YOKOSUKA, Japan - Nile C. Kinnick Red Devils football team suffered a devastating defeat at the hands of rival American School in Japan (ASIJ) 34-13 to capitalize the school’s homecoming week, Oct. 11.
The Red Devils effectively contained the play of ASIJ quarterback David Hernandez, holding him to 1 of 6 passing for 28 yards, 31 yards and a touchdown, but did not have an answer to running back Ryan Murphy, who rushed for 241 yards on 23 carries and two touchdowns.
With the victory, ASIJ swept the season series with the Red Devils as well as capturing their first Kanto Plain Association of Secondary Schools title since 2009. The victory also ended the Red Devils chance to win their first since 1998.
“We got beat by the better team,” said head coach Daniel Joley. “Two crucial turnovers cost us.”
After an initial ASIJ score led to an early 7-0 lead, running back Dre Paylor, spurn on by a key block by offensive lineman Tai Kai Martin, responded on the next play with a 91-yard kick return to cut the lead to 7-6, due to the missed extra point, to seemingly give the Red Devils the spark they needed going into halftime, but it didn’t.
ASIJ proceeded to score four rushing touchdowns and racked up 417 yards of offense, while limiting the usually explosive Red Devil attack to a total of 231 yards.
Dre Paylor was held to a still productive 106 yards rushing on 24 attempts, giving him a Pacific-best 1,581 yards this season, and quarterback Dustin Wilson had 82 yards on 16 carries, which included the Red Devils final one yard score in the 4th quarter with 3:30 left to play. Wilson, who is also the Pacific leader in touchdowns with 26, was also 3-for-15 passing for 38 yards and 82 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries.
Despite the ASIJ victory, the game saw aggressive defensive efforts from senior defensive tackle Ian O’Brien who had seven tackles, three for losses, linebacker George Calbert, who had 11 tackles; linebacker Kyle O’Brien, who finished with eight tackles, and defensive end Charlie Gann had six tackles, one for a loss.
Even with the loss, the Nile C. Kinnick Red Devils still remain in the chase for a Pacific Far East Division I title-game berth.
With Monday being a holiday and the inclement weather due to a typhoon cutting into the practice week, the Red Devils will fly out from Haneda International Airport for a crucial matchup at Okinawa against the Kubasaki Dragons, led by the reigning Pacific rushing champion Jarrett Mitchell (1,152 yards, 13 touchdowns, 94 carries), Oct. 19 at Mike Petty Stadium.