The St. Mary’s Varsity Soccer Team claimed the Kanto Championship on January 24th at ASIJ, capping off a long tournament with a hard fought victories. The team battled through a full day of competition, beginning with a round robin stage against The American School in Tokyo and British School in Tokyo, before advancing to the final as one of the top two teams.
The opening match kicked off early at 9 a.m. against ASIJ in a game consisting of 25 minute halves. St. Mary’s entered the match with tensions through the roof, as the team had gone winless against ASIJ for the past six years. Even earlier in this season, the Titans had lost two close games. Along with several starters sidelined due to injuries and illness, it appeared the same story might repeat itself.
This time, however, the Titans showed resilience. After a scoreless match through regular and extra time, the game went to penalty kicks. Backed by cheers from the Basketball team on the sidelines, the Titans won 4 to 3 in penalties. With goals from Sosuke, Kento, Ramon, and Rintaro, along with a crucial save by star goalkeeper Kosei, secured a breakthrough win against their longtime rivals.
The Titans then faced BST in a back to back match. The teams confidence was high after a previous 6 to 3 victory earlier in the season, led by five goals from captain Rintaro. St. Mary’s started strong once again, scoring two early goals in the first half and adding a third in the second to take a commanding 3-0 lead. BST responded with two late goals, making the game a close one, but the Titans held out to secure a 3-2 win and a placed themselves in the final.
The final saw a rematch against ASIJ, with tension and stakes at their highest. Unlike the earlier matches, the final featured longer 35 minute halves. Using the same starting lineup as the first game, the team showed signs of fatigue but defended relentlessly, heading into halftime tied 0-0. At halftime, Coach Chan cheered on the team, reminding them that ASIJ were rattled after suffering their first loss in years.
The second half remained a defensive battle until the breakthrough came with 18 minutes remaining. Senior Ramon delivered a perfectly ball to junior Noah, who calmly finished to give St. Mary’s a 1-0 lead. What followed was a pure defensive determination and grit. Despite relentless pressure from ASIJ, the Titans held on until the final whistle to claim the Kanto Championship, their first since the 2019–2020 season.
This championship marks a historic moment for the program, standing as the final Kanto title before the season transitions to the spring, where a wider range of teams will compete. Special recognition goes to captain and senior Rintaro, Coach Chan, the entire soccer team squad, and the parents who supported the team throughout the journey.
