Down 28: The Terror of the Druids, The Plight of Wizards
"Mr. Daze here, at Dade County Dome, where the Dade Dovers hope to defeat the Lakeland Druids to go up against the Plant Pumas. Dade has only lost once this season, against Aquinas. But that didn't stop them from winning their district. On the other hand, the Druids lost a few games, one against Plant, another to the Springs Colts. Both were devastating loses, as told by the captain Kyle Eggnatz."
Wakeen has insisted the defense all go to the game to check out the Druids. Only Sena and Shin went on the trip to Dade. "You know," Wakeen said, "Dade is expected to win this. Rise Magazine predicts the outcome will be at least 21 to 7, Druids losing. "
"I doubt it" Sena responded calmly. "Kyle was devastated when we beat him handily. He wouldn't let up knowing we are the next target."
"I agree Sena," Shin said. "That Kyle has hidden power he has yet to hit. Perhaps we might see it this game."
Wakeen looked around, "Whatever you two. I still trust Dade will win. They had the second best passing game in all of South Florida. How can the Druids defend against that?"
Time Skip: Several plays
Druids number 20 (Kyle Eggnatz) intercepted a pass midfield.
Wakeen had his eyes glued to the field, looking stunned. "Like that" Sena said.
"An interception already!" Wakeen yelled.
Shin was calm, "Now we get to see the offense." The Druids offense lined up in a small formation, bringing the Dovers inward, exposing the outside. Kyle was behind the center, while two full backs were beside him. The quarterback, number 15, stood still under center, as each tight end motioned out into regular receiver sets. The Dovers responded, expanding their two cornerbacks. With the snap, Kyle took the ball, flowing behind each full back. As clockwork, the Dade line broke through, but each full back did their job, making a quick block. Kyle had a running lane, to which Dade number 43, the linebacker, stood ready to attack. In an instant, Kyle burst forward, appearing behind the linebacker as if by magic.
"Touchdown Druids. What is this?" Mr. Daze asked. "Ah, here it is, in Rise Magazine. They call this move 'The Plight of the Wizard'. Kyle Eggnatz uses stutter steps and speed to fake out any still line backer, while against a running backer, he simply uses cuts to get by. While during the regular season, he called this move the Druid Dance, he improved it once it was beaten by Visca of the Colts and Sena and Shin of the Pumas. He simply didn't need it during the season, winning with the Dance."
"See that Sena? I see you there" Kyle yelled out. "Shin too. That move will win over you two."
Time Skip: End of Game
Scoreboard reads 28-17, Druids winning.
Shin started at the scoreboard, as Sena stunningly asked, "This power, how do we compete against it?"
Shin shook his head, "We don't. We overwhelm it."
Mr. Daze stepped out of his booth, his long hair in a tangle, "This game has disrupted my hair it was so intense. I fear for the Pumas, having to go up against the Plight. With such finesse, it is simply magic that lets Kyle get through."
Wakeen leaned in toward Shin, whispering, "You get that on tape?"
Shin looked astonished, "What is this tape?"
"I mean …" he hesitated, and then turned to Sena, "You get it?"
"Every play Wakeen," Sena said in confidence, pointing to his bag, which had a camera eye on it. "I moved the bag around to get a good view. We can give it to coach Finkle to figure it out."
"The Plight isn't of speed Sena," Shin said. "It is unlike the Ghost or Dash you have, or even the Piercer that Rush used. Kyle might have a 4.3 40 yard dash, but when he uses that move, his speed falls greatly, to almost a 4.8 speed. Sure that is still fast, but compared to either of us, it would be easy to stop."
Sena looked confused. "Then how does it work?"
Shin shook his head again, "I cannot tell, but from what the announcer said, it is a finesse move. Finesse is something you are born with, like flexibility. I gather he can curve around people and whip his legs from behind and around like a windmill."
Sena didn't understand, thinking in his head of Kyle's foot as a windmill. Wakeen interrupted, "Let's just let Finkle dissect it shall we?" Sena and Shin agreed.
"This move is so simple" coach Finkle examined. "All he does is do a quick cut, then when his opponent reacts, he uses finesse to either go over or slide under. In the case of number 43, Kyle's cut was so fast, he didn't react in time, and Kyle's finesse worked perfectly, literally going through him. For practice, we need to work on tackling more, as this is only the beginning of hard to tackle players. Remember the Colts?" he asked the team. "This move is very similar to Joyner's moves. Working to stop the Plight will help us stop the Stampede."
Throughout the week, the two-day practices helped the team work on their tackles. A tackling circuit helped the defense make clean tackles, such as pure wrap-up technique (using the arms to grab the player fully). For offense, practice was centered on passing, as the Druids defense usually have five linemen and 5 line backers, only having one corner back. Coach Finkle installed a shotgun, where Sena stood beside Greg, while Shin was opposite Sena. In addition to the five linemen and three receivers, the play fulfilled the 11 man requirement, while allowing many plays. Such plays include a Sena run, a Shin run, a Sena pass, a Shin pass, or a receiver pass/run.
Time Skip: end of week. Plant Forest Staduim
Mr. Daze gladly walked out of his limo, having finally untangled his hair from the Druids game the week before. "Having seen so many games last week, this one if my favorite this week. While watching the Colts destroy Apoka Eagles was fun, and while I do want to see them do the same against the Orange Citrus, I think the Druids vs. Plant is a more engaging match to see. If you open up your Football Weekly magazine, you can see the prediction is pretty solid, a close 17-14 game, with the Druids running out on top. But let's not get ahead of ourselves. Rise predicts otherwise, having the Pumas win by the same score."
Both teams were on the field warming up. Sena looked at the other side, seeing the Kyle perfect his move against his own team. He wondered if anyone except Kyle could even stop a ghost or Dash. "Captains," Mr. Daze began, "go the midfield for the coin flip."
"Our captains tonight are Shin, as always, Fred, Roger, and Sena," coach Finkle announced. Sena had never been captain before, but he understood the experience.
"We defer to second half, coach Finkle told me ahead of time," Shin told the three. They all nodded. At midfield, Sena could see Kyle through his eyeshield. His purple and orange away uniform was tinted green.
"He number 21" he said, "Looking forward to a great game today." He offered his hand, to which Sena shook it. "On the field, there is no need to be nice. But here, humility is all."
"Wise words number 20," Shin approved. The coin toss went in Plant's favor. "We defer to the second half," Shin said. The Pumas would be kicking off to start the game. After the kickoff, the Druids had the ball at the 15 yard line. Both teams lined up in their planned formations, the Puma defense coming to a strong realization.
"What is this?" Sena asked Shin. "They aren't tight like their game against the Dovers proved." The Druids were lined up with two wide receivers, one tight end, and a full back opposite the tight end, next to the running back, and Kyle two yards behind the quarterback.
Shin looked around. The Pumas were in the Ultimate Pounce, expecting a clear run up the middle. "We stay in this. Their previous games proved their pass isn't powerful enough." The ball was snapped, the quarterback taking several steps back. Using the Ultimate Pounce, the Druid line easily fell, collapsing.
Sena thought, 'Why are they all going in that direction (referring to the outside)?' Before he could figure it out, the quarterback, having stepped back almost ten yards, threw the ball, having several people in his face. 'Oh no, a screen' Sena thought as he had feared.
"Screen!" Sena yelled. Both the full back and Kyle had moved out with the line, forming a wall opposite the tight end side. The line hadn't collapsed, it opened up the gates to let prepare for an attack of its own. Kyle was open, being able to catch the ball with ease. It was so fast, the Puma linemen had no time to backtrack, taking themselves out of the play. Kyle had four blockers for himself (the full back, two linemen, and the receiver on that side). He didn't need any of them, running past them all. Sena and Shin quickly ran, trailing. Their speed was faster, allowing them both to catch up, while Doug, Steve, and Roger were out of the play as well.
Kyle looked back, seeing Sena and Shin catching up. "I told you two, on the field, things are different," he said as he stopped running, spinning backwards toward the two. "This is the Plight, hope you watch." Kyle's spin caught both Sena and Shin off guard, allowing Kyle to let them run past him, as he ran to the inside of the field, upwards. The move had allowed Kyle enough time to make it to the 20 yard line on the other side of the field, before being taken down from a Wakeen, the corner on that side.
In the huddle after, Sena looked frustrated. "That snake Kyle, using a screen."
"It was no trick, simply a perfectly planned play based on our lineup. Out next formation will be the regular Pounce 5," Shin instructed. In that formation, the Druid offense stayed in their own formation. The ball was snapped, with the ball being handed off to Kyle. Unlike the other play, the line hadn't collapsed, it stood firm. There was no opening for Kyle to run through, Sena figured.
Kyle shook his head, "No gap? I can make my own. Plight never fails." He ran up the middle, using his full back as a body guard, and the tight end trap blocking down. A small gap opened up from the trap block, allowing the full back to push into Doug, knocking him over. Shin quickly adjusted, moving over into the gap. "Plight never fails!" Kyle yelled as he twisted into the gap, where Shin tried to tackle him.
Shin vs Kyle Eggnatz
Shin stretched out his arm, the trident, as Kyle finessed his way around the gap, widening his distance from Shin. With Shin's arm in his path, Kyle dropped his hips, giving Shin no target to hit, passing by. Kyle, having evaded one arm, faced another one. Combating the second one, he used the spin to kick around to the other direction, fully getting past Shin.
Victory: Kyle
To everyone, it seemed like an instant, even to Sena. Kyle ran and appeared behind Shin in a purple and orange blur (jersey colors) with Shin on the ground, looking defeated. Kyle had reached the 10 yard line, gaining a first down before Doug and Sena took him down. Back in the huddle, Shin was noticeably irritated. He didn't speak except to confirm the same defense. The next play Kyle ran up Shin's gap again, appearing behind him a second time in a purple blur, with Shin facing back on the ground, being defeated. Sena had no time to make the tackle this time, Kyle scoring a touchdown.
Mr. Daze, the announcer, picked up his microphone, "This is a show. Kyle has already defeated rival Seijuro Shin using his Plight of the Wizard, appearing behind Shin both times, scoring a touchdown. Now all this kid has to do is beat Eyeshield 21 and he will be set." Few seconds later after lining up "Wait, they are going for two. The Plant Pumas have lined up in their standard formation, having realized this. Could Kyle be trying to defeat 21 here and now?"
Kyle took the handoff up the middle, jumping into the air like a dive. Shin reached his arm up, catching him. Instead of Kyle falling down, he changed his jumping route toward Sena. Sena used a bump, knocking Kyle back. The conversion had failed before even having a chance. "Well, what a lot of hot smoke for nothing," Mr. Daze commented. "The score is now 6-0, Plant takes the ball after a great kick off at their own 20 yard line, ready for their first drive."
