Japan: Panasonic Impulse race past IBM BIG BLUE for fifth straight win
The Panasonic Impulse (5-2) exploded for 17 points in less than six minutes and then fought off a second-half charge from IBM BIG BLUE (3-3) for a 37-23 victory Wednesday at MK Taxi Field Expo in Suita, stretching their X League Premier winning streak to five games.
Panasonic explodes out of the gate
Koki Yokoi put the Impulse on the board with a 39-yard field goal before the game quickly swung in Panasonic’s direction.
On IBM’s first snap after the kickoff, Moses Kaito Wiseman picked off Yoshihito Yagi and returned the interception seven yards. Yuya Araki immediately made the turnover hurt, hitting Caleb Phillips for a 35-yard touchdown on the very next play.
IBM went three-and-out on its next possession, and Soma Yamashita took the punt 65 yards to the end zone. Just like that, Panasonic was up 17-0 with less than six minutes gone.
IBM BIG BLUE RB Ikuha Hiramatsu (center) hauls in a 26-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter. © X LEAGUE
Impulse builds a big halftime cushion
Yokoi stretched the lead with a 52-yard field goal early in the second quarter.
The Impulse then struck again just before halftime. Victor Mitchell finished a 57-yard drive by powering in from two yards out, sending Panasonic to the locker room with a 27-3 advantage.
Another Yokoi field goal, this one from 39 yards, pushed the margin to 30-3 late in the third quarter.
Yagi brings IBM back
IBM finally found the end zone immediately afterward. Ryuki Suzuki ripped off a 69-yard kickoff return, and Yagi rolled away from the rush before finding Ikuha Hiramatsu for a 26-yard touchdown.
Yagi kept the comeback moving in the fourth quarter. Facing third down from the Panasonic 47, he connected with Reece Horn, who broke through the defense and took it all the way to the end zone to cut the lead to 30-17.
Mitchell helps shut the door
With IBM suddenly within 13, Panasonic answered on the ground.
Mitchell broke loose for 39 yards on third-and-eight, carrying the Impulse deep into IBM territory. Takuya Fujimoto eventually finished the 66-yard drive by punching in a five-yard touchdown.
Yagi wasn’t finished. He hit Horn for 46 yards on the next possession and later found him again for a four-yard touchdown, giving Yagi three second-half scoring passes.
But Panasonic’s furious opening six minutes had given IBM too much ground to make up. The Impulse closed out the 37-23 win and walked away with their fifth straight victory.
