The top eight teams of the Spring Koshien have been finalized.
Although the list has sparked some controversy, with several strong teams being eliminated before reaching the top eight due to facing even stronger opponents, these teams are now out of the running for national supremacy.
Nevertheless, the strength of the eight selected teams is universally acknowledged.
The Thunder Batter Todoroki Raichi!
As if emerging out of nowhere, Todoroki Raichi has led Yakushi High School to the national top eight.
Names like Sanada Shunpei, Mishima Yuta, and Akiba Kazuma are becoming increasingly familiar.
But the standout representative is undoubtedly Todoroki Raichi.
He has swept across the nation like a fierce tornado.
When a reporter interviewed him and asked for his thoughts on Koshien, he was moved to tears and said, while picking at his bowl of meat:
"The food in the Koshien canteen is so delicious!"
When Sawamura saw this report, he smiled wryly.
'The guy had it rough.'
'Having an unreliable father is a lifelong regret!'
The Tokyo Prince Narumiya Mei!
Narumiya, the King of Tokyo, has led his star-studded team to the top eight by defeating strong opponents along the way.
Their formidable strength has earned nationwide recognition from fans.
Many even boldly claim that Inajitsu is now the strongest team in the country.
There are two main reasons for this. First, their terrifying record of continuously defeating top teams like Nishiura and Osaka Seiseisha, both of which performed impressively in the summer Koshien.
These teams, once formidable in the summer, were swept aside by Inajitsu.
Second, they defeated the reigning champions, Seidou High School, 2:1 in the Fall Tournament.
Previously, there were doubts about Seidou High School's strength, with the belief that their capabilities had diminished significantly after the departure of their senior players.
However, this view now seems completely unreliable.
Even after losing to Inajitsu, Seidou High School still possesses great strength. In this Koshien, they have defeated two top national teams and retained their Ace pitcher, Sawamura Eijun.
[Inajitsu's Daunting Path]
Despite the general recognition of Inajitsu High School's strength, few believe they can make it to the end.
The main reason is their unfortunate grouping.
Inajitsu's luck seems to have been entirely used up during the previous Jingu Tournament.
Their grouping is unprecedentedly tough, with no easy matches from the first round through the quarterfinals.
They face the hardest opponents in the country!
In contrast, while Seidou High School has faced strong opponents, they haven't encountered the most formidable ones.
Their combat power is relatively well-preserved.
Thus, Seidou High School seems more likely to advance further.
This isn't just Seidou High School boasting; it's a report from the media.
Yakushi, Inajitsu, and Seidou are collectively known as the Three Musketeers of West Tokyo.
There was significant criticism when they secured three spots in the competition.
Now, such criticism has diminished significantly.
If you can, can you also produce three top-eight teams from your region?
Apart from Tokyo, it seems there's no other place in the country that can match this.
It made everyone wonder what kind of monster-den West Tokyo is.
The Stars of the Tournament
Yakushi's Todoroki Raichi.
Inajitsu's Narumiya Mei.
Seidou's Sawamura Eijun.
Komadai's Hongou Masamune.
Other notable players include:
Furuya Satoru: Although overshadowed by Sawamura, he's a top competitor whose performance improves with the scale of the event.
Mima Soichiro from Hakuryu High School: Known for his incredible speed, dynamic vision, and overall skills, making him a challenging opponent.
The Yamamori Twins: One a pitcher and the other a catcher, their perfect synergy and impressive abilities make them standout players.
Akashi Seiya from Seihou High School: A genius pitcher and a formidable batter.
Nanami Haruka from Hoshiryu High School: Their Ace pitcher and key player, Hoshiryu's overall strength, including their collection of star players, is seen as one of the strongest.
The Upcoming Matches
From tomorrow, these eight teams will face off:
Seidou High School vs. Yamamori High School
Inajitsu High School vs. Hakuryu High School
Yakushi High School vs. Seihou High School
Komadai Fujimaki vs. Hoshiryu High School
The winners of Seidou vs. Yamamori will face the winners of Komadai Fujimaki vs. Hoshiryu. Similarly, the victors of Inajitsu vs. Hakuryu will battle the winners of Yakushi vs. Seihou.
After confirming that their opponent was Yamamori Academy, Seidou High School's scouting team launched a detailed investigation of the opposing team.
As a traditional powerhouse, Seidou High School has established connections in various districts and counties. Information on most teams can generally be obtained unless they are a surprise dark horse.
Once the opponent was confirmed, Takashima Rei gathered all the game footage of Yamamori Academy starting from the qualifiers.
She sifted through the footage, discarding flat games and those of little reference value.
Ultimately, only three useful videos remained.
Takashima carefully studied these three videos for an extended period.
After numerous discussions with Watanabe, Takashima and Watanabe presented their findings to the Seidou High School players.
Yamamori Academy is challenging!
This is evident from their game footage and records.
Looking at the teams in the Spring Tournament's quarterfinals, aside from Yakushi High School, none of the others were unknown before.
Yamamori Academy's strength is undeniable when compared to these teams.
"Their greatest strength lies in the partnership of the Kotari Brothers."
The older brother is the pitcher, and the younger brother is the catcher.
Both are exceptional players. In addition to excelling in their respective positions, they are also key batters on their team.
"What a fortunate brothers!"
Such a brotherly duo in the Koshien field is quite extraordinary.
Due to the influence of a popular manga, it is rare for twin brothers to play baseball together.
It's incredibly lucky!
The brothers have continued playing baseball together for years, showing their genuine passion for the sport.
Given their dedication and talent, just thinking about facing such opponents is daunting.
"While their overall offensive strength isn't overwhelming, they are adept at finding and exploiting weaknesses. Once they spot an opportunity, they attack fiercely. They are a very threatening team!"
Watanabe elaborated on the information about Yamamori Academy to the team.
Despite his thorough analysis, the Seidou High School players were not very concerned.
Among the current top eight teams, Yamamori Academy is ranked relatively lower.
Compared to teams like Inashiro, Hakuryu, Komadai, and Yakushi, Yamamori Academy seems to be a notch weaker.
Some players even questioned if the teams that were eliminated earlier had stronger abilities than Yamamori Academy.
In this context, Seidou High School was considered very fortunate to face Yamamori Academy.
"No team that makes it to the Koshien quarterfinals is weak. Don't forget our goal," Superintendent Kataoka said, clearly displeased with his players' nonchalant attitude.
"With only three games left until the National Championship, we cannot afford to be careless in any of them. Do you understand?"
"Yes Sir!"
Even though the players were skeptical, they had to comply with their coach.
Kataoka's point was valid: no team reaching the top eight is weak.
Any lapse in focus could spell disaster for Seidou High School.
After the meeting, Sawamura Eijun camouflaged himself and left the dormitory.
There were two people he needed to meet.
By the river next to Koshien, Sawamura, dressed in a hat and mask, spotted his friends waiting.
"Oda! Hosho!"
The two were Hosho and Oda.
They are key players from Hoshiryu High School and former teammates of Sawamura from Akagi Middle School.
The three had last been together over two months ago during the New Year holidays.
After a warm greeting with his friends, Sawamura looked at Hosho and Oda with curiosity.
"You didn't call me out here just to catch up, did you?"
Given their close relationship, there seemed no need to be so secretive about their reunion.
Sawamura Eijun had come especially after receiving their message.
Hosho, slightly embarrassed, spoke frankly.
"Our Coach asked me to inquire about the Komadai's weaknesses."
"Me?" Sawamura's eyes widened in disbelief.
Is this a joke?
Hoshiryu High School is also their rival.
Helping one's rival to defeat another rival—what an unusual situation.
"If I do this, won't there be consequences?" Sawamura asked with interest.
He was willing to help his hometown friends.
Besides, if Hoshiryu High School could defeat Komadai Fujimaki, it would be beneficial for Seidou as well.
From Sawamura's perspective, although Hoshiryu High School is strong, defeating Komadai Fujimaki seems challenging.
If he could assist, he would.
Adding confusion to the opponent is also a tactic.
Sawamura felt no guilt for potentially harming his rival's chances.
Indeed, his time with Miyuki had taught him a few things.
Blaming Miyuki, Sawamura eagerly shared information about Komadai Fujimaki.
"To beat Komadai, you must understand their pitching call habits. If I'm not mistaken, they will likely use a two-man pitching strategy against you. The best chance to defeat them is to beat their first pitcher early. Otherwise, dealing with their Ace Hongou will be tough! Also, Komadai is very strong at scoring in the first inning, so Nanami should be cautious. Don't let them crush you from the start; that would be a disgrace for us in Nagano Prefecture."
"What about specific tactical advice?"
Hosho nodded repeatedly and asked.
Sawamura shook his head.
"Your father is a tactical genius. It's better to ask him for specific tactics. Asking me would be redundant. My strategies may not be better than his."
Hosho smiled.
Sawamura's comment had a teasing tone.
But Hosho didn't mind at all.
After their exchange, Sawamura put his mask and hat back on and returned to the dormitory.
Hosho watched him leave in silence for a long time.
"Let's go. We should head back too," Oda said.
Hosho nodded and followed Oda back to their dormitory.
Their shadows stretched long under the lights.
While seeking advice was one reason for the visit, Hosho's true purpose was simply to see Sawamura.
He had not told anyone about this.
…