Takuto Hara rushed for 10 yards for the go-ahead touchdown with 5:51 remaining in the third quarter as the Obic Seagulls defeated the Nojima Sagamihara Rise 12-3 at Yokohama Stadium in the X League Central Division showdown on Sunday.
Both teams entered the game with a 4-0 record, but the three-time defending national champion Seagulls finished the first stage with a 5-0 perfect record.
In the X League, 18 teams are divided into three divisions with each team playing five divisional opponents in the first stage. The top three of each division advance to the second stage, called the "Super 9," while the other nine teams play in the "Battle 9" stage. The Seagulls and the Rise have both secured a berth in the Super 9 stage, which starts on Nov. 2.