As the scrimmage against Eastbrook began, DJ took a deep breath, shaking off the disappointment of his mother not being in the
stands. The support of Brianna, Ellie, Addison, and his friends gave him the push he needed. He focused his mind, reminding himself of all the hours of practice and the new badges he'd earned. It was time to show everyone what he was capable of. Just as he was about to walk very he saw his father in the corner of his eyes waving at him. Reaffirming his resolve.
As the scrimmage against Eastbrook began, DJ found himself getting his chance as he lined up wide on 3rd down. Coach Carter called for a deep post route, aiming to exploit a gap in Eastbrook's coverage. DJ's heart pounded in his chest as he focused on the play.
Eastbrook's star cornerback, Trevor
"Trev" Johnson, was already trying to get into DJ's head. "You think you're hot stuff, huh? I promise you you're not good, I don't even know why you came back."
DJ ignored the taunts, concentrating on the play. The whistle blew, and he burst off the line, making a quick cut to the right. Trev was on him, sticking close and trying to disrupt his route. But DJ's enhanced agility and route-running skills allowed him to create just enough separation.
James Merka dropped back, scanning the field. DJ's eyes tracked the quarterback's movements in case he winded up to throw, his body ready to adjust. James launched the ball high and deep, aiming for the far sideline. DJ accelerated, his eyes never leaving the ball as it spiraled through the air.
As he neared the sideline, DJ felt Trev's presence right behind him. He leaped, stretching his arms to their full length. With a
graceful twist, he snatched the ball out of the air, his fingers just grazing the edge of Trev's reach. He pulled it in, tucking it securely against his body as he landed on his toes, managing to keep both feet in bounds.
"Now that's how you do it!" Coach Carter
yelled from the sidelines, the pride evident in his voice.
The crowd erupted, with Brianna and the others standing and cheering wildly. DJ handed the ball to the ref and jogged back to
the huddle, a confident smile on his face.
Trev shook his head, muttering to himself.
"Alright, alright. You got lucky."
The game continued, and DJ kept making spectacular plays. On one drive, he lined up wide, with Trev still shadowing him closely.
DJ took off, running a deep post route. As he cut toward the middle, he saw James look his way and then launch a high, arcing pass.
DJ sprinted, feeling Trev right on his heels. He timed his jump perfectly, extending his body and reaching out with one hand.
The ball seemed to hang in the air for a split second before he snagged it with his fingertips, bringing it into his chest as he hit the ground hard.
"Another one!" shouted Malik from the sidelines.
DJ got up, adrenaline pumping through his veins. Trev was on the ground, looking up at DJ with pure frustration.
"You're something else, King," Trev admitted, picking himself up. "But I'm not done yet."
DJ just nodded, focused on the next play, Coach let him know they were gonna look his way. On the following drive, he ran a double move, faking a short slant before cutting sharply upfield. Trev bit on the fake, giving DJ just enough space to break free.
James saw him open and threw a perfect pass. DJ tracked it over his shoulder, his eyes locked onto the ball as it descended. He
reached out, his arms stretching past Trev's desperate swipe, and secured the ball. He turned upfield, dodging a safety before diving into the end zone for another touchdown.
"That's my boy!" His Dad roared, pumping
his fist.
The VR practice and the Route Apprentice badge had clearly paid off, sharpening DJ's ability to read defenses and adjust his routes on the fly. His Acrobat badge allowed him to make catches that seemed almost impossible. Each play felt smoother, more natural, as if he was always a step ahead of the defense.
The ball was snapped, and DJ took off, sprinting straight down the field. Eastbrook's defense reacted quickly, with both the
cornerback and a safety converging on DJ. He saw James Merka drop back, his eyes scanning the field. DJ pushed harder, accelerating as he saw the gap between the two defenders closing.
James launched the ball high and deep. DJ's eyes locked onto it, tracking its arc. The cornerback and safety both leaped, hands
reaching up to bat the ball away. But DJ had the advantage, his eyes never leaving the ball. He timed his jump perfectly, stretching his arms out above the defenders. His fingers closed around the ball, and he pulled it in,
securing the catch as he crashed to the ground.
The crowd exploded in cheers, and DJ sprang to his feet, ball held high. Coach Carter was on the sidelines, clapping and shouting, "That's how you make a play, DJ!"
Later in the scrimmage, another opportunity arose. This time, it was a critical fourth down with the team needing a big play. Coach Carter called for a slant route, trusting DJ to make something happen.
As the ball was snapped, DJ took off, cutting
sharply inside. The defensive end broke through the line, rushing toward James
Merka. DJ saw the pressure coming and knew he had to get open quickly. He made
his move, creating just enough separation.
James saw DJ open and threw a bullet pass, but the defensive end was diving at him. With incredible agility, DJ spun out of the would-be sack, keeping his eyes on the ball. He reached out, snatching the ball just as the cornerback lunged at him. DJ pivoted, using the cornerback's momentum against him, and spun away, racing toward the end zone.
The crowd was on their feet, the roar deafening as DJ sprinted downfield. He could feel the defenders closing in but kept his
focus. As he crossed the goal line, he turned and saw his teammates celebrating, their energy infectious.
While DJ was shining in the receiving game, Malik was dominating as well. During a punt return, Malik caught the ball cleanly and
immediately made a quick cut, juking past two defenders. He accelerated up the
sideline, weaving through Eastbrook's coverage team with incredible speed and
agility. His moves left defenders grasping at air as he sprinted into the end zone for a thrilling return touchdown. Although he was the starting slot receiver he really shined in the return game.
Travis was a powerhouse in the red zone. On one play, he lined up against Eastbrook's best linebacker. As the ball was snapped, he bulldozed his way forward, using his strength to outmuscle the defender. James threw a high pass, and Travis leapt, catching the ball at its highest point and bringing it down despite being surrounded by defenders.
Not every play was perfect though. James missed a few passes, either overthrown or underthrown. The offensive line struggled at
times, leading to sacks and forcing James to scramble. But each mistake was a learning opportunity, a chance to improve as a team.
DJ watched as Eastbrook's star running back took the field. The kid was a blur, juking and spinning out of tackles with ease. He broke through the line and sprinted downfield, leaving defenders in his wake. DJ couldn't help but sigh at the skill, even as he knew their defense needed to step up.
On the next offensive drive, DJ lined up against Trev again. This time, he ran a deep out route. He cut sharply, his feet digging
into the turf, and created a sliver of space. James fired the ball toward the sideline, a low, fast pass. DJ dove, his body parallel to the ground, and caught the ball inches above the turf. He rolled over and sprang to his feet,
holding the ball up for everyone to see.
"Unbelievable!" Coach Carter shouted, shaking his head in amazement.
On another play, DJ ran a curl route, stopping
abruptly to create separation. James threw a bullet pass, but the defensive end broke through the line, diving at James. DJ saw the impending sack and knew he had to act fast. He spun out of his break, catching the ball just as the defender lunged at him.
DJ spun away from the tackle, using his agility to keep his balance. He turned upfield, evading another defender with a quick
juke. The crowd's roar was deafening as he sprinted toward the end zone, crossing the goal line for another touchdown.
Coach Carter was ecstatic, shouting, "That's
how you play, DJ!"
The crowd was on their feet, and DJ could hear Brianna and the others cheering louder than ever.
Trev walked over, to dap him up. "Respect,
King. You're the real deal."
DJ dapped him up, feeling a surge of pride.
"Thanks, Trev. You put up a good fight."
As the scrimmage wound down, DJ felt a sense of accomplishment. His hard work, dedication, and the support of his friends and
coaches had paid off. He had proven himself on the field, and put the other schools on notice.
Final Score
Pacific Valley High 35 - 28 East Brook High
Stats
Receptions: 10
Receiving Yards: 135
Touchdowns: 3
After the game, as they gathered at Raising
Cane's, the atmosphere was electric. They recounted the highlights, with Malik boasting about his returns and Travis laughing about outmuscling the defenders. DJ felt a deep sense of confidence and excitement.
"You were amazing out there," Brianna said, sitting next to him. "Those catches were unreal."
"Thanks, Brianna," DJ replied, smiling.
"It felt good to see all that practice pay off."
Ellie raised her drink in a toast. "To DJ,Malik, Travis and the team. They're going to crush it this season!"