As the data would prove, the Houston High football team—currently ranked number one in the state league—had indeed completely overlooked the dark horse that was Medford.
Even with the newspaper pulling strings behind the scenes, Houston High was preoccupied with scrimmages against out-of-state powerhouses. They simply didn't have the bandwidth to entertain an invitational request from Medford High.
However, all was not lost. Leveraging their recent streak of high-performance metrics and the newspaper's influence, Medford secured an invitational match against the team ranked second in last year's state league: West Deck High School.
Thanks to the newspaper's relentless hype machine, interest in this matchup began to climb steadily.
Time flashed forward to the weekend—game day.
On the West Deck High campus, the crowd wasn't just composed of local students. A significant number of football enthusiasts from surrounding areas had traveled specifically to watch the game.
When Mike and the Medford team entered the stadium, they were greeted by a wave of scrutiny and murmurs from the crowd.
"We are officially famous..." Sensing the intensity of the gaze from the stands, Georgie's face lit up with surprise and delight.
Indeed, following last week's color front-page feature of Mike and the team, the rest of the Medford squad had entered the public consciousness.
Whether the attention was skepticism, curiosity, or disdain, simply being the focal point felt, on the whole, quite gratifying.
"Focus up! West Deck's capabilities are formidable. Do not get complacent." Unlike his players, who were floating on clouds of vanity, Coach George's expression was dead serious.
Clearly, the failure to secure the match against Houston High had lit a fire in the head coach's belly.
He needed to prove a point...
Anything Houston can beat, Medford can beat too.
"Coach George, gentlemen, we meet again." Once the team was assembled, reporter Jack arrived with his two assistants.
For the newspaper, the opponent didn't matter as much as the outcome. As long as Medford kept winning, "Project Star Maker" and the poster sales would proceed without friction.
Following standard procedure, Jack took several close-up shots of Mike and his teammates on the field.
"Coach George, can you share your analysis of the Houston High football team?" After snapping the photos, Jack approached the head coach.
Unlike previous interactions, now that a formal partnership existed, the newspaper had organized a specific pre-game interview for Medford.
"Project Star Maker" required a steady stream of content.
Furthermore, Jack's question was strategic. Bringing up the number-one-ranked Houston team was a calculated move to generate controversy and buzz for Medford.
"I've analyzed the broadcast data of Houston's games. They are undoubtedly a high-spec unit. However, I believe my players are statistically comparable..." Coach George, with his own ambitions in mind, appropriately displayed his competitive edge.
"Excellent quote." Jack quickly jotted down George's words.
After asking a few more technical football questions, he turned his lens to the protagonist of the day. "Mike, what is your projection for today's match? Are you confident in securing another victory?"
"Affirmative. While West Deck is a formidable opponent, the probability of victory ultimately favors Medford." Mike answered with supreme confidence.
"Well said. I'll be rooting for you. Good luck out there." Having collected the necessary data, Jack stepped back to let them prepare.
Under the scrutiny of the away crowd, Coach George began organizing the pre-game warm-ups.
---
"This sensation is optimal..." During warm-ups, Captain Aaron sighed with emotion.
Who could have predicted that Medford, a previously undistinguished team, would undergo such a metamorphosis in just one season?
Capability, fame... all variables were trending positively.
Seeing the team's trajectory, Aaron, who was about to graduate and leave the roster, felt a profound sense of satisfaction.
"Execute at maximum efficiency during the game. If the opportunity arises, I will facilitate your performance," Mike whispered a tip to Aaron.
"You..." Aaron noticed the scouts on the sidelines and understood Mike's intention immediately.
It had to be said that the newspaper's "Project Star Maker" had been highly successful thus far. While Mike was the primary beneficiary of the spotlight, his halo effect gave his teammates a chance to shine.
Consequently, solid players like Aaron and Sam had found their way onto the shortlists of several university scouts.
In essence, while the Medford players were statistically overshadowed by Mike, they were also fortunate beneficiaries of his presence.
Soon, the clock hit 10:00 AM, and the invitational commenced.
Coach George, fueled by his grudge, didn't underestimate the enemy. To mitigate risk, he deployed the Dual-Core strategy right from the first quarter.
As the league's runner-up, West Deck High was no pushover.
Even with Medford running the Dual-Core system, West Deck managed to secure a slight lead by the end of the first quarter.
Therefore, before the second quarter began, Coach George decided to initiate the "Star Player" protocol ahead of schedule.
As they took the field for the second quarter, Captain Aaron approached Mike and whispered, "Mike, give it everything. The victory is the priority variable..."
Medford had been slightly suppressed in the first quarter partly because Mike had been deliberately trying to create playmaking opportunities for Aaron.
But in competitive sports, the team's victory outweighed individual statistical padding.
"Understood." Mike nodded.
Possessing high confidence in his own specs, he didn't believe he would lose control of the game.
However, locking in the win early was the logical move.
From the start of the second quarter, Mike began to ramp up his output. Leading his teammates, he treated the audience to a spectacular display of offensive capability.
With a physique five times that of a normal human and professional-grade technique, a serious Mike could only be described as "unstoppable."
Under Mike's leadership and wave after wave of relentless offense, West Deck High gradually ceased meaningful resistance.
The disparity in power levels was too great; struggling was futile.
TWEET—
When the final whistle blew, the Medford players, having secured a victory with a significant point margin, hugged each other in excitement.
On the sidelines, the neutral spectators, witnessing the rise of a dark horse, gave Medford a round of enthusiastic applause.
Coach George, who had been suppressing his anxiety, leaped into the air and bear-hugged his assistant coach the moment the victory was confirmed.
---
"Mike! If you agree to commit to our university, we can arrange not only a tuition waiver but a full athletic scholarship..."
"Our institution offers the same package..."
After the celebration, as Mike was escorted to the sidelines by his teammates, a swarm of persistent scouts surrounded him once again.
"Apologies. As I have stated previously, I have no intention of accelerating my academic timeline to enter university..." Mike politely reiterated his stance.
Seeing his firm refusal, the scouts, while disappointed, shifted their sights to the other members of the Medford team.
This time, Captain Aaron, Sam, and others truly began to reap the dividends of Mike's success.
Of course, for Mike, "Project Star Maker" and the poster distribution deal now had a higher probability of success thanks to this victory.
Think about it: Medford, having defeated the state runner-up, could now be considered the "Uncrowned King."
And Mike, with his outstanding individual performance leading the team to victory, was about to solidify his title as a bona fide "Star Player."