Japan: Panasonic punches Rice Bowl Tournament ticket with seventh straight win
The Panasonic Impulse (7–2) extended their winning streak to seven games and clinched a berth in the Japanese X League Premier Rice Bowl Tournament with a convincing 35–6 victory over the All Mitsubishi Lions (2–5) at Expo ’70 Commemorative Stadium in Suita, Osaka, on Friday, October 16.
Running back Takuya Fujimoto scored twice in the first half as Panasonic overcame an early deficit before pulling away with 21 unanswered second-half points.
Fujimoto sparks first-half comeback
All Mitsubishi struck first when kicker Yuta Onishi converted a 47 yard field goal to give the visitors a 3–0 advantage.
Fujimoto quickly answered with a six-yard touchdown run, putting Panasonic ahead 7–3.
Onishi’s second field goal from 44 yards out narrowed the margin to a single point, but Fujimoto struck again, breaking loose for a 21-yard touchdown run to send the Impulse into halftime leading 14–6.
Fujimoto finished with 53 yards and two touchdowns on seven carries, while teammate Masami Koizumi led the ground attack with 79 yards on nine attempts.
Panasonic takes control after the break
Quarterback Keita Suda ignited the second-half offense with a 59-yard completion to wide receiver Yoshiaki Touma, setting up a five-yard touchdown pass to Takayoshi Suzuki.
The Impulse continued to dominate in the fourth quarter when Go Ogura, who switched from wide receiver to defensive back this season, intercepted a pass and returned it 35 yards for a touchdown.
Running back Kaname Iwatsuki added another rushing touchdown, punching the ball in from six yards out, to complete the scoring.
All Mitsubishi Lions defensive lineman Maiya Takema (left) intercepts a pass near the goal line. (Photo: X LEAGUE)
Impulse defense shuts down Lions
The Panasonic defense held All Mitsubishi to just 154 total yards, including 46 rushing, while Jaboree Williams recorded two sacks for 16 yards in losses.
For the Lions, quarterback Demarcus Irons Jr. completed nine of 19 passes for 88 yards. Isaiah Khalil Malcome led the rushing attack with 23 yards on seven carries, while receiver Teppei Ozaki caught three passes for 38 yards.
Defensively, Taku Kaizaki recorded 5.5 tackles for All Mitsubishi, which managed only two field goals despite its efforts to contain the Impulse offense.
Panasonic finished with 265 total yards and five touchdowns, four on offense and one on defense.
The victory gave the Impulse 21 standings points and secured their place in the postseason Rice Bowl Tournament, keeping their championship ambitions firmly on track.
