Drawing Completed

The JHBF has decided to go ahead with the Haru Koushien perhaps as a way to bring a sense of normalcy to the country.

Unfortunately, because of Tohoku's issues, it isn't quite out of the picture. As a courtesy, Tohoku was given the final game of Round 1. However, it is still a question as to whether or not they will be able to participate.

So the draw was performed, and here are your brackets. Game will be played in descending order with 3 games a day starting on the 23rd.

Block A
Kagawa Nishi (Kagawa) vs. Nihon Bunri (Niigata)
Maebashi Ikuei (Gunma) vs. Kyushu Kokusaidai Fuzoku (Fukuoka)
Soushi Gakuen (Okayama) vs. Hokkai (Hokkaido)
Oodate Houmei (Akita) vs. Tenri (Nara)

Soushi Gakuen, the all-freshman team who now holds the record as the fastest team to ever reach Koushien, will get a fair test in Hokkai, and Maebashi Ikuei has a bit of an uphill battle against Kyukoku. Nihon Bunri gets an above average team in Kagawa Nishi. Tenri should be okay against Oodate Houmei, but I refuse to predict their potential anymore.

Block B
Yokohama (Kanagawa) vs. Hasami (Nagasaki)
Kanazawa (Ishikawa) vs. Kakogawa Kita (Hyogo)
Nichidai-san (Tokyo) vs. Meitoku Gijyuku (Kochi)
Seisei (Shizuoka) vs. Kyoto Seishou (Kyoto)

Hasami may have rejoiced in reaching Koushien, until they drew Yokohama in the 1st round... Kanazawa and Kakogawa Kita should be a good matchup although Kanazawa should be favored... Nichidai-san and Meitoku Gijyuku will be a good matchup of schools with experience, and Seisei and Kyoto Seishou should be a level match, although either will have a hard time in the 2nd round.

Block C
Suijyou (Ibaraki) vs. Kousei Gakuin (Aomori)
Chiben Wakayama (Wakayama) vs. Sado (Niigata)
Hiroshima Sougou Gijyutsu (Hiroshima) vs. Riseisha (Osaka)
Kokugakuin Kugayama (Tokyo) vs. Kyushu Gakuin (Kumamoto)

Suijyou draws Kousei Gakuin. It's not an ideal matchup, but strictly talking matchups I wonder what the midset of Kousei will be... Sado gets to go to Koushien, but Chiben Wakayama? That's just wrong man.... Riseisha should be favored over Hiroshima Sougou Gijyutus, and could have a chance at the Best 4. And Kyushu Gakuin gets Kokugakuin Kugayama - that should be good.

Block D
Houtoku Gakuen (Hyogo) vs. Jyounan (Tokushima)
Urawa Gakuin (Saitama) vs. Kagoshima Jitsugyou (Kagoshima)
Kanzei (Okayama) vs. Toukaidai Sagami (Kanagawa)
Oogaki Nichidai (Gifu) vs. Tohoku (Miyagi)

Houtoku Gakuen should advance over Jyounan, but Kagoshima Jitsugyou looms in the rear view mirror. I love Kanzei, but Toukaidai Sagami? Really??! And if Tohoku didn't have enough problems, should they be able to make it to Koushien, they have to play Oogaki Nichidai. That hurts.

I'll try to get something more on the matchups in the next couple of days.