Senior Geovanni Joell will be asked to fill the shoes of two departed starting receivers from the 2023 Zama football team. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)
Fourth in a series of DODEA-Pacific high school football previews.
CAMP ZAMA, Japan – After a 14-game winning streak and just missing in last October’s Far East Division II football final, Zama finds itself pretty much starting over.
Six key starters graduated. The starting quarterback moved to Germany. The Trojans’ roster as of Monday’s practice contained just 24 names. And they face their earliest road trip in recent memory, opening their season Friday at Robert D. Edgren.
“We’re going to have to adjust what we do to the personnel we have,” coach Scott Bolin said of a relatively young group that may need some time to master the intricacies of Bolin’s spread run-pass option attack.
“We might have to emphasize some things more than others,” Bolin said. “It’s a matter of how much they can handle and how much they can execute well.”
There are a few returning veterans, but they’ll be replacing several key faces who led Zama to its seventh Far East D-II championship game appearance, three of them victories.
Adrian Santiago-Cruz takes over at quarterback from Will Schmiedel, who moved to Ramstein. Santiago-Cruz is a senior, but he’s new to Zama football.
Geovanni Joell, another senior, has the tough task of filling the shoes of receivers Jeremiah Georges and Keahnu Araki. Two interior players return, senior linebacker Ayden Moore and junior offensive lineman Jacob Van Sickle.
“Some key positions are still filled,” Bolin said. It’s a question of how well that knowledge and experience can be spread throughout the team, especially among the newcomers.
The Trojans do get a couple of bye weeks following the trip to Misawa to evaluate how they did against the Eagles.
If things fall into place, “we can make the playoffs,” Bolin said of the D-II semifinals scheduled the weekend of Oct. 18-19.
But getting to the championship game scheduled for Oct. 25?
“That’s a harder task,” Bolin said. “But we have a puncher’s chance.”
Starting quarterback Adrian Santiago-Cruz is a senior, but he's new to Zama football. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)
With just 24 players on the roster and having lost seven key starters, Scott Bolin says he knows that rebuilding Zama's football team will be no snap. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)
ZAMA TROJANS
2023 season record — 7-1 overall, lost in D-II final 14-0 to American School In Japan.
Head coach — Scott Bolin, eighth season (11th year with program).
Championships — Far East Division II titles in 2009, 2012 and 2019. Shared Kanto Plain title with American School In Japan in 1994. Won DODEA-Japan title in 2009 and 2022.
Returning players — 8.
Returning starters — 8.
Key performers — Adrian Santiago-Cruz, Sr., QB; Geovanni Joell, Sr., WR; Ayden Moore, Sr., LB; Chris Jones, Sr., CB; Jacob Van Sickle, Jr., OL; Isaiah Segarra, Sr., LB-RB-WR.
Strengths — Strong defense. Four of five starters return in the interior, both guards, both tackles.
Strengths — Player commitment, championship continuity. A handful of veterans remain from the last two season when the Trojans went a combined 14-1.
Drawbacks — Youth and lack of depth. Losing starting quarterback Will Schmiedel (transfer) will hurt.
Overview — Rebuilding. The numbers simply aren’t there, and six key starters from a season ago graduated and one more transferred. Some key players remain, but it’s a matter of staying healthy and getting the newcomers up to speed with the game plan.
Schedule
Friday, Aug. 23
Zama at Robert D. Edgren
Friday, Sept. 13
Zama at Nile C. Kinnick
Friday, Sept. 20
Zama at Yokota
Friday, Sept. 27
Matthew C. Perry at Zama
Saturday, Oct. 5
Osan at Zama
Friday, Oct. 11
Edgren at Zama
Postseason
Semifinals
Friday, Oct. 18-Saturday, Oct. 19
Third place at second place
Fourth place at first place
Championship
Friday, Oct. 25
Semifinal winners
