Japan: Obic Seagulls dominate Tokyo Gas Creators 35-9 to advance to Rice Bowl
The Obic Seagulls delivered a commanding 35-9 victory over the Tokyo Gas Creators in the XLeague semifinals, advancing to their first Rice Bowl in five years behind a spectacular passing performance from quarterback Pierce Holley.
Holley’s aerial showcase
From the opening drive, Holley established complete control, completing 40 of 53 passes for 403 yards and four touchdowns. He opened the scoring with a 27-yard touchdown pass to Yuto Nishimura in the first quarter and immediately followed with a 6-yard scoring connection to Yuki Sakuma after a fumble recovery. Holley added two more touchdown passes before halftime, finding Jamal Watanabe for a score just before the break and connecting with Holden Huff in the third quarter. His receivers provided outstanding support, particularly Sakuma who finished with 9 catches for 139 yards and Huff who led all receivers with 11 receptions for 119 yards.
Steady offensive balance
While Holley‘s arm dominated the stat sheet, Obic maintained enough ground production to keep the defense honest. Jamal Watanabe contributed 41 rushing yards on 9 carries to complement his 8 receptions for 39 yards and a touchdown. Nishimura Shichito added the exclamation point with a fourth-quarter rushing touchdown, finishing with 21 yards on 4 carries. The balanced attack allowed Obic to maintain possession for extended drives, converting opportunities into points throughout the contest.
Defensive dominance
The Seagulls‘ defense effectively limited Tokyo Gas to field goals throughout the game, holding them to just three scoring drives despite quarterback Yuhito Taniguchi‘s 240 passing yards. Tokyo Gas managed only 26 total rushing yards and never found the end zone, settling for three field goals from Kanta Takahashi. The defensive effort proved particularly crucial in the first half when Obic established their commanding lead, ensuring Tokyo Gas never mounted a serious threat. The victory sends Obic to the Rice Bowl for the first time in the current format, marking a significant achievement for the working people’s team and setting up an intriguing championship matchup.
Source: XLeague
