Senior catcher Ryder Beaudoin, Kubasaki's boys student-athlete of the year, helped backstop the Dragons to their first Far East Division I title since 2013. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)
CAMP FOSTER, Okinawa – Decisions, decisions. Which major achievement meant more to Ryder Beaudoin?
The Kubasaki senior was part of Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps drill team that won the school’s first national championship in two decades.
As catcher, he backstopped the Dragons to their first Far East Division I Tournament title since 2013 and the first since Far East tournaments returned from almost three years sidelined by the coronavirus pandemic.
“It’s definitely special,” said Beaudoin, who was named the school’s male student-athlete of the year.
In mid-April, Beaudoin, the Dragons JROTC Battalion cadet major, accompanied 17 teammates to Fredericksburg, Va., where they beat out seven other schools for the Marine Corps JROTC national drill title.
The Dragons edged out Tomball Memorial (Texas), 3,922.4 to 3,809.6, for first place in the team standings. They achieved perfect scores in inspection and color guard, took second in unarmed regulation and fourth in unarmed exhibition.
“It’s not something I ever thought I would be a part of,” Beaudoin said.
Two weeks later, Beaudoin and Kubasaki’s baseball team took the field for the first Far East tournament since the 2019 D-I event. The Dragons edged American School In Japan 2-0 in the Far East final on April 26, their first title since beating St. Mary’s in 2013.
The victory capped Kubasaki’s 19-7 season. Beaudoin batted .232 for the Dragons with two home runs, 13 RBIs and nine stolen bases, and a team-high .982 fielding percentage.
“I love Kubasaki, and a chance to win multiple (titles), it’s a proud moment I’ll look back on for the rest of my life,” he said.
So, which one meant more?
“Far East is such a big deal, it’s the big competition, something that everybody looks forward to,” Beaudoin said.
Senior Sophia Grubbs, left, has been named Kubasaki girls student-atylete of the year; junior Destiny Richardson has been named Kadena girls student-athlete of the year for the second straight year. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)
Junior Jeremiah Drummer, named Kadena's boys student-athlete of the year, helped lead the Panthers to the DODEA-Japan Division I football title. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)
Mikaila Joi Miranda, named Nile C. Kinnick's girls student-athlete of the year, helped lead the Red Devils to the Far East Division I basketball tournament title. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)
Senior Jaylon Grant has been named one of three Osan student-athletes of the year. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)
Kierstyn Aumua, Zama‘s girls student-athlete of the year, has started at second base for the Trojans baseball team for three season. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)
Senior Adam Rutland, center, has been named one of three Osan student-athletes of the year. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)
E.J. King's Madylyn O'Neill, named E.J. King's girls student-athlete of the year, helped lead the Cobras to their first Far East Division II soccer tournament title. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)
Senior Dylan Tomas, named Yokota's boys student-athlete of the year, led the Panthers to the Far East Division II basketball tournament title. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)
Junior Erica Haas, Yokota's girls student-athlete of the year, helped pitch the Panthers to the Far East Division II softball title. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)
Senior Kirby Kendrick has been named Matthew C. Perry boys student-athlete of the year. (Raven Rayos/Special to Stripes)
Junior Tatiana Lunn is one of three Osan student-athletes of the year. (Brian McCollum/Special to Stripes)
Senior Sabra Wrightsil has been named Humphreys girls student-athlete of the year. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)
SCHOOL-BY-SCHOOL SELECTIONS
Daegu – Ella Sims, senior, tennis, cheerleading, soccer; Emma Sims, senior, tennis, basketball, soccer.
Robert D. Edgren – Christopher Herrera, senior, swimming, eSports; Zalea Washington, senior, volleyball, basketball, track and field.
Guam High – Trayton Crandell, senior, cross country, track and field; Keira Crystal Paz, senior, cross country, track and field; Cirie Hawkins, sophomore, wrestling, cheerleading, rugby, track and field.
Humphreys – Andrew Wahlgren, junior, cross country, wrestling, track and field; Sabra Wrightsil, senior, volleyball, basketball, track and field.
Kadena – Jeremiah Drummer, junior, football (DODEA-Japan Division I championship), wrestling, track and field; Destiny Richardson, junior, basketball, track and field (repeat selection).
E.J. King – Amin Alipourkashiki, sophomore, tennis, soccer; Madylyn O’Neill, sophomore, volleyball, basketball, soccer (Far East Division II championship).
Nile C. Kinnick – Joshua Hernandez, senior, football, wrestling, track and field (Far East D-I championship); Mikaila Joi Miranda, senior, volleyball, basketball (Far East D-I championship), soccer (repeat selection).
Kubasaki – Ryder Beaudoin, senior, JROTC Drill (national championship), baseball (Far East D-I championship); Sophia Grubbs, senior, volleyball (DODEA-Japan championship), basketball, soccer (Far East D-I championship).
Osan – Adam Rutland, senior, football, basketball, baseball; Jaylon Grant, senior, football, basketball, baseball; Tatiana Lunn, junior, volleyball, basketball, soccer.
Matthew C. Perry – Kirby Kendrick, senior, football, wrestling (Far East D-II championship), soccer; Jessica Griffin, junior, volleyball, JROTC marksmanship (Far East D-II championship), softball.
Yokota – Dylan Tomas, senior, football, basketball (Far East D-II championship), baseball; Erica Haas, junior, volleyball, basketball, softball (Far East D-II championship).
Zama – Hiroki Davis, junior, football, baseball (Far East D-II championship); Kierstyn Aumua, junior, volleyball, basketball, (Far East D-II championship).
