Japan: Sekisui Challengers stage late surge to defeat IBM Big Blue
The Sekisui Challengers broke open a tight game this past weekend against IBM Big Blue scoring two late touchdowns to come away with a 30-13 victory at the MK Taxi Field Expo in Suita City, Osaka Prefecture as Japan’s X-League heads into the home stretch of the season.
With the win, the Challengers improved their record to 2-1 in the X1 Super West while IBM fell to 2-2 and third place in the X1 Super East.
However, IBM opened the scoring with kicker Yuto Fukuoka booting a 43 yard field goal to give his team a 3-0 lead.
IBM Big Blue WR Ryoyu Inoue Photo: @xleague
Challengers quarterback Garrett Saffron responded marching his team down to the IBM 19 yard line and then connecting with wide receiver to Takuro Abe to give Sekisui a 7-3 lead. The lead did not last long as IBM kick returner Logan Stewart scored on the ensuing kickoff return, racing 95 yards to put Big Blue out in front again, 10-7.
Sekisui DB Daiki Yamashita scores an interception return TD in the 4th quarter Photo: ©xleague
IBM quarterback Yuki Masamoto then took his team down to the Challengers two yard line but had to settle for a 19 yard field goal from the toe of Fukuoka to increase the lead to 13-7 early in the second quarter.
Saffron answered, leading the Challengers on a 19 play, 66 yard drive down to the IBM nine yard line. Keisuike Fukui kicked a 29 yard field goal to narrow the lead to 13-10 going into the break.
The Challengers came out in the third quarter intent on scoring. Saffron guided Sekisui down to the Big Blue seven yard line and Fukui booted a 24 yard field goal to tie the game at 13-13.
With the IBM offense stuck in neutral, Saffron and the Challengers again came close, reaching the Big Blue three yard line. Fukui trotted out and booted a 20 yard field goal to give Sekisui a 16-13 lead early in the fourth quarter.
Sekisuit OL June Junioka #55 was named Game MVP Photo: @xleaguee
With neither IBM quarterback (Yuki Masamoto and Dimitrios Sinodinos) able to kick start the offense in the second half, Saffron went back to work connecting with a trio of receivers (Jeremiah “Boogie” Knight, Takuro Abe and Susumu Kameyama) to maneuver his team down to the IBM three yard line. Running back Rikuto Yamada punched the ball in from five yards out to extend the lead to 23-13 with two minutes left in the game.
Challengers defensive back Daiki Yamashita sealed the win, scoring on a pick six with less than a minute remaining.
Read the original X-League article here.
