know it's a bit late a year to be exact
2009: ASIJ
Also i think Hayden Jardine will be making his way on to this list. Best pure passer in the kanto since 1986, you said it yourself. And he's only a soph. Led a team to an outright championship they havn't had in 26 years.
Re: Korea's size
Dale:
Korea did have some studs back in the day. Most of them could be found on the Yongsan Raiders, considered the "second team" behind Page's Yongsan Dragons. Raiders were big and beefy, Dragons were small but flashy-dashy. I'm sure Page welcomed the opportunity to operate behind the Raiders' reinforcements come the All-Star games against Singapore.
One thing's for sure: Kanto/Japan would have held a huge edge in time of possession, simply because it didn't take much time for Korea's offense to generate points. But once Korea scored, then Kanto would have pounded, pounded and pounded the ball for long minutes, then punching it in the end zone, wearing out the Korea defenders.
Korea
I know at the time we saw that Kinnick was always ranked behind them. We wanted the chance to play them and show who was #1. With the All-Star teams that would have been really fun, especially if we were given enough time to prepare. I think the best QB we had in the league that year would have been Paul Nash from ASIJ, no disrespect Coach Ellis. If we had Nash throwing to Warner with Lou Lewis in the backfield along with Lashawn that would have been quite a site to see. I remember Yokota had a really strong RB that year as well. Thanks for posting the list of champions. I can't wait to see how you play out the winner of the Kanto vs Korea.
daegu
well everybody has said there best football player of all times from there school.but best RB,LB coming out of daegu is last year running back antonio harris#22..and the reason why is because he lead the football team to a title gamelast year.i mean if you think about it daegu havent been to a title game ever sense the ys days and not only that he also holds the most rushing yards in one game and a record at the school.But yes i know what people going to say know we didnt win last year but still just getting to the ship was a great job i mean look back at history osan been kicking daegu but into last year 08. so best RB,LB goes to antonio harris because he helped get the daegu started now everybody like dave,lee,larry and the QB griffen are going to lead the way and win the ship this year.
Best?
My brother told me of you. And I watched some game tapes, but I'm sorry to say, you aren't the best. Me and Chris Edmenson both played RB/LB side by side for Taegu in 2000 and I think we did a little better than you guys did. But don't get me wrong, you guys still are good. Just not the best. Heck, Chris and I aren't even the best. The best RB came out of Osan. Oswan Law was like 6'0 and 240 lbs of raging RB. Everytime he touched the ball, he either scored or got 20 yards. And he didn't do it by juking. He trucked.
EHS
hey orny,
im going to be honest with you, outside of the guys i played with at edgren i really dont know who our best were, maybe you can help me out with that but from what i have seen i must say:
fullback: david leh
linebacker: darren hall
o line: deonte sifuentes
quarterback: woody carter
specialist: zach latimore
i want to know what you think though, i'm pretty sure you know more than i do about this one.
help your boy out and school me a lil bit
Best football players from osan
Quarterback - Patrick Thompson was the best passing quarterback osan has ever seen. He didnt get that many opportunities to throw at osan since alvarado has always been a running coach, but he was very accurate to passes.
Running Back - Terry Stephensb was the best all around running back at osan. Burnt sahs in 2004 at the homecoming even though it came in a lost. Also now plays D-2 football in college
Linemen - Aaron Clifton was very consistent and cold be trusted to always do the hard job.
Linebacker - Matthew Stokes didn't play much in his only season at osan because of surgery but man, was he a good linebacker! Our 05 far east win came true because of his great play when he came back for the last taegu game and far east. Carlos Albaladejo might have gotten all the credit for retreiving the fumble, but it was matt stokes who made the amazing play which forced the fumble.
All Around - Carlos Albaladejo was a major contributor to our great 06 team as many people know. Amazing runner esp. considering it was his first year being a runnign back, was one of the top tacklers as linebacker and was our all around kicker nd kick/punt returner
Fantasy game, Kanto vs. Korea All-Stars circa mid-1990s?
What would SportsBlog Nation say to ORNY staging a fantasy All-Star game between the Kanto All-Stars and Korea All-Stars circa mid-1990s?
Unarguably
Without a doubt, the best team to take the field from what I have seen in 8 years is the 2002 Yokota Panthers. This was a case of men playing against boys and that group would dominate anyone past, present, or future. Orny, what do you think?
Re: Unarguably
2002, the centerpiece year of what may have been the best five-season run in Pacific high school football history, 2000-04, five straight Rising Sun Bowl titles, one regular-season defeat on the field and tremendous individual performances by then-JFL rushing record-holder Darren Taylor, and Big Mike (Wright) and Little Mike (Chamberlain), the latter who ran back the opening kickoffs in Rising Sun 2001 and 2002 for touchdowns.
And lest we forget, Yokota had to vacate its first two victories of the 2002 season when it was found they'd used an ineligible player. That only seemed to fire up the Panthers, who ran the table the next nine games.
Most unforgettable about that was the day after the forfeitures were announced. I made my way to Yokota to talk about it with the team. Told Big Mike I was sorry to hear what happened.
Without hesitation, he told me, "Hey, don't feel sorry for us. We're still the headbusters. We ain't sittin' here waitin' to exhale."
Typical of Big Mike. Typical of Yokota that season and most any other. Wound a Panther, and you have that Panther right where the Panther wants you.
One for the books, Ghost Writer. :)
Scary Thought
Mike Wright is one of the best and toughest players I have ever seen in playing HS and college ball and coaching. The scary thing is that he only played special teams and rt offensive tackle. That's how good that team was!
Those from Korea and Okinawa wouldn't know about that team becuase they didn't have the unfortunate luck to play them except for the old Kubasaki Samurai. That was back when Kadena and Kuba had split squads and the playing field really was EVEN and each team had 350 or so in the student body to choose from.
Fantasy Game between Korea and Kanto
Dave,
Go for it. That would be fun to see how it could have played out. No matter the result, you will have plenty of debate!
Re: Fantasy Game between Korea and Kanto
Dale:
Two different styles, two different looks. Kanto power vs. Korea high, wide and handsome air attack.
Something tells me that defensive coordinator Karl Berry would have to quickly depart from his standard 5-3-3 set, perhaps reverse it and go 3-3-5, to contain Page and his band of receivers.
Then again, is Korea physical enough, powerful enough, to keep big LaShawn at bay, prevent Jared from turning the corner with that breakaway speed and shut down triple-threat Thompson?
Give ORNY a few days to analyse, bake the numbers and come up with something you can really sink your teeth into. :D
hmmm
OK so I don't know these people you're talking about but come on man we had more than just David Page out there...and didn't Chuckii McDew break David Pages touchdown passing record in 95 with a touchdown pass to...ME LOL when we beat up on Osan 90-0. Again, I know I'm biased towards the Taegu people but looking at our All Star team as a whole, the twins TyRance and TyLance Hines were some fast cats and we had some big guys in the middle too...
Yokota
I heard stories about that Yokota 2002 team. However i believe the best Yokota team was the 2004 team that broke the winning streak record. With players like Chris Roach, Shamar Howell, and Jamal McNeill at RB and in the Secondary. Linemen like Mike Herron, Josh Smith, and Joe Saffold. This 2004 team didnt have a weakness at any position. Here are my top players from Yokota.
RB- Anthony McNeill, Roy Roach, Chris Roach, Mike Chamberlain, last but not least Darin
QB- DeEric Harvin(Only a Junior), and Doug Bloom
DB- Jamal McNeill, Chris Roach, Shamar Howell
Linemen- Mike Herron, Josh Smith, Joe Saffold
FB- Shamar Howell, Jeramiah Pearcy, Tony Presnell
TE- Riki Burns, Kenny Harris, Cameron Cooper, Corey White
LB- Kenny Harris, Mark Dixon, Jeramiah Pearcy
K- Stefan Welch, Riki Burns, Tony Presnell
Thats just a few, there are many more, Dave let me know what you think about this list. Thats just how good Yokota has been over the Years
Re: Yokota
I'm sure coaches Thek and Capps and the legendary "voice of Yokota," Don Kalina -- the three wise men -- could come up with more names than even I can.
QB: Bloom and Tom Siegmann (class of 1987) are comparable.
RB: Lest we forget the likes of Bruce Henderson, Buddy Williams, Jeff Rowe, Alvin Chance, Charles Ladson and the incomparable James "Big Train" Carson of the 1980s and Rodney Lewis in the 1990s.
FB: To me, the best in Yokota history was Eddie Espinoza, who helped plow the road for Carson in 1989. He was a guard converted to fullback and was an unstoppable force.
Linemen: Stephe DeSantis (class of 1987) head and shoulders above all else. A close second was Jason Atauia, a fullback converted to left guard because Coach Pujol needed some fire in the interior. That began Yokota's 55-game on-field winning streak in 2000. Then comes Big Mike Wright, the heart and soul of the 2002 team that had to vacate its first two victories, then ran the table and won Rising Sun again.
I could go on forever.
Good Points
But I wouldn't include Bloom as one of our best QBs ever. Irwin was better (more mobile) and Harvin already overshadows him.
Yokota Best QB Ever
ZamaDawg: I must agree with Orny on the Best Yokota QB ever. I only played with Tom Siegmann in four All-Star games. He was far and away the best there was during my four years at Zama. He could have easily started in Div I-AA. (I thought someone told me he played at Sam Houston State.)
Playing against him (and the stable of running backs they had) was a nightmare. Playing with him was much like playing with some of the QB's I played with in college. He really wasn't far off from being at that level.
Yokota QBs
I grew up in Yokosuka and saw a lot of Kinnick games in the late 80's, so I remember Kevin and Seigler playing against them. Since then, there have been solid QBs in the area...Mark Davies, Dennis Hunter, Michael Roof, Paul Nash, Kris Simmons, just to name a few. After that it seems like it's all on the ground. If any of those guys played in Korea, they would own the records.
Best EHS Team
During my time at Edgren these players were definitely the best:
QB- Bryan Krueger
WR/LB- Woody Carter (Now playing DII ball at Northeastern University)
FB/LB- Matt Beard
LB-Josh Bonick
C- Dustin West
CB- Darren Hall
I've also had the honor of playing alongside half of the "Fantastic Four" when I was a senior and they were freshmen:
RB/WR- Jacques Moton
RB- Andrew Blankenship
Now if only Coach B. let Zach Latimore play that season...