Week 1 of the '24 X League Super

As week one of the X League season approached, one thing was on every gridiron fan's mind in Japan (we are a small community here and therefore wasn't many people), and that was, would Typhoon Shanshan cause league officials to postpone the opening? Fortunately, only one game was scrubbed, that being the SEIKUSUI Challengers (formerly the Asahi Soft Drink) and ELECOM Kobe Finies, which was postponed with no new date announced. Weather impacted the remaining games and caused two of them (Fujitsu v. FUJIFILM and IBM v. All Mitsubishi) to be called in the final quarter due to lighting,. The weather adversely affected playing conditions as well, which in turn likely led some teams to turn back the clock to the 1970s and rely on the run more.

IBM Big Blue 24 All Mitsubishi Lions 12

Box Score

Coach Mike Phair was victorious in his X League debut, as Canadian QB, Dimitri Sinodinos (10/17 for 197 yards), led the way by scoring for one TD and passing for two, to Katsuhito Omi and Yuseke Kumai, while the defense stymied the Lions passing attack and held their rushing attack to 78 yards and also intercepted one pass. The Lions utilized three different QBs, including newcomer Mo Hassan, in a game that ended early due to lightening. 

Nojima Sagamihara Rise 24 OrientalBio Silverstar 7

Box Score

Kurt Palandech was 20/33 for 128 yards and two TD passes (to Junpei Yoshimoto and Yoshiteru Sadanari), while Yoshizawa Sho rumbled for 78 yards on 12 carries as part of the team's 167 yards rushing. Philip Redwine and Koichiro Yamaguchi each intercepted passes as the defense manhandled QB Darrius Sample and his fellow signal callers. The Rise defense caused Darrius to have minus 34 yards rushing, go 6/9 and 38 yards passing; however, he did catch the pass that led to the team's only TD for the game. 

Panasonic Impulse 63 PLEIADES Fukuoka Suns 7

Box Score

The Impulse traveled to Mississippi hot Fukuoka and easily manhandled the Suns, who were outmatched in every aspect from the start to finish of the game. The Impulse registered 272 rushing yards and six rushing TDs, six sacks, six interceptions, and forced the Suns to punt five times. The Suns, who had -36 yards team rushing, utilized four QBs; who in total passed for 18 completions on 41 attempts gaining 198 yards.

Obic Seagulls 28 Tokyo Gas Creators 17

Box Score

While picked to win by all members of the Gridiron Japan team, Obic's victory was by no means guaranteed. The Seagulls' were led by Tyler Kulka's passing (20/26 for 281 yards and 3 TDs), while the defense held Tokyo Gas to 75 yards rushing and 116 yards passing. However, despite their pedestrian offensive effort, the Creators stayed competitive throughout the with Jerod Evans and offense, as well as the defense, a play or two away from what would have been a major upset.

Fujitsu Frontiers 36 Fujifilm Ebina Minerva 7

Box Score

Defending champion Fujitsu dominated on both sides of the ball as the big red machine, behind their dominant passing attack led by Tsubasa Takagi (24/31 for 367 yards and three TDs) and running game, led by Trashaun Nixon. Combined with their stingy defense, which forced Fujifilm to punt eight times, the Frontiers easily defeated the Minerva who only gained 49 yards in the air and 39 yards on the ground in a thunderstorm shortened game.

Image by Freepik