Thursday, November 12, 2015

And we're done!

So the aki taikai super-regionals are done. Kanto Dai-ichi comes back with a pair of runs in the 8th and 9th to defeat Nishogakushadai Fuzoku 4-3. This means the invitee list is as follows:

Hokkaido (1) - Sapporo Dai-ichi
Tohoku (2) - Aomori Yamada (Aomori), Hachinohe Gakuin Kousei (Aomori)
Kanto (4) - Kisaradzu Sougou (Chiba), Jyousou Gakuin (Ibaraki), Toukaidai Koufu (Yamanashi), Kiryuu Dai-ichi (Gunma)
Tokyo (1) - Kanto Dai-ichi
Hokushinetsu (2) - Tsuruga Kehi (Fukui), Fukui Koudai Fukui (Fukui)
Tokai (2) - Touhou (Aichi), Inabe Sougou Gakuen (Mie)
Kinki (6) - Osaka Touin (Osaka), Shiga Gakuen (Shiga), Akashi Shougyou (Hyogo), Ryuukokudai Heian (Kyoto), Houtoku Gakuen (Hyogo), Chiben Gakuen (Nara)
Chuugoku (2) - Soushi Gakuen (Okayama), Nanyou Kougyou (Yamaguchi)
Shikoku (2) - Takamatsu Shougyou (Kagawa), Meitoku Gijyuku (Kochi)
Kyushu (4) - Shuugakukan (Kumamoto), Kaisei (Nagasaki), Kagoshima Jitsugyou (Kagoshima), Nichinan Gakuen (Miyazaki)

And now for the floating bids:

Tokyo/Kanto Floating Bid
Nihon Koukuu (Yamanashi), Hanasaki Tokuharu (Saitama), Nishogakushadai Fuzoku (Tokyo)

So here's the problem with that rivalry between Kanto Dai-ichi and Nishogakushadai Fuzoku. Despite the fact the the committee wants the big teams in the tournament, it can't simply continue to hand out floating bids that way. And so while Nishogakushadai Fuzoku may be worthy, it might be that the Tokyo final was a loser-out scenario.

So let's look at the potential Kanto candidates. If we go by resume, Hanasaki Tokuharu's only win in the super-regionals was Kitoku, while in the prefecturals they were able to defeat Kasukabe Kyouei, but not Urawa Gakuin. Nihon Koukuu needed 15 to defeat Hakuoudai Ashikaga in the super-regionals which can be a quality win, but in the prefecturals they don't have one, losing to Toukaidai Koufu in the finals.

Neither resume is that great. And to boot Nishogakushadai Fuzoku defeated both Waseda Jitsugyou and Nichidai-san...

If we go by resume, Nishogakushadai Fuzoku should earn the bid (again). If the JHBF is loath to award it again to them, then you can flip a coin for either candidate.

Chuugoku/Shikoku Floating Bid
Saibi (Ehime), Jyosuikan (Hiroshima), Kaisei (Shimane)

This one feels self-explanatory. The best candidate out of the Shikoku region is Saibi, who played eventual champions Takamatsu Shougyou close in the semifinals, shutout Naruto, and mercy-ruled Kochi Shougyou. Their loss to Imabari Nishi in the prefecturals was validated when Imabari Nishi lost in 10 innings also to Takamatsu Shougyou.

None of the possible Chuugoku candidates Jyosuikan or Kaisei have a similar resume, so Saibi should get the bid.

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