Friday, November 9, 2012

Meiji Jingu Tournament and that final crucial bid

With the Super-Regional champions determined, the draw for the 43rd Meiji Jingu Tournament is out, and is as follows:
  • Sendai Ikuei (Tohoku) vs. Kenritsu Gifu Shougyou (Tokai)
  • Okinawa Shougaku (Okinawa) vs. Hokushou (Hokkaido)-Kyoto Shouei (Kinki) winner
  • Harue Kougyou (Hokushinetsu) vs. Urawa Gakuin (Kanto)-Kochi (Shikoku) winner
  • Yasuda Gakuen (Tokyo) vs. Kanzei (Chuugoku)
Kyoto Shouei will have to prove themselves again having to come from the depths of the bracket and a matchup with Okishou in the 2nd round!

For Kasumigaura, having Urawa Gakuin and Yasuda Gakuen in the same half of the bracket is not a good thing at all.  Not to mention the fact that Kanzei resides in that half as well.  Yasuda Gakuen is immediately in danger and Urawa Gakuin would be next in the semifinals.

I would expect the winner to be between Okinawa Shougaku and Kanzei with Kyoto Shouei and Urawa Gakuin as wildcards.

And here's the list of teams that may be rooting hard for their Super-Regional representative:
  • Hokkaido - Komadai Tomakomai
  • Tohoku - Sakata Minami/Aomori Yamada (Sakata Minami went further, but their blowout loss is a negative)
  • Kanto/Tokyo - Kasumigaura (Kanto wins bid, Kasumigaura is in.  Tokyo wins it, Soujitsu takes the Meiji Jingu bid and floating bid goes to Kanto.)
  • Hokushinetsu - Ueda Nishi/Niigata Meikun (Ueda Nishi should go, but Niigata Meikun has name recognition)
  • Tokai - Shiritsu Gifu Shougyou
  • Kinki - Yamato Kouryou/Tenri (Yamato Kouryou seemed to outperform Tenri and may have earned the 6th bid, but name recognition might give it to Tenri anyways leaving Yamato Kouryou hoping for the Meiji Jingu bid.)
  • Chuugoku - Iwakuni
  • Shikoku - Tokushima Shougyou
  • Kyushu - Kumamoto Kougyou/Souseikan (Souseikan wasn't the only team blown out in the semifinals, but the lack of quality games beforehand might hurt them in the selection process.)

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