2014 Japan X Bowl

The monkey is finally off their back With the Seagulls no longer in their way, the Fujitsu Frontiers finally sailed to the 28th X League championship, the top level of American Football in Japan.

Before a crowd of over 25,000 at the Big Egg. the Frontiers overwhelmed the IBM Big Blue 44-10.  They will meet K.G.- the top collegiate team- in  the Rice Bowl on January 3rd.

The Frontiers had lost all five of their appearances in the final going back to 2002, including four appearances in the previous eight.   This year snapped the Obic Seagull's four year reign at the top of the X-Leage.

Harvard alum Gino Gordon (Harvard) ran for four TDs for Fujitu and was named the game's MVP.

American QBs (Colby Cameron and Kevin Craft) started for both teams, in a game that featured a good deal of short passing and crisp tackling, until the defenses began to tire.

Craft (SDSU/UCLA) opened for the Big Blue by throwing and connecting on his first four passes.  But then a pass in the flat was intercepted by Shinya Miki and returned 45 yards for a Pick-6, and Fujitsu never trailed.  Craft would do on to throw two more interceptions in the first half.  A fake FG attempt by IBM in the second half was also intercepted.

Craft said he was showing the effects from several injuries, and felt that he couldn't move and avoid the rush the way he wanted, but gave most of the credit to Fujitsu.  "There was always someone in my face. They're real good, and they have a lot of depth. Of course they have great palyers and resources."

Fujitsu added a FG at the end of their first offensive drive.  Another interception on IBM's subsequent  play from scrimmage gave the Frontiers the ball at the Big Blue 12 yard line. Gordon scored the first of his four touchdowns on the next play, and it was quickly 16-0 halfway through the 1st quarter after James Brooks blocked the extra point conversion.

IBM was able to sustain an 80 yard drive early in the 2nd quarter, scoring on a 5 yard pass from Craft to John Stanton (St. John's) to make it 16-7.  It looked like the tide had turned when the Big Blue were able to make a 4th down stop on the Frontier's next series, but another interception was followed another short drive and a TD run by Gordon, and it was 23-7 at the half. Gordon finished with 17 carries for 112 yards.

Most IBM drives were repeatedly  stalled by sacks and mistakes, due in no small part to relentless pressure from Fujitsu. Craft went 23-40, 235 yards and one TD, but it was the three interceptions that really made the difference.  John Stanton had 8 catches for 47 yards.

 Satoshi Tagawa finished the game for IBM throwing 9-10, but their final drive ended just short of the goal line as the clock ran out.

Colby Cameron was 13-21 for 115 yards and no interceptions, and Keiya Hiramoto finished 6-9 for 106 yards for the  Frontiers.

After the game:

Craft:

"We thought we could throw the ball...and they were gassed, they were calling timeouts on defense.  But [we made] too many turnovers and mistakes."

"They did some things we hadn't seen on film" playing Cover, 2 etc.

Gino Gordon:

Who has relatives in Japan, says he hopes to be able to stay at least  one more year, "but that's gonna depend on my girlfriend."

Fujitsu has had difficulty finishing strong in big games in the past, and carried that unfortunate reputation.  That seems to have finally been corrected.
"It was great to finish.  That has been a point of emphasis this year- shorter practices, but more intense, American style."