The Games Begin

In the beautiful valley of the Nordkette Alps, the IFAF 2011 World Cup began in Innsbruck with a pair of games. If any of the rest of the games between now and the July 16th Gold Medal game are anything like the night cap, the fans are in for a wonderful treat.

Along the valley of the river Inn, in an exciting game that had ebbs and flows and just about everything else, Mexico defeated Germany 22-15.

In the first game, the US completely dominated Australia.

Action moves to Graz on Saturday, as Canada face France, and Japan takes on host Austria.

They're Ready

In their final press conference before leaving for the IFAF World Cup 2011, representatives of Team Japan appeared to be ready to face the challenge ahead of them.

Asked how this Team Japan team is different from previous ones, Head coach Kiyoyuki Mori said, "I think this team is avery good combination of experience players and younger players, Some players, for example (WR) Shoei Hasegawa, he has experience in NFL-Europe and the [2007] World Cup in Kawasaki. (DL) Yamanaka, (LB) Kosho they have good experience so we have a good combination" The youngest player on this year's squad is Waseda RB Tomokazu Sueyoshi; Panasonic Impulse DL Yasuo Wakisaka, at 42, is twice his age. Wakisaka has appeared in all 4 World Cup tournaments. Japan won the first two World Cup tournaments in 1999 and 2003, when the US did not send a team.

Mori also said after the loss in the Notre Dame-Japan Bowl in 2009, they emphasized being more physical, and have gained an average 10 pounds a man, without sacrificing speed.

The USA and Japanese Teams are considered favorites to win their respective Groups.

In the 2007 World Cup championship game held in Japan, the Americans defeated Japan 23-20 in double overtime on a blocked field goal.

The Americans will open the 2011 World Cup on July 8th playing Australia in Innsbruck.

The Japanese Team flies to Austria on Wednesday, and will face host Austria on Saturday the 9th in Group B action in Graz. Both games will be kicking off at 3PM CET (13:00 UTC; 9:00 ET; 22:00 JT).

Germany and Mexico and Canada-France will meet in the evening games starting at 7 PM local time.

Mori was quite impressed by the the Austrian team in their Charity Bowl XIII game against the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology (Terre-Haute, IN) on June 5th, as they lost 35-34 when their 2-point conversion attempt fell short.

"They are very good team. Very physical. They have improved.

"Offensively, they run a lot of shotgun and pistol formations. Defensively they run a 3-4, many blitzes and combination blitzes."

Spring Ball 2011

While the earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear crises in Japan brought many things to halt, most football teams were soon back at it.

Most teams have several scrimmages already over Golden Week, and there is a full weekend coming up, with X-League games at Kawasaki on Saturday and Sunday,

Several college teams meeting in interdivisional and intersectional matchups on Sunday.
There will be a KCFF triple-header played at Japan Sports University. Meanwhile in the KCFA, Aoyama Gakuin will take on Keio, and Chuo meets Nihon at Aminovital, while Hosei hosts Nanzan at home.

JPFF Playoffs

In Japan Private Football Federation semi-final action on Sunday at chilly, but sunny Kawasaki Stadium, it was the Grizzlies and the Brandings who prevailed to take their place in the Eastern Conference Championship on January 30th.

After spotting the Davey Jones a TD early, the Grizzles rallied for 26 unanswered points, to take their place in the

In the second game, the Brandings used a solid ground game and efficient play-action passing and halfback option passes, and held off the Urawas 14-6.


In the Eastern Conference Championship game the Brandings and Grizzlies will kickoff at 13:30 on the 1/30 at Kawasaki Stadium. The Urawas and Nagano will meet in a consolation game beginning at 10:30.


JPFF Playoffs

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.