Hexball Round 4: Tokei Hex Hands Owari Its First Loss in Unbeaten Showdown, Fukagawa Takes First Win

Round 4 of the hexball league was played at Bayside Arena on the night of the 26th. As previously reported, both Tokei Hex and Owari had opened the season 3-0, and the two unbeaten clubs met for the first time this round. Tokei Hex won 8–6 (3 corners) to move to 4-0 and take sole possession of first place, while Owari suffered its first loss of the season.

Tokei Hex ace Ritsu Kishiura, 24, a third-generation Drifter, followed his previously reported two, two, and three edges in the first three rounds with four edges this round, his fourth straight multi-edge match. "They were unbeaten too, so this was the closest grind of the season so far," he said afterward. "I think there was some luck in that last edge." Asked about the ongoing rules debate over his tail, previously reported, he said only, "No dispute over calls this round either."

Owari's player from Kan'yo, who has scored multiple edges in every match so far, recorded three edges again this round even as his team took its first loss. Speaking through an interpreter, he said, "Their read on closing the distance to an edge was the fastest I've faced yet. A loss is a loss — I need to raise my level another notch before next time." Owari's manager said, "We kept our unbeaten home record in wall racing, but we couldn't hold the line here. Still, the players themselves didn't perform badly."

The same night, Fukagawa Pelicans beat Hokuto 5–2 (1 corner) for their first win of the season, following their previously reported 5–5 (2 corners) draw with Naniwa Six in Round 2. Hokuto fell again and remains winless through four matches. Fukagawa's captain said, "We finally turned the feeling from that draw into an actual win," adding, "I want to raise our level one more step before next month's match against Tokei Hex," referring to the previously reported "Bay Derby" rematch. Hokuto's captain said, "We led for a stretch this round, but fell short in how we closed out edges late. All we can do is keep building."

Play unfolded with Owari, led by its previously reported Kan'yo-born player, ahead for much of the first half, taking a 5–3 (1 corner) lead in. The turning point came right after the second half began, when Kishiura scored two edges in quick succession to level the match; Tokei Hex's bench players then steadily added edges down the stretch to reach the final 8–6 (3 corners). Owari's manager reflected, "Our start in the first half was our best all season, which makes the second-half fade all the more frustrating."

As previously reported, the Bay Derby rematch between Tokei Hex and Fukagawa Pelicans is set for early October. Tokei Hex now arrives 4-0, and Fukagawa Pelicans arrive having gone 1-0-1 in their last two matches — both clubs trending upward heading into the meeting. A league official said, "Both clubs have built even more momentum this round, which only adds to the draw as a spectacle."

After four rounds, Tokei Hex leads the league at 4-0-0. Owari sits second at 3-1-0. Naniwa Six and Fukagawa Pelicans are tied for third at 1-1-1 with three matches played each, while Hokuto sits last, winless through four. The league says the schedule for the next round will be announced shortly.

What looked on paper like a clash of unbeaten sides turned into a tight 8–6 grind once it started. As Kishiura put it, there was "some luck" involved, but by all accounts this round carried more tension than the score alone suggests. Meanwhile, Fukagawa's quiet turn from a draw into a win looks like a steady step of its own. Next month's derby should be a meeting of two clubs both carrying momentum into it.