Friday, July 8, 2016

Natsu Koushien Qualifying - Tohoku/Kyushu (ex Okinawa)

Also by this time, tournaments are now beginning on the "mainland" as it were. Some are in the early stages, but since it has started, we might as well cover them.

Aomori - Opening game completed
With 65 teams, Aomori had one "First round" game, which was played yesterday after opening ceremonies. Touou Gijyuku defeated Hachinohe Kougyou 9-5.

As for the bracket itself, they have a top 4 and 4-5 seeds. Hachinohe Nishi has the top seed, but having never made it to Koushien, it's hard to see them as the team to beat - though if they are, they shouldn't have trouble in their own quadrant as the only notable team is St. Ursula, and they're more like a Tier 4 school.

Hachinohe Gakuin Kousei is not seeded, but resides on the other quadrant with 4 seed Goshogawara Kougyou. If they're unjustly unseeded, they should have no problems reaching the semifinals. But at the same time they could be rebuilding like they've done in the past.

They're also fortunate that 2 seed Hirosaki Gakuin Seiai and 3 seed Hachinohe Koudai Dai-ichi are on the opposite side of the bracket, along with 5 seed Oominato and Aomori Yamada. It'll be a relative blood bath as chances are they probably will have to face 2 of the other schools to reach the finals.

Oita - 1st round underway
45 schools compose the Oita prefecturals. They have tiered seeding with 2 top seeds, 2-2nd tier seeds, and 4-3rd tier seeds.

Meihou catches one of the biggest breaks. While they are the equivalent of a 3/4 seed, almost all the other notable teams (Oita, Oita Kougyou, Hita Rinkou, Yanagigaura, Nihon Bunridai Fuzoku) are on the other half of the bracket. In fact, the lone exception is Kitsuki, and they're unseeded.

Kagoshima - 2nd round underway
Kagoshima had no numbered seeding, just seeds. Kagoshima Jitsugyou got a lot of help, as fellow seeds Kamimura Gakuen, Kanoya Chuo and Shounan all drew the other half of the bracket. Instead, they have Kajiki, Reimei and Kagoshima Jyousai.

All seeded teams so far have advanced, without difficulty, though perhaps some not in dominating fashion.

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