Rice Bowl

Before more than 35,000 fans in the Tokyo Dome, the Obic Seagulls trounced the Ritsumeikan Panthers to win the Rice Bowl

In a rather lackluster game after an exciting season, the Seagulls shut out the Panthers 24-0 in the 28th annual meeting of collegiate and shakaijin champions. It was the Seagulls fourth title, the first two coming when they were sponsored by Recruit. The win denied the Panthers their fourth title.

Ritsumeikan mostly flailed on offense, unable to move the ball on the ground, and QB Shoma Taniguchi connected on only 9 of 38 passes for 69 yards, was intercepted three times in the 4th quarter. Considered a running threat, he managed only 24 yards on 13 carries. A missed 40-yard field goal ended their only scoring threat of the afternoon.

Former Hawaii University players Karl Noa and Kevin Jackson figured prominently in the pressure put on Taniguchi. Noa had a couple of sacks, and Jackson added a tipped and then intercepted a pass to his stats.

Meanwhile Obic QB Shun Sugawara was 15 of 25 for 199 yards, throwing for the first touchdown (a 49-yard strike to Ryoma Hagiyama), and running for the second. The Seagulls scored on a FG as time expired in the 1st half to make it 17-0.

Sugawara, who lost in the Rice Bowl twice as a collegian with the Hosei Tomahawks, transferred to the Seagulls this year from the Sagamihara Rise, who will join division 1 of the X-League next season. Sugawara was named game MVP.

The Furutani twin brothers figured prominently in the Seagull's attack: Shinya with long punt returns, and Takuya rushing and scoring the final TD of the game.

free Rice Bowl tickets drawing

The Metropolis magazine MetPod is giving away free tickets to the Rice Bowl (between the Obic Seagulls and the Ritsumeikan Panthers). For a chance to win:

To: metpod@metropolis.co.jp
Re: "Rice Bowl"

[body]: (the name of your favorite Japanese football team- any league, any level. Just pick one)





The Rice Bowl will be held at the Tokyo Dome on January 3rd (national holiday in Japan). Kickoff will be at 2PM. The game will also be televised by NHK.

2010 Japan X Bowl result

Stormy but low score
Panasonic Pick-Six up
Obic come back late

2010 Japan X Bowl

Winter cold outside
Seagulls-Impulse in Big Egg
Exciting X Bowl!

Clash of the school titans

more american football action this weekend as the season comes to a head:

A double-header of X2 League games at Kawasaki on Saturday, December 4th beginning at 11.

On Sunday, in first division X-league semi-final action, since the Fujitsu Frontiers were knocked out of the playoffs, the Obic seagulls (including 3 American players) will take on the Kajima Deers at 2:30 at Kawasaki; meanwhile the wild card IBM Big Blue will be down in Osaka to face the Panasonic Impulse.

The big college game in the Kanto area is the Clash Bowl on Sunday the 5th- featuring the top two teams in the KCFA- the perennial champion Hosei Tomahawks will face the Waseda Big Bears at Ajinomoto Stadium (that's near Tobitakyu station on the Keio line).

Pregame festivities will include youth football games featuring the Little Tomahawks and the Little Green Machine from Kanagawa; and from the Tokyo area- the Gators, comprised of a lot of expat kids, going against the Japanese Hurricanes.

Then the main event kicks off at 13:00- bands, cheerleaders, a half-time show- the whole works. The winner of the clash Bowl goes to Osaka for the Koshien Bowl to determine the university champion on December 19th.