The Top Ten

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Musings, mutterings and the occasional schmahts as we reach the penultimate week of the Pacific high school football regular season and hurtle toward two critical weekend matchups:

-- They didn't win, but Robert D. Edgren certainly gave Zama American cause to worry -- as in finding ways to shut down an offense that had been averaging 427 yards and 29 points per game. Michael Spencer was held to a season-low 56 yards and Zama to 112 yards.

-- That said, the Trojans did come away with a 12-7 victory, and in so doing punched their ticket to the Far East Class A title game on Nov. 9. First time for Zama to be in the final of a Far East boys tournament in any sport in ...

Campers, we're bleeding back over into hate territory again with some of the comments in Pacific football Week 8.0 and 8.1 threads. The comments do pass the libel and vulgarity tests, but they border on failing the hate test with me. Remember what we're here to discuss. Stay on topic and check the personal comments at the door, please. I've already banned two people this month and pulled a ton of comments. Keep it lively, but keep it real.

-- Kadena 35, Yokota 0: Much closer than the score indicated; Kadena didn't score until 8:21 remained until halftime. Kadena gets the edge in preview of Nov. 9 Class AA semifinal on Okinawa. First three-game losing streak for Yokota since 1998. First shutout loss and regular-season home loss for Yokota since Nov. 6, 1999, 16-0 vs. Iwakuni.

-- American School In Japan 53, Nile C. Kinnick 15: Happy homecoming. Mustangs firing on all cylinders heading into Kanto showdown at Zama. Trojans will have their hands full.

-- George Washington 48, John F. Kennedy 0; Guam High 27, Southern 0: Top two island playoff close regular season in high style.

-- Zama American 12, Robert D. Edgren 7: Not the dominating performances of games past, but a W nonetheless. Season lows for Zama in yards and points. Eagles outgained Trojans 201-112 but turned the ball over four times (to none for Zama), had the ball in Trojans territory five other times besides their touchdown, turned the ball over on downs three times, fumbled once and threw an interception. Small consolation for Edgren that they came within a half-yard on Matt Delapaz's reception near/at the goal line with 28.9 seconds left (I saw knees and hands down with the ball short of the goal line).

-- Daegu American 12, Seoul American 6: First title for Warriors with league under auspices of DODEA Korea; 1993 Warriors won the old Korea Senior Youth League title.

Question: When was the last time Zama American's football team played for as high a stakes as are on the table Friday at Robert D. Edgren? Answer: Never. This is as big a game in Trojans football lore as there's ever been. With a win, Zama inches a step closer to its first DODEA Japan title and qualifies for the Far East Class A title game next month. It's no smaller a game for Edgren, though; the three-time defending Class A champion Eagles aim to soar into their fifth straight title game.

The opposing team didn't show. Even the referees didn't show. Tuesday's Okinawa Christian International at Kadena girls volleyball match ended up being a scrimmage between the Panthers' varsity and jayvee squads.

With coach Greg Rosenberger as the floor official.

Don't look now, but Guam High's girls cross country team may be a solid threat at Far East next month at Misawa Air Base, Japan. Led by Alexis Bosworth and Megan Speck, the Panthers captured the first All-Island team championship in Guam High's 12-year history, not just edging defending champion George Washington, but beating them by 23 points.

Don't look now, but Guam High is having one super fall season, period. In addition to cross country, and football going 4-1 and sealing second place in the Interscholastic Football League regular season (another school first), Panthers girls volleyball is playing in Thursday's semifinal against St. John's at the University of Guam Field House.

Heady times, these, in Panther Sports Nation.