At the entrance, the Medford Team players were making their final adjustments.
Soon after, a wave of cheers, like the roar of the ocean, came from outside the tunnel.
This situation likely meant that the Austin High players were entering.
Judging by the commotion, there must be a large audience present today. Realizing this, Mike stretched his neck from side to side, gradually feeling excited.
'Austin Gym, huh? This truly is a great stage…' Mike thought to himself.
It must be said that at a time like this, he could still maintain such a good mindset, truly deserving the title of a "Mr. Big Occasion."
As Medford High's entry time approached, Mike noticed that his teammates all looked very solemn and uneasy.
Georgie, leaning in the corner, had legs that trembled like a sieve.
This wouldn't do. Mike walked over and lightly patted his shoulder: "Are you alright, Georgie?"
"I…" Georgie had intended to say, 'I'm fine,' but when he opened his mouth, he found his throat was dry, and the words were stuck.
He could only clear his throat first, then force a stiff smile.
In truth, Georgie didn't want to be like this; he kept telling himself not to be nervous. But when he thought about the upcoming game, he felt immense pressure, like sinking to the bottom of the ocean where he couldn't breathe.
"Relax, buddy. This isn't your fight alone; you have us—" Mike said loudly.
His words were not just for Georgie but also a reminder to his teammates around him.
"Okay, okay, I'm not alone…" Georgie encouraged himself.
Perhaps because his attention was diverted, the trembling in his legs had significantly improved.
At this moment, a staff member at the entrance raised a hand, signaling that the Medford Team could enter.
"Ready..." Aaron, at the front, waved his helmet and shouted, "Let's go!!!"
As the Medford Team players stepped onto the field one by one, enthusiastic cheers once again erupted from the stands.
This scene slightly eased the Medford Team players' nervousness.
Mike, entering in the second position, looked around after stepping onto the field.
The terraced stands surrounding the football field were densely packed with spectators.
Preliminary estimates suggested around thirty to forty thousand people.
The sight of so many people cheering together was magnificent.
Mike also saw his Medford High classmates in the nearby area by the field. At this moment, their section was cheering the loudest.
Moreover, some of them had unfurled a huge banner that read, "Go, Medford!"
Mike waved in that direction, instantly drawing even more enthusiastic cheers.
"Mike, look over there!" Georgie had also arrived at the center of the field. His expression now looked exceptionally excited.
Following the direction of his finger, beneath the scoreboard on the sidelines, there was a group of television crew members wearing headsets, adjusting their live broadcast equipment.
Clearly, this top-ten matchup would be broadcast live on a Texas television channel.
This was precisely the reason for Georgie's excitement.
"Perform well later; who knows, many people might be watching you on TV," Mike said with a smile.
"I will!" Georgie clenched his fist fiercely.
It was evident that his current state was much better than before. Perhaps knowing that the game would be live-streamed gave him strength.
On the sidelines, the Medford cheerleaders were also fully expressing their youthful vitality.
High kicks, side kicks, bending over and raising legs…
A set of hot leg dances perfectly matched the atmosphere of the venue.
Among them, Regina, the cheerleading captain, was the most striking.
Compared to her previously slender figure, she had gained several pounds, making her figure very curvaceous and attractive.
Seeing Mike's gaze, Regina immediately threw him a flirtatious look, and her leg dance became even more energetic.
Mike then strolled a few more steps in the middle of the field, adapting to the long grass underfoot, before heading to the preparation area on the sidelines with Georgie.
Soon after, all the players also arrived there.
George pulled out a small notebook and said, "According to the information I just gathered, Austin not only has an excellent quarterback, but there's also someone else we need to pay special attention to…"
After all the players had focused, George continued, "Their team's number twenty-three, named Tucker, nicknamed 'Tank,' is Austin Team's defensive end. His physical prowess and ability are outstanding, and several opposing quarterbacks have already suffered greatly at his hands…"
Defensive end: His primary task on the field is to rush the opposing quarterback. He is usually also the player with the most sacks on the team.
"Aaron, you need to be especially careful with this guy named Tucker; don't go head-to-head with him," George warned. "If necessary, you can pass the ball. Don't forget what our strongest tactic is."
The quarterback is the "brain" of a team; both offense and defense revolve around him.
This also means that if their own quarterback is taken off the field, it would be the most severe blow to the team.
Receiving the special instruction from the coach, Aaron nodded solemnly: "I understand—"
Then, he looked at Mike, who was beside him.
The Medford Team's most proficient tactic is the dual-core interweaving strategy.
If Aaron had to pass the ball, his first choice would undoubtedly be Mike, the running back.
Feeling his captain's gaze, Mike also turned his head to look back, then gave him a reassuring look.
Beep—
The whistle for the start of the game sounded.
Aaron put on his helmet, waved, and shouted, "Medford—"
"Victory!!!"
…
When the two teams lined up at the midfield, Mike also saw the opposing team's number twenty-three, the one nicknamed "Tank."
Among a group of players around one hundred eighty centimeters tall, Tucker's height of over one hundred ninety-five centimeters was very noticeable.
Moreover, this big guy had very broad shoulders, and his exposed arms were almost as thick as his thighs.
Just from his physique, this strong big guy would be tough to deal with.
Subsequently, during the coin toss, Austin High gained possession first.
Aaron gave his players several hand signals, indicating for everyone to focus and prepare for defense.
Beep—
The whistle sounded again, and Austin High launched their first offensive drive.
Mike quickly moved towards midfield, intending to coordinate with Aaron for a joint defense.
However, as soon as he and Aaron converged, and before they could intercept the opposing quarterback, they were surrounded by opposing players.
Clearly, the Austin Team had studied Medford's playing style before the game.
By cutting off Aaron and Mike's movements, the Medford Team would lose more than half of its combat effectiveness.
This was indeed the case; when the two broke free from the encirclement, they saw that the opposing quarterback had already reached the end zone.
The Austin Team scored six points with a lightning-fast touchdown.
From the start of the game to the touchdown, Austin High took less than ten seconds.
This scoring efficiency was terrifying.
This offensive and defensive battle showed that Austin High's strength was indeed as strong as rumored.
"Fall back… Fall back…" George shouted from the sidelines.