Chương 17: NHSAA World Series

The sun was a blazing ball of fire high in the sky, casting a warm and golden glow over the baseball field. The freshly cut grass was a vibrant green, and the sweet scent of it filled the air, adding to the already blood-pumping atmosphere.

As the group of players gathered by the baseline on the right field, a sense of anticipation and excitement filled the air. The silence was palpable as if everyone was holding their breath, as there were five lines, each filled with about five or six people, all eager to begin the day's training. Rei stood confidently in front of them, with no emotions on his face as they all waited for the coaches to arrive.

Rei saw that there were four coaches in total, all with unique features.

"Rei, I'm Head Coach Nico Helios, why don't you introduce yourself."

Rei looked at Coach Helios intently, he noticed he was a tall, muscular young man with a chiseled jawline and sharp features. A long messy wolf cut with blue streaks at the end of his hair complemented his rugged appearance. Coach Helios also had piercing violet eyes which were one of his most notable features, as they exude a sense of intensity and focus that perfectly matches his driven personality.

"Hello Coach Helios," Rei then turned back to the team, "My name is Rei Kitsune, son of Ryuu Kitsune, and Mizuki Ayame. The younger brother of Noaki Kitsune, I play pitcher and shortstop," His face remained emotionless, as the moment he replied, it was as if the air around them had suddenly changed.

His words were strong and cold, like a winter chill that had descended upon them. Everyone could feel the temperature drop, and a chill ran through their bodies as goosebumps rose on their skin. His voice was low and menacing, sending shivers down everyone's spine. The words he spoke were sharp and cutting, each one like a dagger piercing their heart mercilessly.

It was as if he had unleashed a snowstorm, the wind was howling aggressively and the snow was pounding down on them. They could feel the weight of his words, heavy and oppressive, crushing their spirit.

The world surrounding him seemed to fade away, leaving only a single boy in a bubble of icy silence, where he reigned as king. Everyone's breath came out in shallow gasps, and they could feel their heart pounding in their chests.

The way he looked at them with those cold, hard eyes, the way he spoke with such venom in his voice, it was as if he had become a different person, as the chill in the air grew stronger.

"You have a good attitude, you can put the fear of god in their hearts with your gaze and aura which is a good thing," Coach Helios nodded solemnly, pointing toward the coaches next to him.

"This is Coach Tatum, he will be your pitching coach and he is also the first base coach, the one next to him is Coach Elliot, the bullpen coach, the one on the end is Coach Itoshi, he is the running coach, and third base coach."

"Hello," Rei spoke his voice still cold as ice.

The three coaches nodded in acknowledgment.

"Since introductions are done, then let's get to the essential parts. In two months we officially start the season, with the Diamond Classic Tournament, they already set the brackets so we have our first opponent Hillside High School and a week after we start our league play."

Coach Helios studied everyone's expression, seeing how they were all calm, he nodded, before continuing.

"So we have two months to prepare, in two weeks we have an intrasquad game against JV, so we'll run everything from hitting to situational awareness drills. Then after the intrasquad game, we would still have one and a half months left, and we will then have four teams from different regions, who we would usually see in at the NHSAA High School World series for practice games. As you know, but for Rei, I'll go over the NHSAA High School World Series once more."

"The High School World Series is the same as the NCAA College World Series, and the actual World Series from the big leagues. It's set up by NHSAA, the National High School Atheltic Association, it serves the same purpose as the NCAA but for high school athletes.

The NHSAA Men's High School World Series is one of the most prestigious events in high school sports. It features the top eight teams in the country, battling it out for the national championship. However, not every high school is eligible to participate in the tournament. To qualify for the NHSAA Men's High School World Series, a high school must first compete in the NHSAA Division I Baseball Championship. This championship consists of 64 teams, which are selected by a committee based on their overall record, the strength of schedules, and other factors.

The 64 teams are then divided into 16 regional brackets, with four teams in each bracket. These brackets are played in a double-elimination format, with the winner of each bracket advancing to the Super Regional round. The Super Regional round is a best-of-three series, with the winner of each series advancing to the High School World Series.

Once the eight teams have been determined, they are divided into two four-team brackets. Each team plays a double-elimination format within their own bracket, with the winner of each bracket advancing to the championship series. The championship is a best-of-three series, with the winner crowned the national champion."