The 10th annual Clash Bowl to determine Japan's eastern collegiate champions was played on Sunday at Ajinomoto Stadium, and the Hosei Tomahawks dominated the Waseda Big Bears 38-11. Hosei led at halftime 21-0, and went up at one point 38-3, before the Big Bears scored late.
The Tomahawks will face Kansai University, winners of the Flash Bowl- the champions of western Japan. The Kaisers- this year's surprise winners of the Kansai league- defeated Meijou of Nagoya (the winner of the Tokai region and subsequent playoff) 42-6 today to become the Western Champion.
The two teams will meet on December 13th in Osaka at the Koshien Bowl to determine a truly national collegiate champion for Japan. Previous Koshien bowls were in the form of an invitational, with the Kansai league champ playing the winner from the Kanto league. But beginning this year, a playoff system was enacted to involve the other geographical areas of Japan, including Tohoku and Hokkaido in the east; and Kyushu, Hokoriku, Choshikoku, and Tokai in the west.
The winner of the Koshien Bowl will then face the top shakaijin team from the X-League on January 3rd, in the Rice Bowl.
