Kadena fullback Flint Barton tries to elude a gaggle of Humphreys defenders, from left: Von Tucker, Scott Herber and Matthew Nubin. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)

KADENA AIR BASE, Okinawa – Javier Williams intercepted three passes, two of which set up touchdowns, and the Panthers defense held Humphreys to 19 yards on 38 plays Friday as Kadena shut out the Blackhawks 30-0.

“I was looking mostly at the offensive end,” Williams said of Humphreys’ left tackle. “Whenever he stepped back, that usually means a pass. As soon as I saw the quarterback throw, I just cut (toward the ball) and caught it.”

Kadena fullback Flint Barton rushed for two touchdowns and quarterback DeShaun Nixon tossed two scoring passes as the defending Far East Division I champion Panthers bounced back from their season-opening 14-13 home loss to Kubasaki to level their record at 1-1.

It was the season-opening game for the Blackhawks, who suffered four turnovers and had a punt blocked for a safety.

“It was our first game. The nerves were there,” Humphreys coach Reggie Meno said. “We have a lot to fix. Taking care of the football. Fundamentals.”

The first quarter was scoreless, with both defenses grinding the other team’s offense to a halt.

But following a Kadena punt that set up Humphreys at its 14-yard line early in the second quarter, Blackhawks quarterback Bradley Miller was picked off by Williams. He ran it back to the 14, and Barton took the ball into the end zone on the Panthers’ next play.

“That was really the game-changer,” Meno said of that interception.

Humphreys quarterback Bradley Miller launches a pass against Kadena. He was intercepted three times by Javier Williams. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)

Humphreys' Matthew Nubin tries to break free of Kadena defender Hajime Reed. Reed blocked a punt for a safety. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)

Kadena's Neil Kentish tries to run past Humphreys defender Joshua Ward. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)

Kadena's DeShaun Nixon fires a pass over outstretched Humphreys defender Matthew Nubin. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)

Kadena fullback Flint Barton, here corraled by several Humphreys defenders, rushed for two toucchdowns. (Dave Ornauer/Stars and Stripes)

A fumble recovered on Humphreys’ next possession by Kadena’s Julius Gantz set up Nixon’s 15-yard scoring pass to Neil Kentish. The Panthers led 14-0 at half.

On Humphreys’ first possession of the second half, Kadena’s Hajime Reed blocked a punt and the ball bounced out of the end zone for a safety. Nixon promptly made it 23-0 by throwing 27 yards to A.J. Webster for a TD.

Williams’ last interception put the ball at the Blackhawks’ 13 with 10:51 left, then four plays later, Barton rumbled in from 3 yards out. The last 8:52 of the game was played with a running clock.

“Flint is coming along and is developing into the leader we need,” Panthers coach Sergio Mendoza said.

While the victory was a “step in the right direction,” Mendoza said the Panthers “have a lot of work to do” in the postgame huddle. The Panthers had but 165 yards on 43 offensive plays. Barton had 87 yards on 13 carries and Williams 82 yards on four returns.

“We have a saying, that if we have better character, that makes better people and that makes better football players, and championships are a byproduct of that,” Mendoza said.

“It was a sloppy game on our part. We have mistakes we need to clean up.”

Kadena next travels to American School In Japan for a Friday contest. Humphreys will host Kubasaki next Saturday.