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[28/08/2021, 12:30]
The roar of the crowd shook the very foundations of the Rose Bowl as the UCLA Bruins prepared to make their entrance. The stadium wasn't packed to capacity, but the energy of the 32,982 fans was enough to make the air buzz with anticipation. Blue and gold banners waved furiously from the bleachers, the rhythmic pounding of the marching band's drums echoing through the open air.
The announcer's voice boomed through the speakers, "And now give it up for your UCLA BRUUUUUINS!"
From the dimly lit tunnel, the team surged forward, engulfed in thick clouds of blue and gold smoke that blasted from cannons on either side of the entrance. The school's fight song blared, punctuated by the ferocious barking of the Bruin mascot hyping the crowd even further.
The players charged through the banner with a mighty rip, a sea of muscle and adrenaline pouring out onto the field. The front line of the pack, led by team captain Darnell Jones, had the look of soldiers marching into battle. Darnell's eyes were narrowed with focus, his gloved hand raised, gesturing for the fans to make more noise.
Following closely behind was a wave of Blue and gold that followed after him as they stormed to their coaching area. Jace, Jason and Blake who were towards the end of the came to a stop at the entrance of the tunnel mesmerised by the noise as they took a moment to take in the moment. "Bro, can you believe this? This is what we worked for. Look at this place!"
"Yeah, it's insane," Jace replied, his voice tight with anticipation. "It must be insane playing here when the stadium is packed,"
"Bro, could you have imagined all this 2 years again in Crenshaw?" J-street asked his friend as a wide smile crept upon his face causing his gloved hands to clench subconsciously. "I can't wait to get my first Tuddy on this field."
Their conversation didn't linger long as they all fist-bumped before jogging to the sidelines to take their positions for the day on the bench. The sideline was a chaotic mix of coaches barking orders, players hyping each other up, and the occasional eruption of cheers from the stands. The ESPN broadcasting team's voices echoed faintly over the stadium's PA system as they introduced the matchup to viewers nationwide.
"And we're here at the Rose Bowl, folks, where the UCLA Bruins under new management are about to take the field against the Hawai'i Rainbow Warriors. The Bruins' program has been in turmoil after the Watterman Sports Centre scandal, they have appointed Coach Baker, who has been dominating the high school scene for a while now to kite the ship. Now he is here to prove he can bring this team back to glory. Meanwhile, Hawai'i comes in ready to spoil their day. It's a classic redemption story versus a team eager to make a statement."
~~~
[15:00, 1st Quarter]
The whistle blew, sharp and clear, cutting through the chaotic energy of the stadium. The game was officially underway. Hawai'i's kicker, Jonah Laulu, stood at the thirty-five-yard line, eyes locked on the football. His breath was slow, controlled. The rest of the special team's unit crouched like coiled springs, ready to sprint downfield.
The ball was snapped, and Jonah's right leg swung forward with the precision of a hammer strike. The football shot into the air, spiralling high and deep, cutting through the heavy Californian air like a bullet. It soared toward UCLA's end zone, where Darnell Jones stood with his feet planted, eyes never leaving the ball.
Darnell caught it cleanly at the two-yard line, his legs already churning before his body even completed the motion of tucking the ball away. The stadium roared in response. Darnell exploded off the line like he was shot out of a cannon, his feet pounding against the turf as he cut upfield. His eyes scanned the field, reading the chaos unfolding before him as he calculated at which angle to best slice open the Hawaiian special team.
Darnell's legs pumped like pistons as he accelerated past the 15-yard line. His instincts took over, vision narrowing to the gaps between Hawai'i's charging special team's players. One juke to the right left a defender swiping at air. Another sharp cut to the left and he evaded a would-be tackler diving for his ankles.
"Damn! He's got wheels!" Calvin Turner shouted from the sideline; his voice practically swallowed by the roar of the crowd.
The announcers' voices crackled over the stadium speakers. "Jones makes a clean catch and is heading up field. He's breaking tackles like they're nothing! The man looks like a bulldozer with jet engines!"
Darnell's eyes locked onto the blocks set up by his own teammates, throwing a push hit to clear a path on his left. The opening was there, and Darnell capitalized on it. He broke through the line of defence crossing the 25-yard line but that is as far as he got as a defender managed to latch onto him. He tried to pump his left managing three steps before he was brought down by an additional defender at the 27-yard line.
"A good return to the start of the match by Darnell Jones," One of the ESPN commentators exclaimed as the safety jumped up from the mass of people with the ball still in his hand.
Darnell jogged back to the sideline, helmet bobbing as he slapped hands with his teammates. His adrenaline was spiking, every nerve electrified. He shot a glance toward Coach Baker, who returned a nod of approval. "That's what I'm talking about, Darnell! Set the tone early!" Coach Baker shouted over the noise; his deep voice gruff but brimming with enthusiasm as he rubbed his bald head.
Austin Maddox trotted onto the field, the senior quarterback's expression calm, as he took in his domain. He had won his starting position last year and was looking forward to proving himself to the league hoping to spark some definite interest for the draft. The huddle came together near the line of scrimmage all waiting for him to let them know what player they would pull off.
[14:59, 1st Quarter - 1st & 10 - UCLA's 27-yard line]
"Alright, boys let's have some fun out here. Trips right, 28 sweep." Maddox barked out the play, his voice clear and commanding as the huddle broke off.
The offence lined up, their stance solid, eyes locked on the Hawai'i defence that crouched low and restless, waiting to pounce. The Rose Bowl hummed with restless energy, anticipation straining the air.
Austin Maddox stood in the shotgun formation, his fingers twitching slightly before the snap. His eyes scanned the field, identifying Hawai'i's coverage. Trips right meant three wide receivers stacked on the right side, spreading the defence thin and forcing them to make choices.
"Ready! Set! Hut!" The ball was snapped into Maddox's hands, and he smoothly handed it off to the running back charging from his left. Tyson, the tall and athletic wide receiver, surged forward to set a block on the outside, locking up with a cornerback and shoving him backwards.
Devonte Watkin, the left tackle nicknamed Deacon for his ability to 'preach' violence on the field, sealed off his man with a brutal shoulder shove, creating the slightest opening. The running back, a solidly built sophomore named Trey Sanders, shot through the gap, his legs churning as he dashed past the line of scrimmage. Two Hawai'i defenders closed in from the sides, but Trey lowered his shoulder and powered through them for a hard-fought six-yard gain.
"Solid run to start the game!" the commentator announced. "Hawai'i's defence is going to have to do better than that if they want to contain the Bruins' running game."
[14:10, 1st Quarter - 2nd & 4 - UCLA's 33-yard line]
The Bruins regrouped quickly, hustling back to the line of scrimmage. Maddox's eyes were sharp, constantly scanning the defence as they lined up in a 4-3 formation, their linebackers creeping forward anticipating another run.
"Alright, Pro Left, Fake 28 Sweep, PA Crossers on Three," Maddox commanded, the words firing off like bullets. His tone was confident, as he had learned the offence by heart as part of his preparation and only thought of what wrinkles to implement on any given game.
They broke the huddle, lining up on the line of scrimmage in the next second. The centre barked out the count, his knuckles pressed into the turf. Maddox crouched under centre, his eyes still reading the defence, looking for the slightest tell.
"Ready! Set! Hut! Hut! Hut!" The ball snapped clean into Maddox's hands. He faked the handoff to Trey Sanders, the defence biting just enough to create confusion.
Maddox quickly dropped back, his eyes immediately locking onto the crossing routes developing downfield. Tyson and Isaiah Windfield sprinted across the field from opposite sides, their routes crisscrossing to disrupt the defensive coverage. The Hawai'i linebackers hesitated, momentarily fooled by the play-action.
Maddox took a half-step forward, setting his feet and releasing the ball with a smooth, over-the-top motion. The spiral sliced through the air, arcing towards Tyson who had broken free from his man near the right hash mark.
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To Be Continued...