Team match Kyusyugakuin 2016 - Highschool 8

Previously, I introduced team match of university championship at 2009. This time, I want to introduce team match of high school all Japan tournament at 2016.

Before 2016, Kyusyugakuin won all Japan tournament from 2013-2015. It was very special situation, because in Kendo, getting consecutive title was known to be very difficult.

Of course students with substantial level at junior high school gathered and entered to Kyusyugakuin high school. But, the ability of director Mr. Komeda to grow up students to champion level is excellent.

Championship of high school (called inter high in Japan) team match is 5 to 5.

Following is the youtube video from Senpo (1/5) to Chuken (3/5).

<Senpo>

Senpo’s players both red (Mori) to white (Suzuki) first vigilantly played so as not be hit. They were very careful and difficult to find careless unguarded points.

3:23 white Men was good aim, if red player went back an inch, that Men might be ippon.

White player was very good at hiki-waza (backward) as he showed hiki-Men at 4:23. With little mistake or careless moment, he was able to get ippon immediately.

White player might check point to hit around 4:05. There, red player stuck out shinai not to open his place. He could probably cope with hiki-Men but could not cope with feint abrupt Kote like 5:06.

For white player, red right Kote was closest to hit.

End of Senpo, score from red to white was 0(0) – 1(1).

<Jiho>

In Jiho match, red player was Kawamura and white player was Kuroki.

7:33 play was high level in terms of carefulness. White player hit Kote with attentive not to be hit after that and red player tried counter without missing opportunity.

High level match is like that; very difficult to find good opportunity to get ippon.

9:19 red player’s Do was good aim, but it was a bit distance from proper.

The white player set his feet distance relatively wider, which made him stabilized good posture. 12:03 gyaku-Do was nice hit.

They end up in draw, so the score remained 0(0) - 1(1). For red side, it was good time to turn the score of match. Red Chuken was expected that role.

<Chuken>

Players name of red was Oki and white was Iwakiri. Both of them were star players.

At 14:00 red Men was dominant than white Kote a moment ago. Red player controlled the match as if he pushed white player to the wall.

15:44 red player pinned point Kote at white player’s careless moment. Halfway distance like that was most risky moment. One player has a chance but also opponent player has a chance similarly.

Even after red ippon, white went backward slightly while red player went forward. I think it reflected mental dominance of red player.

Again, red player added Men with his good momentum.

Before Fukusho match, team score from red (Reitakumizunami) to white (Kyusyugakuin) was 1(2) to 1(1). So, at this point Reitakumizunami turned back the score and became dominant.