News
SPORTS SHORTS | Kansei Matsuzawa Named to the AP All-America Team
Reporting on University of Hawaii place-kicker Kansei Matsuzawa, ski jumper Nozomi Maruyama's career-best season, snowboarder Ayumu Hirano and more.
Senior place-kicker Kansei Matsuzawa had a near-perfect season for the University of Hawaii football team. He made 25 of 26 field goals in the Rainbow Warriors' 12 regular-season games, and was 32 of 32 on point-after attempts.
Matsuzawa's excellence has been widely recognized on a national level. And he's now the second Hawaii player to be named to The Associated Press All-America first team. Defensive lineman Al Noga was the first to hold that distinction, receiving the honor in 1986.
The 2025 AP All-America team, selected every year since 1925, was announced on Monday, December 15. A panel of 52 media members chose this year's squad.
Matsuzawa was also one of three finalists for the Lou Groza Award, which is presented annually to the nation's top kicker. University of Oklahoma's Tate Sandell won the award. Sandell booted 23 of 24 field goals this season, including an NCAA-best seven from 50 yards and beyond.
A Tokyo native, Matsuzawa was named to the CBS Sports All-America and Walter Camp All-America first teams. The Athletic, USA Today and Sports Illustrated picked him for their All-America second teams.
Up Next for Kansei Matsuzawa and the Rainbow Warriors
Kansei Matsuzawa, dubbed the "Tokyo Toe," helped Hawaii post an 8-4 record during the college football season. Based on its overall success over the past few months, the team qualified to participate in a bowl game.
On December 24, the Rainbow Warriors will face the University of California (7-5) in the Hawaii Bowl.
After that, Matsuzawa will participate in the NFL's International Player Pathway program, starting in January 2026. It's an opportunity for selected participants to enhance their chances of competing at the pro level in the future.
A 10-week program is lined up at the X3 Performance and Physical Therapy in Fort Myers, Florida, for on-field workouts and in-classroom instruction. Thirteen players from 10 countries were picked for the IPP's 2026 program.
After the 10-week period wraps up, Matsuzawa and other players will demonstrate their football skills to NFL scouts.
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Ski Jumping
Maruyama Collects 4th World Cup Win of 2025
Nozomi Maruyama soared to victory for the fourth time in the ongoing FIS Ski Jumping World Cup season on Friday, December 12 in Klingenthal, Germany. Her top jump of the day covered 130.0 meters, and she finished with 240.5 points.
Maruyama has achieved four wins in seven World Cup events to date, the best stretch of her career.
"A win is a win. I'm relieved to get back to the top of the podium," Maruyama said, according to Kyodo News.
A day later, the Olympic medal hopeful returned to the second large hill event in the German town and earned a runner-up finish.
Maruyama's longest jump on Saturday was 135.0 meters in the second round. Winner Nika Prevc of Slovenia had a 138.0-meter effort in the same round to clinch the title by four points.
The 27-year-old Maruyama, who tore her left anterior cruciate ligament in 2021, has finished in the top four in every meet since the World Cup season started in late November.
In the current World Cup standings, Maruyama leads with 670 points. Prevc is No 2 (536). Japanese veteran Sara Takanashi is eighth with 263.
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Snowboarding
Reigning Olympic Champ Hirano Punches Ticket to Italy
Fittingly, Ayumu Hirano's triumph in an FIS Snowboard World Cup competition in China secured his trip to another Olympic Games.
After all, Hirano won the men's halfpipe gold medal at the 2022 Beijing Olympics.
The 27-year-old Niigata Prefecture native will make his fourth Olympic appearance at the 2026 Milan Cortina Games.
He triumphed in the season-opening meet in Zhiangjiakou with a top score of 93.50 points on Friday, December 12.
Japanese rivals Yuto Totsuka and Ruka Hirano (not related) finished second and third, respectively, with 90.25 and 89.00 points.
At an event in Tokyo on Monday, December 15, Ayumu Hirano spoke about his 2026 Olympic aspirations.
"I want to see how far I can push beyond my limits without being overly fixated on a second consecutive win or the gold medal," he was quoted as saying by Daily Sports. He then said, "I believe that if I can surpass myself, the results will follow."
The reigning gold medalist also commented on what motivates him on a daily basis.
"I want to create the conditions and the breathing room to pull off new, high-difficulty tricks," Ayumu Hirano said, according to the sports publication.
Soccer
Brighton's Mitoma Returns After an Ankle Injury
Veteran winger Kaoru Mitoma played in his first match in more than two months on Saturday, December 13.
He came off the bench in the 64th minute in Brighton's 2-0 away defeat to English Premier League foe Liverpool.
It was Mitoma's first match since September 27, when he sustained a left ankle injury in a league match against Chelsea.
Despite the loss, Brighton manager Fabian Hurzeler was pleased that Mitoma was available to play and begin his comeback after the injury.
"Availability creates competition for places and then everyone stays alert for 90 minutes, so it's good to be getting players back," Hurzeler said, according to a news report on the team's website. "Kaoru is in a good place and now it's about him getting into his best possible shape. It was always the plan for him to only play 30 minutes today."
Baseball
Yamamoto's Excellence Recognized by NY Media
Los Angeles Dodgers starter Yoshinobu Yamamoto was recently selected as the 2025 winner of the Babe Ruth "Postseason MVP" accolade. It's one of a slew of awards handed out by the New York Chapter of the Baseball Writers' Association of America.
Each offseason, the New York Chapter of the BBWAA holds an annual banquet to recognize the winners. The 101st annual gala is scheduled for January 24, 2026, in Manhattan.
Yamamoto helped the Dodgers capture their second consecutive World Series title on November 1. And he was named World Series MVP.
Author: Ed Odeven
Find Ed on JAPAN Forward's dedicated website, SportsLook. Follow his [Japan Sports Notebook] on Sundays, [Odds and Evens] during the week, and X (formerly Twitter) ＠ed_odeven.