Kunimi High School of Nagasaki Prefecture defended the National High School Soccer Championship by beating Gifu Kogyo High School 3-1 on Tuesday at Tokyo's National Stadium.
Kunimi, which won the All-Japan Under-18 Youth Championship in the summer, clinched the annual tournament for the fifth time.
Kunimi midfielder Shibasaki struck a Tsuzumu Kamegafuchi pass in the 21st minute and defender Motoki Kamegafuchi scored with a lob from a tight angle shortly before halftime.
Gifu Kogyo, playing in the final for the first time and the first finalist from Gifu Prefecture in 68 years, struggled with Kunimi's defense. However, it attempted many times to rally in the second half.
Five minutes after the break, though, Kunimi sealed the game when forward Tatsuya Kamohara converted a penalty for a 3-0 lead.
Gifu midfielder Takahiro Tsuchiya found the net with two minutes from the end but it was too little, too late.
"Our players were relaxed all game and probably felt like they were playing at home," said a jubilant Kunimi general manager Tadatoshi Komine.
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