The Panasonic Impulse and the Lixil Deers matched up for the last game of the regular season at Yokohama Stadium in Kanagawa Japan. Both teams with a 4-1 record had something to prove.
Panasonic started off hot with a 20 point showing in the first quarter.
This included two passing touchdowns from Quarterback Tetsuo Takada (#8) to Wide Receiver Tatsuya Tonka (#15) and Yasushi Koyama (#89).
A 43 yard rushing touchdown from Running Back Atsushi Yokota (#33) ended the first quarter with a 17 point lead by Panasonic.

The second quarter was more of the same as Panasonic would increase the lead to 27 with a 3 yard rushing touchdown by Running Back Atsushi Yokota (#33) and a 26 yard field goal by Kicker Eita Saeki (#11).
Panasonic would enter halftime with a 30-3 lead.

The second half is when the Lixil Deers showed up as they would score a rushing touchdown in the third quarter reducing the lead to 20 by the end of the third quarter.
Lixil would then erupt for a rapid 21 point scoring run in the fourth, briefly surpassing Panasonic.
With 3 seconds left in the game, Kicker Eita Saeki (#11) drilled a 38 yard field goal to push the Panasonic Impulse above the Lixil Deers for a final score of 33-31.

Panasonic had 292 yards on the day, 133 of which were rushing and 159 passing. The defense gave up 33 yards rushing and forced 3 turnovers.
Panasonic Impulse faces off against Asahi Silver Stars in the first round of the playoffs.

[Written by Carlton Jones]