Running back Kameron Ramos rushed for a touchdown for the Samurai, 26-22 victors over Yokota. (Kevin Rossiter/Special to Stripes)

MARINE CORPS AIR STATION IWAKUNI, Japan – Call Friday’s Matthew C. Perry homecoming game the Preston Ramirez showcase.

The Samurai sophomore caught two touchdown passes and booted two field goals as Perry outlasted a second-half rally by Yokota for a 26-22 victory that put the Samurai in position to possibly host a Division II semifinal game on Oct. 18.

“We got healthy,” Perry coach Daniel Burns said of a team that lost three weeks ago at home 20-0 to Robert D. Edgren, but has beaten both Yokota and Zama since.

Three starters, including senior tight end Xander Grantham, have returned to the lineup since the loss to the Eagles.

“We had key players who didn’t play against Edgren who are now available,” Burns said. “We’re also playing mistake-free football. And our defense has really picked it up.”

The Samurai, who will finish the regular season 3-2, also played with a lead from start to finish. Jordan Burford threw scoring passes of 80 and 30 yards to Ramirez and also had an interception on defense. “He’s been amazing,” Burns said of Burford.

Kameron Ramos also rushed for a TD for Perry, which assumed a 16-0 lead at halftime.

“We had nothing in the first half. We couldn’t get the offense in gear. Penalties hurt us badly,” said coach Michael Woodworth of the Panthers, who fell to 2-3 with their second straight loss.

But Yokota made some adjustments and the offense “came to life” in the second half, Woodworth said.

Josh Low threw touchdown passes of 22 yards to his brother Kaden Elwood and 23 yards to Rodrigo Negron. Low also ran 10 yards for a TD and Jay Douglas was successful on a pair of two-point conversions.

Yokota attempted an onside kick after its last touchdown late in the fourth quarter, but the Samurai covered it and ran out the clock.

Quarterback Jordan Burford threw two touchdown passes and intercepted a pass for the Samurai. (Kevin Rossiter/Special to Stripes)

Sophomore Preston Ramirez showcased his catching and kickiing talents, with two touchdown receptions and two field goals. (Kevin Rossiter/Special to Stripes)

Josh Low threw for two touchdowns and ran for another for the Panthers. (Kevin Rossiter/Special to Stripes)

Burford was 3-for-5 passing for 120 yards and rushed 13 times for 75 yards. Ramos added 62 yards on nine attempts for the Samurai.

Low rushed eight times for 98 yards and was 3-for-6 passing but threw two interceptions. Braylon Ivey had a strip sack which he returned for 60 yards, Mark Segura recovered a punt that hit a Perry player and had a sack, along with Douglas.

“We didn’t give up,” Woodworth said. “It was a good, hard-fought game like it always is between us. They (Samurai) have a really good team this year. We were an onside kick from possibly winning the game.”

Both teams finished their regular season and now await the outcome of next Friday’s Edgren at Zama contest, which will determine the D-II playoff seeds.

Zama gains a win by forfeit Saturday over Osan, as will Perry next week; the Cougars are short on players due to injuries, athletics director Bridget Heffele said.

Perry could earn the No. 2 seed should the Eagles beat Zama by 16 or more points. The Trojans began the season with a 17-2 win at Edgren. But if Zama wins and sweeps the season series from Edgren, the Trojans would finish first, followed by the Eagles, Samurai and Panthers.

“We’re hoping for an Edgren win,” Burns said. “But as long as we’re healthy, I think we have a shot.”