JJ didn't join them, not yet. Coach Long wanted to see how the offence would do with the addition of Cameron, and a bigger focus on pounding the rock before he added him to the mix.
The Cobras had apparently done their homework, a diligent team, as they added an extra Lineman to the fold, and bunched three together close in the centre, leaving the Maclin brothers at the edges, still.
However, Cameron was unfazed and undeterred. The Dons knew their plan, and they stuck to their guns. Jay handed the ball off up the middle, and Cameron ploughed ahead, leading the way for his team as they pushed through the Cobras defence right into their heart.
The Cobras, as prepared as they were, didn't have the weight nor strength to contend with the Dons, and Cameron smashed through them for the best run of the day, earning 7 yards on the ground before he tumbled over.
The Dons rallied around him, helping him back to his feet, and preparing themselves for the next charge. With the crowd behind them, it didn't matter JJ wasn't on the field; Cameron was a big enough engine on his own.
The Dons kept pounding that rock, and Cameron kept forcing the Cobras back, smashing his way through their Line for chunks of yardage, picking up at least 5 every time he touched the ball.
The Cobras crowded the Line further, and even moved Jeremy Maclin away from the edge and to the centre. Undaunted, Cameron charged ahead, and finally met a wall that could withstand him. He fell after only a yard.
It'd taken until the Dons had already passed half-field, but the Cobras finally halted their advance … and then JJ entered the fray.
Despite their recent shortcoming, JJ's presence kept the Dons' energy at an all-time high; they knew good things would come if they followed him. He'd never lead them astray.
Jeremy Maclin still stood in the centre of the Cobras' D-Line, holding down the fort as the Dons prepared for another charge. The game had undergone a rapid and complete transformation from what it was in the first quarter. Instead of a battle of speed, now it was a war of the trenches, with either side determined not to lose an inch. Yet somebody had to.
The ball was snapped, and JJ surged forward, leading the way for Cameron. He hammered through the Line, and met Jeremy head-on, bowling him over. Cameron was right behind him, and together, the two had their best run of the day, churning up the turf for 11 yards before Cameron was tripped up.
How quickly a stalemate could be broken. The Dons looked unstoppable, and the Cobras, conversely, looked powerless. That wasn't to say they gave up, they just couldn't withstand the Dons' onslaught. Even as Immanuel joined his brother in the centre, they could only slow Cameron and the Dons' charge, not stop it, and the Dons drew ever closer to the end-zone.
With their backs against the wall, the Cobras prepared their final stand. Everyone knew where the ball would go, though DBs couldn't abandon their Receivers on the off-chance the Dons pulled a fast one and tried a quick pass down on the goal-line. It'd come down to the Maclin brothers versus Cameron and JJ's onslaught.
Jay handed the ball over right after the snap. JJ surged ahead as Cameron secured the ball, tucking it tight against his chest, and followed behind. They carved through the Line together, JJ hit Immanuel head on, and Cameron Jeremy, ploughing through him and beyond, falling over a yard after him, landing in the end-zone; touchdown Dons.
The crowd was ecstatic! To have witnessed such a hard-fought battle full of heart, was exactly why they loved the sport. JJ and Cameron were lauded as heroes as the Dons celebrated, slowly making their way off the field with those two at the heart of their jumping, jubilant mass.
The Cobras were slower to leave the field. They were shell-shocked; it was the first time all season they'd trailed. The Dons' coaches watched with tempered anticipation. A squad who hadn't been challenged, could be mentally fragile. Hopefully, such a crack would give the Dons the opportunity to blow the game wide open.
Yet even as the extra-point was successful and the lead was pushed out to 7–0, there was one Cobra who wasn't at all worried—Colby Jenkins. They were in unfamiliar territory, yes, but he didn't think it mattered, even if the Dons' drive drained eight minutes from the clock. The Dons weren't an offensive powerhouse, their strength lay in their defence. So if the Cobras overcame that defence, Colby had total faith the Cobras' defence would regroup and hold the Dons down.
After the kickoff resulted in a touchback, Colby led the Cobras' offence back onto the field. He glanced towards Richaun; his plan should work, though it still relied on Richaun carrying his own weight.
"The gap between them can't be so far apart it's insurmountable."
Ty swaggered onto the field, taking his mark opposite Richaun. The smug confidence in the snake's grin was unmistakable.
'I'm glad you've finally accepted your position as second-best,' Ty said, giving Richaun a round of sarcastic applause.
Richaun laughed, a jarring noise that narrowed Ty's eyes. 'The only one who's second-best here is you, nigga. You ain't shit compared to me. Imma prove it right now.'
The ball was snapped, and spear met snake. Shoving away from each other, Richaun and Ty raced down the sideline. Ty knew the ball was coming their way, it had to be. The Cobras might've had some early success elsewhere, but Coach Hoang would find whatever adjustments needed to be made, and the rest of the defence would step up in response; if the Cobras wanted to win, it'd have to be done by beating Ty. He'd prove there wasn't a Receiver on his level.
Richaun veered to the outside. Ty followed, backpedalling, watching Colby as a flurry of movement obfuscated the QB. O-Lineman were desperate to fend off the four frenzied Dons rushing Colby. Donte led the chase, though was sent wide.
Richaun cut inside, swiping back across Ty's vision. He looked back to Colby as well, and once again Ty's eyes were drawn there. Colby had cocked back, ready to throw. Ty bit, and Richaun burst past him on a cut upfield.
A pump-fake. Ty hadn't seen Colby's feet during the chaos, hadn't remembered to look—if that would've even helped.
Richaun slapped Ty's hands away, not even giving him a chance to hold on, before he broke into the free field beyond. Zayden scrambled over but he wouldn't be anywhere close to disrupting the pass Colby lobbed over after reloading.
Ty still gave chase, but even he wasn't in range to deflect the ball, nor could he reach Richaun when he made the catch in stride, racing down the sideline. Zayden closed in, looking to shove Richaun over the sideline. Richaun cut back infield, one foot stopping just inches from touching the boundary as he kicked past Zayden and continued his sprint towards the end-zone. But the move slowed him, and that gave Ty the opening he needed to tackle him from behind, dragging him to the ground and shoving his face into the turf.
Yet the damage was already done. Richaun had gained 27 yards with his first catch of the day. He sprung back to his feet, rounding on Ty with the epitome of a shit-eating grin.
'I told you, nigga.'
'One lucky catch doesn't change shit.'
'Get your little bitch-ass off my field.'
'This is MY house.'
'You ain't ready for this shit.'
'I'll ruin you, I promise!'
The few seconds before officials intervened and separated Richaun and Ty were filled with trash-talk. Neither boy really listened to what the other said, just barrelled right over their words with their own.
Boos filled the air. Some were targeted at Richaun, but most were for Ty, blaming Richaun's success on his failure. Thankfully, the wall of noise swallowed any actual words that were said, so no jeers—no matter how fiercely shouted—ever reached Ty's ears, but neither did the few cheers reach Richaun's.
As Ty returned to the Dons' huddle, he chided himself, giving his helmet a few slaps to clear his head. He wasn't THINKING. He needed to be, and thinking clearly at that. The signs were there, he just had to actually look for them and not get tricked by the simplest shit. He apologised to the other Dons, but they told him not to sweat it; it wasn't a big deal, and they knew he'd make up for it.
The Cobras looked to capitalise on their new momentum, breaking their huddle and moving up to the Line quickly. Richaun and Ty's jaw-jacking continued before the snap, the animosity spreading around them.
Colby took the ball, and his eyes locked straight onto Richaun, watching him hand-fight with Ty as he pushed through the press and reached his mark. Again, Richaun cut inside, and again Colby cocked his arm back to throw. That time it wasn't a pump-fake. The hope was Ty would be hesitant, scared of another pump. They didn't know Ty well.
It was still a fierce cut, and one that gave Richaun some space, but even with the bullet pass, that little gap wasn't enough to keep Ty out, and there was no hesitation as he pounced on the pass and swatted it down.
Ty rolled to his feet, glaring at Richaun. 'One fluke catch doesn't change the fact you can't beat me, bitch.'
When Richaun stepped forward, murderous intent clear on his face, JJ was there to get between him and Ty. More Dons came to Ty's side, yet the only Cobra that stepped up for Richaun pulled him away from the confrontation and towards the huddle.
Even with Ty getting the upper hand over Richaun, the crowd was still booing loud enough to drown out what little cheers there were. Most there wouldn't be happy until the game completely passed both Ty and Richaun by.
After a brief huddle, both teams came together for the next play. All kept a silent focus except for Ty and Richaun. 'Only fluke here is you, nigga,' Richaun spat.
'Prove it, bitch,' Ty responded.
Their insults continued until the snap. Richaun went for Ty's throat again, but Ty slapped the strike aside as they raced down the sideline. Richaun lowered his shoulder into Ty's chest and bumped him slightly before twisting back towards the Line. Ty braced himself, and glanced towards Colby. Arm back, but both feet still on the ground—pump-fake. Ty held his ground, and was ready when Richaun cut back upfield, smothering his Stop 'n' Go route completely.
Colby threw the ball away, frustration evident. Just when he'd thought he'd found the answer, Ty threw it back in his face … but he'd seen SOMETHING. He was close, he knew it. He just needed more time to think about it.
Yet facing third down, time wasn't in surplus for the Cobras. Still, Colby was unfazed. Panic hadn't set into the rest of the team either, though there were a few worried looks at the scoreboard; if the Cobras couldn't answer the Dons' touchdown, and the Dons pushed their lead out to two possessions on the next drive … a foreign nightmare like that was best not to think about lest you unintentionally manifest it.
Both teams took their formations again. Richaun was back to glaring at Colby pre-snap; the repeated failures had to be his fault. After the snap, Colby glanced Richaun's way, and then never again for the rest of that play.
His eyes flicked across Dominick as he streaked through the middle with a Vertical. Looking further, Colby settled on Lamar who cut free from Deshaun on a Cross towards the middle of the field. He flicked the ball over, hitting the Receiver in stride, as Deshaun was just finger tips away from snagging Lamar's jersey.
Lamar darted up across the first-down marker before JJ lunged and clipped his ankle, tripping him after a gain of 12.
Deshaun cursed himself as he helped JJ back to his feet, but JJ clapped him on the back, smiling brightly. 'Relax, hermano. We got this.'
Still, Deshaun apologised when the Dons huddled together. Surprisingly, Ty was the one who told him not to worry about it. 'Just keep it together,' Ty added. 'I'll keep locking down Richaun, you guys will clean up the rest, I know it.'
Deshaun shook his head. 'Hah! Look at this freshy thinking he's a leader now.' But everyone, including Deshaun and Ty, were all laughs and smiles. 'Let's get this shit.'
In the opposing huddle, Colby put his head together with Richaun's. 'I've got another idea regarding our Tyrese problem.'
'It's always these fuckin' ideas with you! Anything to save yourself from havin' to throw a decent pass for once.'
Colby groaned. This fucking idiot couldn't ever think beyond overpowering his opponents through his raw physical talents. If he started regularly using what was in that thick skull of his, maybe he'd leap frog Kentavious Rice Jr. and become number one.
'Just trust me on this. It's still up to you to beat him, so it won't be like I'm doing it for you, I'm just giving you a tip from what I can see.'
Richaun snorted, but lent Colby his ear and listened to the new plan.
As the teams lined up in formation again, Colby gazed at Ty. Was he right? He'd have to watch closely, but he still had confidence in his own skills to keep the ball out of harm's way even if his read about Ty's weakness was off again.
Richaun was uncharacteristically silent, staring down Ty but holding his tongue, even as Ty verbally poked and prodded him. Then the ball was snapped, and all seemed the same for a moment.
The fight at the line was fast and vicious, but even so neither Ty nor Richaun really benefited from it. Then came Richaun's move. He feinted outside, but that wasn't what gave Ty alarm. It was his exaggerated movements. His feet were still quick and sharp, but his swiping hands and swinging arms, they were wide and less forceful. Ty almost flinched when Richaun's hand came within inches of his helmet, but it merely passed by without actually striking him.
Richaun's real cut was inside, and again it came with those excessive hand-movements passing across Ty's face for a moment. On that such occasion, the ball appeared in the air after Richaun's hand passed out of Ty's vision. Shocked, Ty was slow to react, and the ball was already upon them by the time he dived across, reaching past Richaun—who had twisted around to catch the ball in his outstretched arms—to swat it away. Ty missed.
He crashed to the ground, as Richaun turned and burst upfield, ball tucked under his arm; Zayden stood as the last line of defence. Ty picked himself up and gave chase, but even if Zayden slowed Richaun, he wouldn't be able to catch back up. There just wasn't enough field left for such a long rundown.
Richaun ran freely, cutting back outside, angling towards the pylon to put more distance between himself and Zayden, who shepherded Richaun closer towards the sideline, and eventually dragged him to the ground when the Cobra tried to cut back inside like he did on his previous reception.
Whilst Zayden's tackle saved a touchdown, it was still another gain of over 20 yards, and one that brought the Cobras into the red-zone.
With a possible touchdown looming large on the near horizon, some cheers were actually audible through the wave of boos that came from every other corner of the crowd. The Cobras hurried across the field, rallying around Richaun. Of course their star shined brighter than the Dons'; their grins proclaimed they'd never doubted him for a second, regardless of whatever scowls they'd sent his way earlier.
No grin was bigger than Colby's, not even Richaun's own. His plan had worked, at least for one play, though he was confident this one would survive longer than the pump-fakes had.
Ty, like any good DB, was a predator; there's a reason why many such players were labelled as "ball hawks". A hawk could make a meal out of a cobra any time it wanted. Predators love to track their prey with their eyes, and not many had better eyesight than a hawk. Therein lied the problem. If you could take away such a piercing eyesight, even for a split second, the hawk would be helpless, and a quick cobra could dart into the blindspot and give the hawk a fatal wound. All Colby had to do, was strike in the moment Richaun created a blindspot in Ty's near all-encompassing vision.
Ty was the one who stood silent as Richaun berated him before the snap. CBs had the hardest job of all on the gridiron. Like gladiators, their performance took place on a knife's edge. One wrong move—a single misstep—and a dominating victory could crumble into a crushing defeat.
Colby called for the snap, sparking the field into an explosion of movement. He dropped back, eyes elevated along the field, watching, waiting … and then handed the ball off.
The RB shot up through the middle on the Draw play, squeezing through a gap on the inside of the Line and diving ahead for 5 yards. A strong run, one that caught the Dons on the back foot after so many passing plays; the Cobras could still bite quick and just as fiercely.
The run brought them within 10 yards of the end-zone. Less than 10 yards stood between the Cobras and a tie game. The Dons were running out of room to make their last stand. Colby wanted to send them tumbling over the edge with one decisive play.
A run wouldn't do, it had to be a pass, and if they wanted to wrestle back full control of the momentum, there was only one person they could beat to accomplish that.
Ty and Richaun stood face to face, almost butting heads across the Line. Ty wasn't backing down, he couldn't. A cornered animal was liable to lash out, but Richaun and Colby knew that better than most.
'You had your fun in the first quarter but it's my time now,' Richaun said. His grin hadn't gone down since his second catch. 'Imma dominate all y'all and show everyone why I'm the real number one.'
'In your fucking dreams,' Ty snarled.
Richaun moved so fast he would've been called for a false start in a sprint. His bite reached Ty before the spear could answer the blow, taking power away from Ty's retaliation. Richaun pushed inside, sprinting towards the end-zone, towards glory and redemption.
The loss at the Line made it so Ty was lagging a half-step. Still, he could recover even with the short field. Richaun cut inside, hand swiping across Ty's vision again. Just before it eclipsed his eyesight fully, Ty saw Colby pulling back for a pass. All the Cobras would need was a short, quick catch and the touchdown would be theirs. Ty darted across to intercept, just as he saw Colby's foot was still on the ground.
Richaun cut back up, streaking to the back corner of the end-zone as Colby readjusted and lobbed the ball over. Ty tugged on Richaun's jersey, but Richaun burst ahead unimpeded; his cousins held him down much more ferociously in training.
Neither boy had eyes for the flag drifting through the air, only the ball. Ty leapt, but was too far back, the ball arcing just beyond his reach. It dropped into Richaun's arms as he extended up, then stretched back down, his toes tapping across the turf inches within the boundaries of the end-zone.
Touchdown Cobras. Cheers lanced through stunned boos as the game was quickly evened up at 7 all. Richaun stood tall and dominant. The second round had gone to him, and now it was Ty's turn to answer the count.