Japan: Nojima Sagamihara Rise strike early, roll past OrientalBio Silver Star 31-7
The Nojima Sagamihara Rise (2-2-1) exploded for three first-quarter touchdowns and never looked back, beating the OrientalBio Silver Star (0-4) 31-7 in Sagamihara to climb back to .500 in the X League Premier.
Kurt Palandech threw three touchdown passes, including two to game MVP Chase Cota, while the Rise piled up 269 yards on the ground and controlled the game from the opening possession.
Rise come out firing
Nojima Sagamihara needed only five plays to cover 75 yards on its opening possession. Sho Yoshizawa ripped off a 38-yard run along the way before Palandech found Cota for a 20-yard touchdown and a quick 7-0 lead.
The Rise came right back with another long march, moving 57 yards in eight plays. This time Palandech hit Cota from 14 yards out to make it 14-0.
Then the defense joined in.
Nojima Sagamihara Rise running back Makoto Shimizu bursts through the middle. ©X LEAGUE
Yuchi Miyamoto intercepted Conor Regan and returned the ball 12 yards, handing the offense possession at the Silver Star 22. Masataka Hoshino carried for six yards and then burst through for a 16-yard touchdown.
In just over seven minutes, Nojima Sagamihara had built a 21-0 lead.
Ground game keeps rolling
The Rise leaned heavily on the run from there. Yoshizawa finished with 96 yards on 11 carries, Hoshino added 75 yards and a touchdown on 12 attempts, and Makoto Shimizu contributed 63 yards on 10 carries.
Altogether, Nojima Sagamihara rushed 41 times for 269 yards and finished with 424 yards of offense.
Sora Takeuchi’s 22-yard field goal pushed the margin to 24-0 in the second quarter, and the Rise defense kept OrientalBio off the scoreboard through halftime.
Palandech adds another
Palandech struck again midway through the third quarter. After Nojima Sagamihara moved 50 yards in six plays, he connected with Junpei Yimoto for an 11-yard touchdown, stretching the lead to 31-0.
Palandech finished 9-of-18 for 119 yards and three touchdowns with one interception. Cota caught three passes for 38 yards, scored twice and was named game MVP.
OrientalBio Silver Star quarterback Conor Reagan threw a touchdown pass in the fourth quarter. ©X LEAGUE
Defense keeps Silver Star contained
Regan moved the ball through the air, completing 19 of 28 passes for 270 yards, but the Rise intercepted him three times. Miyamoto, Yuta Matsui and Takumi Iwasaki each came away with a pick.
OrientalBio finally broke through early in the fourth when Regan hit Kasey Hawthorne for a five-yard touchdown after the pair had connected for 77 yards on the previous play. Hawthorne finished with seven catches for 146 yards and the score.
By then, the damage was done. Nojima Sagamihara had seized control early and rode its running game and opportunistic defense to a convincing 31-7 win.
