Trailing by three points at the half, the Fujitsu Frontiers (3-0) scored three unanswered second half touchdowns to defeat the Nojima Sagamihara Rise (2-1) 31-13 this past weekend in a game played at Fujitsu Stadium Kawasaki.
With the win, Fujitsu take over sole possession of first place in the X1 Super Central Conference.
Frontiers quarterback Tsubasa Takagi threw for 290 yards and two touchdowns while running back Trashawn Nixon rushed for 95 yards and another two scores. Wide receiver Samajie Grant had a field day catching eight passes for 168 yards and a touchdown.
For the Rise, quarterback Kurt Palandech completed 24 of 37 passes for 245 yards and a touchdown with Tayvian Cunningham one of his favorite targets. Cunningham had four receptions for 85 yards and a touchdown while teammate Sho Yoshizawa caught nine passes for 70 yards.
The Frontiers struck first with Koji Nasho booting a field goal but Nojima Sagamihara kicker Taiki Sato tied the game in the second quarter following an interception by linebacker Taiga Nagata.
Fujitsu QB Tsubasa Takagi threw 2 TD passes ©X LEAGUE
Fujitsu regained the lead later in the second quarter as Nixon powered his way into the end zone. However, Palandech connected with Cunningham midway through the second stanza to tie the game at 10-10.
The Rise pulled out in front 13-10 with no time left in the half as Sato kicked his second field goal of the game.
Rise WR Tay Cunningham catching a TD pass from QB Kurt Palandech ©X LEAGUE
Fujitsu came out in the second half with a vengeance. Defensive back Bronson Beatty picked off Palandech and then Takagi tossed a screen pass to Grant who raced 80 yards for a touchdown to give his team a 17-13 lead.
The fourth quarter saw the Frontiers mount a 12 play drive that ate up five minutes with Nixon punching the ball in to boost the lead to 24-13. With the Fujitsu defense keeping the Rise in check, Takagi connected with Yusei Kami with five minutes left to put the game away.
In other X1 Super action, the Panasonic Impulse beat the Elecom Kobe Finies 27-10 to stay unbeaten in the X1 Super West while IBM Big Blue upset the Obic Seagulls 27-10 in X1 Super East action to pull into a first place tie with the Seagulls.