[Cooper House]
[Touchdown for the Jackrabbits! First of the night and of this great final!] exclaimed Will, the main voice of the broadcast, as Long Beach Poly's offensive players raised their arms in celebration in the end zone.
The roar of the stadium filled the screen. The green and gold uniforms grouped together euphorically near the left pylon, while some Mater Dei defensive players could be seen frustrated.
[What a way to open the game, Dave,] Will continued, [First drive of the night, and Long Beach strikes first.]
[That's right, Will,] replied Dave, in an analytical tone, [A flawless offensive series. Twelve plays, more than seventy yards gained, and five minutes and two seconds taken off the clock. They went with what they do best: their ground offense. Short runs, clock control, and patience. No deep passes from Whitmer, just a couple of intermediate throws. A very well-executed drive.]
The cameras showed Mater Dei's coaches talking quickly on the sideline, adjusting formations.
[This is what Long Beach Poly wanted: a solid start, long possessions, and forcing the Monarchs' offense to respond under pressure,] added Dave.
[And look at this,] interrupted Will, surprise in his voice, [they're going for the two-point conversion!]
The stadium murmured with anticipation.
[Risky, but not that much,] commented Dave, [It makes sense. They know Mater Dei usually does it too. In fact, Pritchett has attempted two-point conversions on more than 80% of his touchdowns this season, and he rarely misses. If they want to keep up in the exchange, they need to match that aggressiveness.]
The camera focused on Whitmer, the Long Beach Poly quarterback, taking position under center. Clean snap, run fake, quick pass to the right corner: caught.
[Successful conversion!] shouted Will, [Eight to zero in favor of Long Beach Poly!]
George, from his seat, nodded with a coach's expression as he took a sip of his beer. "Good start, smart and controlling the clock. That's how you play a final."
Georgie beside him clicked his tongue. "They just got lucky starting first. And a drive that long? I almost fell asleep."
George looked at him and shook his head. "It's an average drive when you want to control time. Not every quarterback can move the ball with a few passes and score."
Georgie didn't answer. He just nodded slowly. Deep down, he didn't want Long Beach Poly to win. He wasn't a Mater Dei fan, nor a blind Andrew fan.
But he knew Andrew better from the videos he watched and from following his path through the Servite, Bosco, and Mission Viejo matchups. So if he had a preference for who he wanted to see as champion, it was Andrew.
Missy stood with her arms crossed, saying nothing, her brow slightly furrowed, focused on the television.
Sheldon, from his laptop, watched the broadcast with scientific calm, "An early disadvantage isn't decisive, but it puts the odds against them."
Mater Dei's return team entered the field and managed a return slightly below average. And that was when the cameras focused on number 19, adjusting his helmet as he entered the field.
Mater Dei's first offensive series was about to begin.
[First offensive series for the Monarchs,] Dave continued, [And let's see how Pritchett responds after that long drive from Poly.]
The crowd roared as Andrew took the snap. The first passes were quick, efficient, and Mater Dei moved down the field rapidly.
But at the three-minute mark of the drive, the first hit came.
[Sacked!] exclaimed Will, raising his tone, [First sack of the night for Long Beach Poly's defense, and none other than Corey Waller, their defensive leader, a four-star recruit with offers from USC, UCLA, Arizona, among others.]
[Great play by Waller,] said Dave, [Pritchett-Tucker averages fewer than two sacks per game, and they've already gotten to him in the opening minutes. That speaks very well of Poly's defensive line, which is establishing physical presence from the start.]
The play left an emotional blow on the Monarchs.
After that sack, Mater Dei's offense lost rhythm: a deflected pass, another incomplete, and a run attempt stopped at the line. Which forced them to go for a field goal, otherwise they would have risked losing possession and coming away with no points.
[Mater Dei gets their first points, but still trails on the scoreboard: 8 to 3, advantage Long Beach Poly.]
The camera focused on the stands: Poly fans were celebrating as if it were a touchdown. Screams, applause, green flags waving.
They know what it means: stopping an Andrew drive is not something that happens every game.
[This is a rarity. Mater Dei, who averages more than five touchdowns per game, usually finishes their drives with one. Although it's not the first time they start behind and later fix it. We'll see…] commented Dave.
[It is. Poly's defense just sent a clear message: it won't be easy to score on them tonight,] added Will, while the cameras showed, in another section of the stadium, Mater Dei fans trying to recover. They clapped, waved their flags, and were led by the cheerleaders, trying to give the team some energy back.
Then, the camera focused for a few seconds on Andrew, sitting on the bench next to his offensive coordinator, reviewing the play tablet. His expression remained calm, with no signs of frustration or anxiety.
"He doesn't even look nervous," murmured Missy, surprised.
Sheldon, from the laptop, intervened with his usual tone of superiority, "It is to be expected, although I understand that for you it may be difficult to grasp, sister. Geniuses, in any area of specialization, do not interpret an early setback as an emotional blow, but as a variable to be corrected."
Missy stared at him in silence for a second. Then she moved the cursor on the laptop and tapped the microphone icon.
"And how about you process this as a muted variable?" she said, leaving him muted.
Georgie burst out laughing, "Nice one, Missy. Don't let him insult you in a fancy way with his hard-to-understand words."
"Please… don't mute your brother," said Mary, shaking her head, while Sheldon kept moving his mouth, surely complaining that they had muted him and violated one of his rights, the right to freedom of speech.
The game continued. Long Beach Poly got the ball back for their second offensive drive, with 8:02 on the clock.
A series that, by its rhythm and style, promised to drain the final minutes of the first quarter. However, what was expected to be a slow advance turned into a direct hit.
Barely two minutes in, quarterback Whitmer surprised everyone with a deep pass of about thirty yards, taking advantage of a blown coverage by the Mater Dei defense.
The receiver caught the ball uncontested and ran straight into the end zone.
The stadium erupted.
[Touchdown for Long Beach Poly!] shouted Will on the broadcast, [Incredible passing play that catches the Monarchs' defense off guard and extends the Jackrabbits' lead!]
The kick was good.
Score: Long Beach Poly 15 – Mater Dei 3.
The Cooper living room went silent. Only the voices of the commentators and the stadium noise could be heard, with Poly's players celebrating while the cameras showed the roaring crowd.
On the laptop, Sheldon kept moving his lips, probably explaining some statistical pattern or a theory about crowd psychology, but Missy still hadn't unmuted him.
"Seriously?" murmured Georgie, unable to believe the score. It was the first time he had seen, in nationally broadcasted games, Mater Dei down by twelve points.
With only two minutes left in the quarter, the Monarchs went back on offense.
Andrew led another quick offensive series, moving the ball with determination. The initial passes were precise, and Mater Dei advanced smoothly, until the same problem appeared again.
The offensive line held for less than four seconds before collapsing.
Andrew dodged one pressure, then a second, but not the third.
[Sacked again!] shouted Will, [Second sack of the night for Poly's defense. And pay attention, because both came in the same quarter.]
The stadium shook with the cheers of fans in green and gold.
[Incredible what we're seeing, Dave,] added Will, [Two sacks on Pritchett in a single quarter. At this pace, Cody Waller could become the player who has sacked Pritchett the most. He's one away from tying the current record: Troy Niklas from Servite with three.]
[Mater Dei's offensive line is wobbling,] explained Dave, [Less than three seconds of protection on average. Poly is winning the physical and mental battle.]
The drive stalled, incomplete passes, Mater Dei receivers missing catches by mere inches, losing down after down.
Georgie ran a hand through his hair, frustrated. "Come on, man! That pass was perfect… What's wrong with the receivers? In previous games they were catching harder throws and today they've got butter on their hands."
"That's what a final does, especially for Mater Dei, who hasn't reached one in eight years…" commented George.
Once again, Mater Dei had to settle for a field-goal attempt. The kick was clean, going straight down the middle.
[And it's good,] announced Will, [Mater Dei adds three more. Score is 15 to 6.]
The clock signaled the end of the first quarter.
"No way…" murmured Georgie.
Missy was biting her nails, her frown deeper.
Even Mary forgot to unmute Sheldon. Although Mater Dei was a far-off school with no real connection to them, watching their nationally televised Friday-night games had practically become a Cooper family tradition.
The Coopers were Monarchs supporters.
[Probably no one expected this,] said Will, [Cody Whitmer: two touchdowns. Andrew Pritchett-Tucker: zero. And Mater Dei heading into the first-quarter break down by nine.]
[And that last note is important, Will,] added Dave, [It's the first time all season that Mater Dei ends a quarter trailing. And not just any deficit: nine points. That's considerable for a team that had been steamrolling everyone.]
In the living room, Georgie grabbed his phone and opened Twitter. "Let's see what people are saying," he muttered, half curious, half annoyed.
His expression shifted quickly as he began reading aloud to give his family context:
"This is how finals are played, Long Beach putting on a clinic."
"Mater Dei choking in the final, expected."
"Ten years without winning a final and it shows."
"Poly is Poly, these kids know what it means to play for the title."
"'Where's the Jesus Christ of football? Missing,' laughing emoji," Georgie said, huffing and puffing, with no more desire to read to the rats who finally saw an opportunity to leave the cave.
George Sr. glanced at him without fully taking his eyes off the TV. "Ignore them, son. People talk just to talk. It's only the first quarter."
Missy huffed, crossing her arms. "Yeah, but if Mater Dei doesn't respond soon, the whole internet is going to come for them."
Mary, trying to keep the family's spirits up, said, "There's still a lot of game left. They'll find a way."
The living room fell silent for a few seconds, only the stadium ambience filling the space.
Finally, Georgie murmured, "I don't get why we take this so seriously,"
George said, "I guess it's just habit. This is the fourth Mater Dei game we've watched on a Friday."
There were no other football games to watch on Fridays, since the NFL and College were on Saturdays and Sundays. And in Texas it was nine at night, so George could watch the games, he had already finished the games with his own school.
Mary nodded, "Yes, and they're the only team we really know. Their games are the ones broadcast nationally. The others, we only know their names."
Georgie nodded, it all made sense. "Plus, I like Andrew. In his videos I noticed in the way he talks a slight accent that sounds almost Texan…" he said with a thoughtful expression.
Missy turned her head quickly and looked at him with curiosity. "You noticed too? I thought it was just me."
"I heard it in some training videos I watched…" said Georgie, nodding, but then a grin formed on his face. "Wow, I thought you weren't a fan, but look at you."
Missy frowned, but the voice of the announcer kept her from starting a pointless argument with Georgie.
[Second quarter begins,] announced Will, [The Jackrabbits go on the attack with the chance to extend their lead even more, and for Cody to score his third touchdown of the night, which would make him the clear candidate for Final MVP.]
'Am I forgetting something?' Mary thought.
She shook her head and refocused on the TV just as the second quarter began.
…
In one of the dorm rooms at the California Institute of Technology, Sheldon was in front of his laptop, moving his hands frantically in front of the camera.
His face was turning red with frustration as he spoke without anyone hearing him.
Finally, he yelled, looking up at the ceiling, "Mooother! Why am I still muted!?"
...
Back in the Cooper house, the second quarter moved on.
Long Beach Poly opened their third drive of the game with intentions of controlling the tempo, but this time Mater Dei's defense looked much stronger.
For three minutes, the Jackrabbits tried to move the ball with short runs and a couple of mid-range passes, but Mater Dei's defense finally reacted.
The defensive line adapted to Poly's physical pace, closing gaps and forcing mistakes in their routes.
At three and a half minutes in, a stop on third down left Poly unable to advance and forced the team into their first punt of the game.
The punt, a long kick from their own 30-yard line, traveled high and deep, going over sixty yards.
[Finally some good news for Mater Dei's defense!] exclaimed Will enthusiastically, [And their fans know it! Look at how they're celebrating in the stands.]
[Exactly, Will,] added Dave, [The defensive coaches can take a breather. Great read and adjustment after the first-quarter break.]
[Ball on the Monarchs' eight-yard line,] he continued, [That means Mater Dei's offense will have to march ninety-two yards if they want to reach the end zone. A long distance, but this might be the opportunity to get back in the game.]
The cameras focused on Andrew putting on his helmet, adjusting his mouthguard, and running onto the field with his teammates.
[Tough task ahead for the Mater Dei quarterback,] commented Will, [Ninety-two yards, the entire field, and California's most physical defense waiting for him.]
"This is where a cool head is tested. There's no margin for error on a drive like this," said George, leaning slightly forward with his eyes fixed on the screen.
"Yeah," Georgie agreed, "He can't miss. Even if he has to slow the pace, he has to do it."
George smiled faintly and patted him on the shoulder. "Good read, son. It's not always about quick drives and spectacular plays. He has to use his head, read the field, and avoid mistakes. Speed isn't the key, finishing in a touchdown is."
On the screen they showed Andrew getting set, he was heard yelling, and the ball was snapped into his hands, [Clean snap,] narrated Will, [the ball goes into Pritchett-Tucker's hands… he drops back… good protection from the offensive line.]
The camera followed Andrew as he scanned the field, three seconds, then four, until he finally lifted his arm and released the ball.
[He throws!] exclaimed Will, and immediately his tone shifted to surprise, [Oh, look at this! This is not a normal pass… it's deep! Very deep!]
The ball soared incredibly high, cutting through the air in a perfect trajectory.
[Long deep pass toward his receiver: Victor Blackwell!] shouted Will, [He caught it! He catches it at the fifteen-yard line and keeps running!]
The stands exploded.
Blackwell ran the final yards uncontested, full speed, without even looking back, and dove into the end zone.
[TOUCHDOWN FOR THE MONARCHS!] roared Will, [A single ninety-two-yard play! Seventy yards through the air?! Maybe more? Incredible! He's something else!]
The stadium fell silent for an instant, and then erupted in a deafening roar.
Mater Dei players sprinted toward Victor, who celebrated wildly with his arms raised as the cameras weaved through hugs and shouts.
In the middle of the chaos, the broadcast focused on Andrew walking at a steady pace, seen making a calming hand gesture.
[Eight seconds of possession, one single play, and Mater Dei is back in the game,] said Dave, incredulous, [What this kid just did is absolutely historic.]
Dave continued commenting as the replay unfolded in slow motion: the ball leaving Andrew's hands, spinning like a perfect bullet, crossing the entire field.
[We still don't have the exact number,] he said in a reserved tone, [but that throw from Pritchett clearly exceeds seventy yards in the air. And if we count the fifteen Blackwell ran afterward, we're talking about a total play of ninety-two yards.]
Meanwhile, on the field, Mater Dei lined up for the two-point conversion. The stadium noise was overwhelming.
[The national high school record belongs to Ryan Mallet in 2006, who reached seventy-six yards in an official game. Mater Dei had to go ninety-two yards, fifteen of which Blackwell covered, which means the pass could have reached seventy-seven yards through the air. Of course, this will have to be confirmed later, when analysts review the footage frame by frame.]
[Attention!] interrupted Will, raising his tone, [Mater Dei is going for two, staying true to their style. Pritchett-Tucker takes the snap, fakes the pass… he keeps it himself up the middle!]
The stadium roared again.
[Conversion is good!] shouted Will, [Resurrection of the Monarchs, now down by just one point!]
The camera showed the scoreboard updating: Long Beach Poly 15 – Mater Dei 14
In the Cooper house, silence lasted a few seconds. Only the sound of everyone's held breath filled the room as the replay continued on screen.
Finally, Georgie broke the silence, eyes wide open. "What the hell? Is he insane? No one in their right mind attempts a pass that deep from their own end. That could've failed or worse, ended in an interception," he said, laughing between being thrilled and in shock.
George stared at the TV with his mouth slightly open, not blinking, very few things could surprise him like this.
"Holy smokes…" he murmured finally, "A minute ago I said he needed to play smart, and he goes and throws the riskiest pass of the year."
Missy exhaled, eyes glued to the replay, the ball spinning perfectly. "Whoa…"
George leaned back against the couch, shaking his head slowly, still in awe. "Well… I guess that's what geniuses do. They break the rules and still make it work."
Georgie let out a nervous laugh, shaking his head. "Yeah, but if something like that goes wrong, he ends up looking like the biggest idiot in the country."
Missy interrupted him, smiling faintly, "But it didn't."
The stadium was still vibrating as Long Beach Poly returned to the field, visibly shaken. The players lined up, fully aware they had just taken a heavy blow.
[We'll see how the Jackrabbits respond after that historic pass,] said Will, [It's not easy to get back into rhythm after giving up an eight-second touchdown.]
The first minutes of the new drive looked similar to before, but with more mistakes.
[They've lost a bit of rhythm, Dave, you can see it in their body language,] commented Will.
[Absolutely. Plays like that change the psychology of a game. Poly is trying to recover, but Mater Dei pushed them backward mentally,] added Dave.
Even so, after four minutes of sustained play, Long Beach Poly managed a field goal, certainly not ideal, but three points are three points, and in a game like this, they can make all the difference.
[The kick is good! Right down the middle, and with that, the Jackrabbits slightly extend their lead: 18 to 14.]
A little more than four minutes remained before halftime, and after the return, the ball went back to Andrew.
[We'll see if Pritchett can maintain the rhythm after that masterpiece,] said Dave.
Mater Dei took possession from their own 25-yard line.
This time, Andrew didn't look for the deep pass. The offense moved with precision: short throws, quick reads, and no time for Poly's defense to react.
The clock kept running, and the Monarchs didn't slow down. With only twenty seconds left in the quarter, Mater Dei was at the opposing 20-yard line.
The snap was clean. Andrew dropped back, but the pocket collapsed. Two defenders broke through the line, and the first to arrive was the same one who had sacked him twice earlier: Corey Waller, Poly's defensive leader.
[Waller going for the third sack!] shouted Will.
"Dodge or throw, hurry!" said Georgie, getting up from the couch.
Andrew spun, avoided the first tackle attempt, and burst into a run. The entire stadium rose as one, knowing this was turning into a scramble.
However, Waller did not give up, he tried to reach him from the side, but Andrew stopped him cold with a brutal stiff arm to the chest that sent him to the turf.
[He sent him to the ground with a devastating stiff arm! Pritchett stays on his feet and keeps running!] yelled Will.
Andrew dodged a second defender with a spin move, broke another tackle at the five-yard line, and dove headfirst into the end zone.
[Touchdown Mater Dei! Incredible! Pritchett again!] roared Will.
[A successful eight-second drive earlier and now a twenty-yard run evading four defenders… You wanted him? Here he is,] said Dave.
"Yes! Now we're playing, baby!" said Georgie, clapping with a wide smile as he jumped up from the couch.
Missy smiled beside him, "I liked how he threw that defender, the one who sacked him earlier, to the floor. He deserved."
Mary looked at her, amused, "Sweetie, he's just doing his job, but yes, that was an amazing play."
Mater Dei lined up for the two-point conversion, and it was successful.
The scoreboard changed instantly: Mater Dei 22 - Long Beach Poly 18.
[And with that, the second quarter ends,] added Will, as the teams headed to the locker rooms and halftime began.
[From being down nine at the end of the first, Mater Dei closes the first half with a four-point lead. Bravo, Monarchs, for the comeback, and bravo, Andrew Pritchett-Tucker.]
"This just got good!" said Georgie, standing up and heading off to get a snack.
"I'm going to the bathroom," said George, getting up as well.
Missy leaned back on the sofa, pulling out her phone and opening social media.
Mary, who was also about to stand up, laid eyes on the laptop facing the television. "Shelly!" she murmured, remembering that her genius son was still muted.
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