The excitement at the third round of the 2025 National High School Soccer Tournament peaked as several teams displayed skill and determination, vying for progression to the quarterfinals on January 2. Among them, 堀越 from Tokyo and 上田西 brought home notable victories, setting the stage for what is sure to be thrilling future matches.
堀越 (Horikoshi), having reached the semifinals last year, continued their strong momentum this tournament, achieving victory against 松山北 (Matsuyama North) with an impressive score of 6-1. The team’s fervor was evident, particularly with their second-year forward, 三鴨奏太 (Souta Mikamo), who had a standout performance, scoring four goals and assisting two others during the match.
Three goals came from Mikamo, who netted his first just seven minutes after the match commenced with a precise right-footed loop shot from near the right of the goal. He doubled down on his performance just nine minutes later, delivering a breathtaking long-range left-footed shot from over 20 meters out to give his team the upper hand early on.
Just as the defense of 松山北 began to wane under the pressure, Mikamo assisted his teammate 高橋李来 (Rikai Takahashi) shortly thereafter and helped set up yet another goal with a corner kick, leading to 森奏 (Kanade Mori) header.
By the end of the first half, the players ended with the lead at 4-0, thanks to Mikamo completing his hat-trick before halftime. He did not cease to produce, tucking away another goal shortly after the restart, making it four for him and solidifying the 6-1 final score. The team celebrated this remarkable feat, and Mikamo, who reflected on previous challenges, expressed gratitude for his teammates’ support and their collective performance.
Meanwhile, another clash saw 高川学園 (Taka-gawa Gakuen) face off against 静岡学園 (Shizuoka Gakuen). Having recently upset the reigning champions 青森山田 (Aomori Yamada) during the previous round, 高川学園 was unable to leverage their momentum, falling to 静岡学園 with a score of 0-2.
The match started level, but chaos erupted for 高川 when they conceded two late goals from mistakes after starting strong. 江本孝監督 (Takashi Emoto) reflected on their performance stating, “We started the game well, but our inability to convert chances hindered us, and the fatigue of playing this deep was evident.” He acknowledged they had prepared new tactics but couldn’t capitalize during the game.
The defeat left 主将 (captain) 沖野真之介 (Shinnosuke Okino) reflective but determined: “This experience brought us closer, and I hope our hard work inspires the juniors next year.” After defeating the last tournament champions, this unexpected loss was hard to swallow, especially after their fans had such high hopes for them.
Continuing with the day, 上田西 (Ueda Nishi) marked their first quarterfinal appearance since 2017, defeating 矢板中央 (Yaita Chuo) with encouraging cheers from their supporters after securing a 2-0 victory. Their goalkeeper, 牧野長太朗 (Nobutaro Makino), played heroically, managing to stop an early penalty kick, instilling confidence among teammates.
The striker supplied by the team's tactics led to their triumph, with standout performances across the board. Following the victory, players celebrated with joy and relief for their much-anticipated return to the stage.
With such remarkable turns of events on the second day of the tournament, it’s evident the stakes are high, and the competition is heating up. Teams are increasingly focused as they head toward the quarterfinals, with fans eagerly anticipating the stories yet to be written.