Coach Noritsu Komaki, who led Kyoto International High School to the national high school baseball championship (Summer Koshien), did not hide his emotion.
Kyoto International High School beat Kanto Jeil High School 2-1 after 10 extra innings in the final of the tournament held at Koshien Stadium in Nishinomiya, Hyogo Prefecture, Japan on the 23rd. He scored two points first in a match-winning game that entered the 0-0 tie, and in the ensuing defense, he only gave up one point in the bases-loaded crisis with no outs, winning the title with emotion.
Kyoto International High School began with the so-called 'ethnic school' created by Koreans in Japan. It opened as Kyoto Chosun Middle School in 1947 and changed its school name to Kyoto International High School in 2003 with official approval from the Japanese government, and general students began to enter the school. Most of them are Japanese students now. In particular, most of the male students are Japanese students scouted as baseball team members. However, the Korean school song that begins with 'Yamado (Yamato) land across the East Sea is the same as our ancestors' old dreams'. He first made the national stage at Koshien in the spring of 2021, and advanced to the semifinals in the summer of understanding. This year, he even won the championship.
Yonhap News
Yonhap News
Coach Komaki said in an interview with local Japanese media shortly after winning the championship that "They are amazing children. There is nothing but admiration." He scored the first two points in the top of the 10th inning, but he thought he should never lose in the atmosphere and mental strength of the bases loaded with no outs"The legs were shaking, but the whole team fought with will. What a bunch of great kids."
Before the competition "I want to play baseball with these kids for one more dayDirector Komaki, who said, `I didn't think it would come this far"Thank you so much for the children who gave this man a wonderful summer vacation" he said with a smile.
Coach Takamitsu Kwandong Jeil High School said "One step was not enough. He proved that he could go to the finals without exceptional players, but he failed to overcome Kyoto International High School's strong will and defense"The players had a good experience. I also want to come back to this final stage."
