Senior quarterback Arashi Blocton threw for a touchdown pass and ran for two others for Kinnick. (Tiffany Mae Okamura/Special to Stripes)

YOKOSUKA NAVAL BASE, Japan – While Arashi Blocton got plenty of offensive work done with his legs and passing arm, it was the right leg of Koboyo Awesso that garnered the most attention.

The junior, better known for his soccer prowess, booted a Pacific-record 59-yard field goal and went 5-for-5 on extra-point kicks to help Nile C. Kinnick to a season-opening 37-12 win Friday over American School In Japan at Berkey Field.

“He didn’t realize how long it was until after the game,” Red Devils coach Dan Joley said. “It was just another kick for him.”

Awesso’s kick went toward the north end of the field with a southerly wind at his back; Berkey Field sits right along Tokyo Bay and is renowned for its gusty wind patterns.

On fourth down with the ball at ASIJ’s 42-yard line, Joley said his staff was mulling over whether to punt, when Joley sent out Awesso and the kicking block, lining up at the 49-yard line for the field-goal try.

“They (assistants) were looking at me like I was crazy,” Joley said. “So, I held my breath and it went right through the uprights. He had been kicking 61-yard field goals during practice.”

Awesso has scored 33 goals and assisted on 27 others for Kinnick’s soccer team the past two seasons.

Kinnick's Tylar Stephens rushed for a touchdown and 70 yards on nine carries. (Erick Chedd Ricardo/Special to Stripes)

Kinnick's Jacob Bojorwiz recovers an ASIJ fumble. (Lindy Croxton/Special to Stripes)

Andrew Walters caught a 45-yard touchdown pass for Kinnick. (Lindy Croxton/Special to Stripes)

ASIJ’s Micah Eickbash evades the tackle by Kinnick’s Maximus Cornelison. (Lindy Croxton/Special to Stripes)

“He’s got a leg that’s still developing and he’s been working hard at his craft and I’m so proud of him,” Joley said. “Up until last year, he never played football. He’s also playing defense for us and he’s having a blast. I couldn’t be happier for that kid.”

As for the rest of the offense, Blocton, a senior quarterback, rushed for 75 yards on seven carries, including touchdown runs of 2 and 20 yards. He also threw 45 yards for a touchdown to Andrew Walters.

“After almost a half-year under center last year, he has developed over the last month into a pretty good leader,” Joley said. “He understands the dynamics and he gets what I like to do in certain situations.”

Tylar Stephens added 70 yards on nine carries, including a 4-yard scoring run, and freshman Jordan Mack added a 20-yard TD run and finished with 40 yards on four attempts.

The Red Devils didn’t commit a turnover, “which is pretty impressive for the first game of the season,” Joley said.

The game was the first for new Mustangs coach Ron Schnell, who’s also the school’s new high school athletics director. ASIJ scored twice via the arm of quarterback Isreal Rodriguez, who threw 50 yards to Pau Wright and 8 yards to Shou Murakami-Moses.

“They’ve (Kinnick) got a big team, they’re big, strong, fast, but we played them tougher than the score was,” Schnell said. “We gave away a couple of turnovers, one step here, another step there and it’s a one-touchdown game.”

Kinnick next hosts Zama in an inter-divisional game at 6 p.m. Friday. ASIJ, the reigning Far East Division II champion, welcomes Kadena to Mustang Valley at 6 p.m. Friday.