(photo courtesy of Asahi)
I’ve been busy with a new job and other obligations that are higher on my priority list (sorry, but when covering kokoyakyu hasn’t made you a dollar and does not figure to into the near future, you kinda put it on the backburner when time becomes a constraint).
But at least I can post about updates since most are just starting into their super-regional play.
Hokkaido (1) – Komadai Tomakomai
The teams who made it to the super-regionals included quite a few well-known names, but a lot of unknown quantities as well
Quadrant 1
- Bushuukan v (winner of Sapporo Sousei v Hakodate Kougyou)
- Hokkaido Sakae v Obihiro Nougyou
Quadrant 2
- Wakkanai Ootani v Sapporo Yamanote
- Sapporo Ootani v (winner of Hokushou v Asahikawa Jitsugyou)
Quadrant 3
- Kushiro Meiki v (winner of Ritsumeikan Keishou v Kita-Hiroshima)
- Komadai Tomakomai v Shirakaba Gakuen
Quadrant 4
- Sapporo Nichidai v Clark Kokusai
- Engaru v (winner of Hakodatedai Hakuryou v Asakikawa Ryuukoku)
But as the rounds progressed, the cream naturally rose to the top. The top 4 eventually became Hokkaido Sakae, Asahikawa Jitsugyou, Komadai Tomakomai and Sapporo Nichidai. Only Hokkaido Sakae was the odd man out, but none of the 4 really dominated proceedings up until that point. The games here on continued to be close affairs, with the eventual winner being Komadai Tomakomai winning 7x-6 in 12 over Sapporo Nichidai and then a ridiculous 12-10 over Asahikawa Jitsugyou. Needless to say I don’t necessarily hold high hopes for them at senbatsu.
Tohoku (2)
- Seikou Gakuin (Fukushima)
- Hanamaki Higashi (Iwate)
Boy, this super-regional wasn’t even close. Seikou Gakuin shows no sign of stopping, defeating their first 3 opponents 28-2 before Hanamaki Higashi finally played them close, losing 6-4 in the final. Despite Seikou’s dominance, this was their first ever fall title.
The question becomes how strong the region is as Hanamaki Higashi played close games against Kakunodate and Nichidai Yamagata en route to the finals.
Kanto ex Tokyo (4 + 1 floating)
What the heck happened in Kanto? I know I perhaps panned the region in the past, but this field while containing familiar teams, may not be familiar to you.
Quadrant 1
- Kokugakuin Tochigi (Tochigi 1) v Shiritsu Kawagoe (Saitama 2)
- Takushoku Kouryou (Chiba 1) v Keiou Gijyuku (Kanagawa 2)
Quadrant 2
- Meishuu Hitachi (Ibaraki 1) v Yamanashi Gakuin (Yamanashi 2)
- Kendai Takasaki (Gunma 1) v Toukou Gakuen (Kanagawa 3)
Quadrant 3
- Hanasaki Tokuharu (Saitama 1) v Chuo Gakuin (Chiba 2)
- Toukaidai Koufu (Yamanashi 1) v Kasumigaura (Ibaraki 2)
Quadrant 4
- Toukaidai Sagami (Kanagawa 1) – Bye
- Sakushin Gakuin (Tochigi 2) v Kanto Gakuendai Fuzoku (Gunma 2)
Where there are certainly some big names (Kendai Takasaki, Hanasaki Tokuharu, Sakushin Gakuin, etc), there are a lot of schools here who are of Tier 3 status or worse that have just appeared out of nowhere. While perhaps a refreshing change, those top tier schools are just chomping at the bit to defeat them and move on.
Tokyo (1 + 1 floating bid)
Tokyo is in the midst of determining their group of 16 as games there and everywhere else are rained out to the typhoon. Here’s where we stand:
Quadrant 1
- Ikubunkan v Kousei Gakuen
- Toukaidai Takanawadai v Higashi-Yamato
Quadrant 2
- (Toritsu Hino v Kokushikan) v (Waseda Jitsugyou v Kanto Dai-ichi)
- Kinjyou Gakuen v Risshoudai Risshou
Quadrant 3
- Toritsu Shouwa v Nichidai-san
- Meijidai Nakano v Teikyou
Quadrant 4
- Nihon Wellness v Nichidai Buzan
- Meisei v Iwakura
A whole bunch of unknowns with the bigger names looking for easy prey. Though Waseda Jitsugyou v Kanto Dai-ichi is an early blockbuster game.
Toukai (2)
Not much to talk about here, quite a few well-known names:
- Chuukyou Gakuindai Chuukyou (Gifu 1) v
- winner of Aichisangyoudai Mikawa (Aichi 2) v Tokohadai Tachibana (Shizuoka 3)
- Shizuoka (Shizuoka 1) v
- winner of Inabe Sougou Gakuen (Mie 2) v Gifu Kakamino (Gifu 3)
- Touhou (Aichi 1) v
- winner of Tokohadai Kikugawa (Shizuoka 2) v Matsusaka Shougyou (Mie 2)
- Mie (Mie 1) v
- winner of Oogaki Nishi (Gifu 2) v Chuukyoudai Chuukyou (Aichi 3)
Hokushinetsu (2)
Again some familiar names here as well. Times never change…
Quadrant 1
- Kanazawa Gakuin (Ishikawa 3) v Toyama Shougyou (Toyama 1)
- Sakai (Fukui 2) v Saku Chousei (Nagano 2)
Quadrant 2
- Takaoka Shougyou (Toyama 3) v Nihon Koukuu Ishikawa (Ishikawa 2)
- Nihon Bunri (Niigata 1) v Fukui Koudai Fukui (Fukui 3)
Quadrant 3
- Hokuetsu (Niigata 3) v Nihon Wellness Shinano-Chikuhoku (Nagano 1)
- Hokuriku (Fukui 4) v Seiryou (Ishikawa 1)
Quadrant 4
- Matsushou Gakuen (Nagano 3) v Kanadzu (Fukui 1)
- Toyama Kokusaidai Fuzoku (Toyama 2) v Chuuetsu (Niigata 2)
Kinki (6)
Another big region, and more powerhouse names. Tenri however is not among them. Oh well.
Quadrant 1
- Chiben Wakayama (Wakayama 1) v Riseisha (Osaka 2)
- Houryuuji Kokusai (Nara 3) v Hieizan (Shiga 2)
Quadrant 2
- Otokuni (Kyoto 1) v Shinkou Gakuen (Hyogo 3)
- Chiben Gakuen (Nara 1) v Nishiwaki Kougyou (Hyogo 2)
Quadrant 3
- Oumi (Shiga 1) v Hidaka Nakatsu (Wakayama 2)
- Akashi Shougyou (Hyogo 1) v Hikone Higashi (Shiga 3)
Quadrant 4
- Osaka Touin (Osaka 1) v Kyoto Seishou (Kyoto 2)
- Kinkidai Fuzoku (Osaka 3) v Takada Shougyou (Nara 2)
Chuugoku (2 + 1 floating bid)
Hiroshima is hosting and as a result gets to qualify 4 teams to the super-regional. Perhaps speaking to the continued weakness of the region, many of the teams appearing here are of Tier 3 quality.
Quadrant 1
- Tottori Jyouhoku (Tottori 2) v Onomichi (Hiroshima 4)
- Eishin (Hiroshima 1) v Kurshiki Shougyou (Okayama 2)
Quadrant 2
- Shimonoseki Kokusai (Yamaguchi 1) v Masuda Higashi (Shimane 3)
- Shimonoseki Nishi (Yamaguchi 3) v Kaisei (Shimane 1)
Quadrant 3
- Okayama Gakugeikan (Okayama 1) v Takagawa Gakuen (Yamaguchi 2)
- Iwami-Chisuikan (Shimane 2) v Okayama Sanyou (Okayama 3)
Quadrant 4
- Tottori Shougyou (Tottori 3) v Hiroshima Kokusai Gakuin (Hiroshima 2)
- Setouchi (Hiroshima 3) v Yonago Shouin (Tottori 1)
The way they put the teams into each quadrant confuse me as in 2 of the quadrants, it’s just 2 prefectures. It feels like you should be able to mix the schools more effectively so that there are different prefectures in each quadrant.
Shikoku (2 + 1 floating bid)
They’re not even at the super-regionals yet, though their super-regionals are very short in nature so they can afford to wait until later (though the weather might be a factor for starting earlier anyways.
Kyushu (4)
Kyushu has quite a few well-known names in the super-regional, but one name missing is Shuugakukan. Having lost all of their aces and Kajisha=kantoku retiring, perhaps they will fade into the sunset.
Quadrant 1
- Souseikan (Nagasaki 1) v Miyakonojyou Higashi (Miyazaki 4)*
- *defeated Kyushu Gakuin (Kumamoto 2) 3-2
- Okinawa Shougaku (Okinawa 1)
- defeated Imari (Saga 2) 8-0
Quadrant 2
- Nobeoka Gakuen (Miyazaki 1)
- defeated Chikuyou Gakuen (Fukuoka 2) 5-2
- Meihou (Oita 1) v Kagoshima Jitsugyou (Kagoshima 2)
Quadrant 3
- Saga Gakuen (Saga 1) v Nagasaki Shougyou (Nagasaki 2)
- Tomishima (Miyazaki 2) v Buntoku (Kumamoto 1)
Quadrant 4
- Kamimura Gakuen (Kagoshima 1)
- def Tsurusaki Kougyou (Oita 2) 12x-0 (5 inn)
- Touchiku (Fukuoka 1) v Kounan (Okinawa 2)*
- *def Miyazaki Nichidai (Miyazaki 3) 2-1
It looks like the rotation may go to some lower tier schools this time around. Which is good in that they get a chance, but bad in the sense that teams like Osaka Touin and Hanasaki Tokuharu who may reach will supposedly have an easier time of things.
Kokoyakyu (高校野球) 