The return of Koshien's daily life ~ High school baseball What Senbatsu left behind April 4 3:14
The Senbatsu High School Baseball Tournament ended with Yamanashi Gakuin (Yamanashi) winning the prefectural championship for the first time throughout the spring and summer.
In this tournament, 35 of the 25 matches were good games with a three-goal margin or less. What gave me the boost was the daily life of returning to the stage "Koshien" that the baseball players longed for for the first time in four years.
(Senbatsu interview team: Yasuhiro Namimatsu)
The real Koshien is back
Takamatsu Sho (Kagawa) Captain Ryota Yokoi
: "My life with various restrictions is gradually coming to an end, and I feel that being able to play baseball and being supported is not a matter of course, and I am very grateful for that."
At the opening ceremony, in which all the players from the participating schools participated for the first time in four years, Takamatsu Commercial (Kagawa) captain Ryota Yokoi expressed his joy at overcoming the coronavirus pandemic and participating in the tournament.
True to their word, the baseball players showed their strength in the coveted Koshien, and 35 of the 70 games, more than 25%, were close matches with a three-goal margin or less.
There were 3 matches in which the match was decided by a one-goal margin.
Tetsuya Kawaharasaki, who served as a commentator on NHK's broadcast program, said that the power of cheering that was recognized for the first time in four years was a major factor.
Commentator Tetsuya Kawaharasaki:
"The power of the cheering was amazing, and I felt a thrill even when I was commentating.
Scenery returned for the first time in four years
At this year's tournament, in addition to the powerful cheers from the Alpine seats, the powerful performance of the brass band with no limit on the number of people and the team-colored megaphone combined to increase the intensity of the cheering.
Wearing masks was also considered to be an individual decision, and a total of more than 37,<> high school baseball fans came to the event, approaching the pre-pandemic level, creating the original appearance of Koshien.
Voiced cheering songs are the driving force
The two schools that advanced to the finals became symbols of the teams that made great strides with the power of cheering.
Yamanashi Gakuin, who won the championship, supported the players on the ground with their original cheering song "Kyushinka" from the Alps seats.
The team participated in the Koshien last year in the spring and summer, but because cheering was not allowed, the lyrics could not be delivered from the Alps to the ground.
This year, the lyrics with thoughts for the friends who overcame the corona disaster together resonated in Koshien.
Even in the fifth inning, when they scored seven runs in the final of "Kasse Yamagaku: We made a promise to the gods of baseball, Hibiki, our Koshien," the "Ball Heart Song" resounded and became the driving force of the players.
Yamanashi Gakuin Captain
Shindo Ten: "It's our own song with thoughts and words, so it gives us enthusiasm and gives the whole team momentum."
Yamanashi Gakuin HOSHINO
Yasuteru: "I like the lyrics of the song, 'Our Koshien,' and the voice helped me get a boost from it."
A new "magic song" is born
Hotoku Gakuen (Hyogo), who showed tenacity towards the end of the match, and the cheering of the runners-up supported the players.
The production was a familiar cheering song with the shouting of "Ageagehoihoi".
The bold and powerful cheers unique to an all-boys school were sometimes joined by spectators in the infield and outfield seats, making the stadium shake.
It was a "magic song" that brought in a dramatic development by winning the bye in an overtime tie-break for two consecutive matches and overcoming a five-goal deficit over Osaka Toin, who were aiming for back-to-back titles.
Hotoku Gakuen No. 4 Renji Ishino:
"I got goosebumps and got emotional, and if it weren't for that cheering that involved the entire stadium, I don't think we would have made it to the final."
Hotoku Gakuen Captain
Hori Hiirina: "We received more support than any other team, and I think the players in the stands and on the ground were able to fight as one."
A New Page of History
Ahead of Koshien Stadium's 100th anniversary next year, this tournament marked the beginning of a new history of high school baseball.
The women's club members are now able to serve as knockers in defensive practice just before the game, and Joto (Tokushima) women's manager Yuna Nagano became the first woman to knock at Koshien in the spring and summer.
The sight of him carefully knocking on the infield one pitch at a time was a moment that was engraved on a new page.
Joto Women's Manager Yuna Nagano
: "I'm glad that I was able to stand proudly in Koshien in front of so many people watching, and I realized that if I didn't give up, I could make my dream come true."
Everyone fought through "beyond"
At the national high school baseball tournament held in Koshien after the spread of the new coronavirus, two schools withdrew from the tournament due to mass infections in the summer of Ototoshi and last spring. Although they did not withdraw from the tournament last summer, infections were confirmed during the tournament, and some players had to be removed from the squad.
This year, there was no change in player registration due to the influence of the new coronavirus, and all 36 baseball players from the 648 participating schools were able to fight through to the end.
From this tournament, the post-match interviews with the coaches and players have returned from a remote format to a face-to-face format, and we were able to talk directly to the baseball players, but I was impressed by their radiant expressions as they talked about their joy at playing in Koshien, which is close to the one they have admired since they were children.
I felt that the dream stage that we arrived at after overcoming the Corona disaster was an opportunity for the baseball players to pledge further growth for the summer.
Osaka Broadcasting Station Reporter
Yasuhiro
NamimatsuAfter working at the Niigata station and the Sendai station, he has been in charge
of covering his
current high school baseball since the fall of 2021, and is a self-proclaimed "cheering song maniac for high school baseball and professional baseball" When I was a student,
I used to sing cheering songs at the stadium.