Running back Yasuhiro Maruta scored the winning touchdown on a 9-yard rush with 3:27 remaining to lead the Kajima Deers to a 20-17 comeback win over the Obic Seagulls in the annual Pearl Bowl final on Friday night at Tokyo Dome. With the victory, the Deers captured their second straight Pearl Bowl title and seventh overall.
"In the first half, the Seagulls played more aggressive than us," Kajima head coach Kiyoyuki Mori said. "We decided to play more aggressively in the second half. We had some mistakes by the bench, but the players overcame them to win the game."
The Seagulls took a 3-0 lead on Yosuke Kaneoya's 33-yard field goal with 10:56 left in the second quarter, and four minutes later Manabu Tatsumura threw a 33-yard touchdown pass to Ken Shimizu. It was the first touchdown the Deers had allowed in the Pearl Bowl tournament this season. The Deers had given up only two field goals in the past three games.