Soul of the Warrior

by SoaringGryphonProductions

The North Bay Spartans are regarded as the best in California's Bay Area. Hailing from San Jose, they are led on offense by Clarisse Matsuda and on defense by Kimani Walker. After defeating Militaria 63-0, Japan took an interest in giving the Spartans a shot against the Kantou League's best

Eyeshield 21: Soul of the Warrior

Chapter 1: The Spartans

It's that time again. Time for another season of football at North Bay High School here in San Jose, California. Things are different. While yes, we get our annual exhibition game against Team Militaria, but we have also been chosen via lottery to go play a season of football in Japan. My name's Clarisse Matsuda. I'm quarterback of the North Bay Spartans

I've been at the helm as offensive team captain for two years. At 5'10 and 195lbs, I have size on my side as well as skill on the field. I'm healthy, I'm curvy with big thighs and a big butt, and I've got muscle tone. I can bench press 260lbs, and run a 40 yard dash in 4.5 seconds. Not all at the same time mind you. I'm Half-Japanese and Half-Hawaiian too

Our colors are gold, crimson, and black. We have gold Xenith X2E+ helmets with gold facemasks. The logo is the San Jose State University logo with a spear pointing diagonally in the background. The jersey is gold with a crimson lambda in front of the chest above the numbers with smaller ones on black sleeves and one in the back above the numbers

Black pants, black socks, and black cleats finish the look. We have black numbers with a thin crimson bordering. I have made friends on this team in tailback Kairi Jones, middle linebacker Kimani Walker, wide receivers Trayvon Richardson and Damion Fuller, and my huge offensive linemen in Eddy Chen, Austin Bandon, Lucas Reed, and Laramie Rodgers

I keep my long black hair tied in a neat thick braid. I got tanned skin and brown eyes. I've been told I have a nice smile. As I put on my socks and pulled up my pants. It looked like my bottom half was dipped in black paint. I put my cleats on, and met up with the rest of the team in the boy's locker room, "There's our quarterback" said Kairi with a smile

I smiled thankfully "Alright, let's do this"

Under the pads, my measurements are 51-34-52. Off the field, I'm just a tomboy in a t-shirt and tight blue jeans. I usually go the back pocketless kind. The thing is just like on the football field, If you need a friend, then can be your friend. If you have a problem, I'll listen and do what I can to help you out. If you're need of hugs, then I'll give you hugs

Our coach is Mr. Hall. His name is Robert, but don't tell him that or he'll have you doing up-downs for half the practice. He is gray-haired and he reminds me a bit of Anderson Cooper "Well, I've said it before, so I'll say it again, you are Spartans, 'Kings of the Battlefield', well that football field out there, that's your battlefield, let's rule it like Spartans"

With my mouthguard lodged into the top of my facemask, I put on my helmet and buttoned my chinstrap. We ran out onto the field led by 'Leo' our mascot carrying the school flag. Our mascot is a lion dressed as a Greek hoplite. Our mascot is very popular with the players on the peewee and middle school teams who have their pictures taken with him

Monty Gomery was mouthing off about how having a female quarterback is an insult to the very Spartans we are named after. My teammates and I ignored him and got ready for the kickoff. We won the coin toss, and we elected to receive. It's a touchback. The ball was spotted at our twenty, "Okay Clarisse, start fast, hit hard, twins-right, 38 Javelin"

I nodded to Coach, and I jogged onto the field with the play for the offense to the cheers of the crowds of students and parents. This play means having a two-receiver set to the right, and I'm going long "Trayvon, Damion, if one of you makes a break on it, catch the ball, take it all the way, twins-right, 38 Javelin, on one, it's on one" we broke the huddle

I went under center and put in my mouthguard "Gold-94!"

I heard everything on the Militaria Defense from them threatening to crush me to wolf whistles. I ignored it all "Gold-94, Gold-94-HUT!" the ball was snapped into my hands, and I dropped back to pass on first down. I pump-faked to throw the defense off. Trayvon made a big break on a cornerback. I threw a perfect spiral like shooting a bullet from a rifle

Trayvon Richardson caught it, and he ran down the sidelines for the touchdown. From that play on, we piled on an onslaught. Militaria couldn't even make a field goal all game long. Kimani Walker and safeties Dominique Wells and T.J Greer went on a rampage with nine turnovers which included two pick-sixes. On offense, our run game is hard to stop

Toss out a swing pass or give a handoff to Kairi Jones and just watch him run the ball. He has an arsenal of weapons from his wicked burst of speed, a mean stiff-arm, and the 'Show Pony Kick'. He's 5'10 and 200lbs of muscle with an XRS-21S facemask to go with his helmet. Kairi can run by you, around you, and run you over every time he gets the ball

Kairi is a great blocker, and mid-range pass target. The same can be said of tight end Junior Williams. A reliable passing target and blocker, I describe him as a receiver-tight end hybrid. My receivers and I wear the XRS-21 or XRS-12 facemask for our helmets, and so do the secondary guys. The linemen get the XLN-22. You have to play smart and safe

I'm willing to do anything I can to help my team win, but I'll never cheat. If I have to help Kairi or Dominique get into the open field with a block then I'll do it. I'm not afraid to hit or take a hit. It's all part of the game. We went on to crush Militaria 63 to 0. This game still won't make Gomery shut up. To the Japanese teams watching on TV, I say 'bring it on'

(Note: This uniform is modeled after the Dallas Knights from 'Any Given Sunday')