[177] The Championship Favorites

Chapter 177: The Championship Favorites

While Seidou High School's main team was preparing for their next match, and Eijun was refining his new weapon, the first-round matches involving teams who had drawn lots were all concluded.

For many of these teams, their Koshien journey ended in just one game, marking the conclusion of the summer dreams for hundreds of young players.

Following the end of the first-round matches, enthusiasts and analysts began speculating on this year's championship favorites.

Teams with established reputations nationwide or those who showcased outstanding performances in their first matches were quickly labeled as contenders for the championship, despite there being no official seed system in the Koshien tournament.

Even Asahi Shimbun, a major newspaper, published its unofficial power rankings of the teams in Koshien, categorizing them into tiers: the "first-tier" teams as the top championship contenders, followed by the second and third tiers.

This ranking sparked significant public interest and debate.

Unsurprisingly, Seidou High School, which emerged from the fiercely competitive West Tokyo region and crushed Nanagamari Tech  High in their first game, was ranked as a top-tier contender.

In particular, Furuya Satoru, who started the first game, drew massive attention by dominating Nanagamari Tech's lineup, allowing only one run, hitting two singles, a home run, and driving in four RBIs. His trademark 150 km/h fastball earned him the nickname "Koshien's Monster Pitcher," a moniker that resonated nationwide.

Despite being only a first-year player, Furuya had already become a rising star across the country, catching the eye of professional scouts.

His immense potential as a dual-threat pitcher and hitter made him a rare talent, with many professional teams eagerly watching his growth.

It's no exaggeration to say that Furuya is viewed as a future star, potentially reaching a 160 km/h fastball and developing into a cleanup-level slugger.

While Furuya's future remains a projection, the third-year players who demonstrated immense power in this game have already entered the radar of professional teams.

One standout was cleanup hitter Yuuki Tetsuya, who successfully caught the attention of five or six professional teams.

These teams were determined to draft him in the upcoming selection, with his draft position and contract offer hinging on how well he performed throughout the summer.

The better his performance, the more lucrative the offers would become.

...

Beyond Seidou High School, supporters of other powerhouse teams were also making strong cases for their championship chances.

Among the top-tier contenders was Seihou High School, led by monster slugger Sano Shuuzou.

In the original story, this team clashed with Narumiya Mei's Inashiro Industrial in the quarterfinals of Koshien. Narumiya struggled to overcome this formidable opponent, highlighting Seihou's top-tier status.

Another contender was Osaka Kiryuu High School, the runners-up from last year's Summer Koshien.

Hailing from Osaka, this prestigious team boasted the nation's best power lineup, with ace pitcher and cleanup hitter Tachi Hiromi as their cornerstone. Their power ranking was even slightly higher than Seihou's.

Yokohama Kouhoku Academy, a powerhouse from Kanagawa, also emerged as a top-tier contender. Having defeated Seidou High School in the Kanto Tournament earlier that year, their strength was unquestionable.

Once again, they entered Koshien with dominant performances, earning a ranking on par with Seidou.

...

Other notable teams included:

Hakuryuu High School from Gunma Prefecture

Yoshinaga High School from Tokushima

Terumi High School from Shikoku

Houmei High School from Kyushu

Ichizen High School from Kagawa

Sapporo Daiichi High School School from South Hokkaido

Yamamori Academy from Yamanashi Prefecture

While slightly below the top-tier teams, these schools were still regarded as legitimate title contenders.

All these teams had appeared in the original story, either directly competing with Seidou or being mentioned as strong opponents.

Their strength was beyond doubt.

More importantly, these power rankings provided a vivid backdrop for the fierce competition ahead.

Many people overlooked a certain school at the beginning of this summer tournament, failing to realize the emergence of a terrifying dark horse—North Hokkaido's powerhouse, Komadai Fujimaki High School.

This team, in truth, is the real boss-level opponent of this year's Summer Koshien.

Only Eijun  knows this fact, and he can't share it yet.

All he can do is hope that Seidou High doesn't encounter Komadai Fujimaki too early.

The later they meet, the more time Seidou will have to prepare. Once a dark horse emerges, it inevitably attracts everyone's attention.

For example, when Yakushi High defeated Ichidaisan High, Seidou immediately heightened its vigilance.

Komadai Fujimaki High, having drawn a bye in the first round, has yet to showcase its strength.

While the public remains unaware of their potential, Eijun firmly believes that after two rounds, Komadai Fujimaki will undoubtedly become the focus of the tournament.

Naturally, if Seidou High can face Komadai Fujimaki later rather than sooner, they'll avoid unnecessary risks and be better prepared for the challenge.

The championship contender rankings published by Asahi Shimbun sparked nationwide discussion. After all, indulging in the excitement of rankings is a universal pastime.

...

Beyond the rankings, the second-round draw became the next major focus.

People were eager to see which teams would face off.

While the most thrilling aspect of a tournament is, of course, the intense matches, the draw itself often provides its own entertainment.

Sometimes, it even produces long-standing rivalries, with certain teams seemingly fated to meet year after year.

The draw can also pit two powerhouse teams against each other early in the tournament, often creating the kind of drama that fans love to watch.

This is why the phrase "the joy of the draw" resonates so strongly—it encapsulates the excitement and unpredictability of this moment.

...

As Sawamura and his teammates continued training in preparation for their next match, Yuuki Tetsuya returned from the draw with news of their second-round opponent: Kanagawa's representative, Yokohama Kouhoku High School.

A prestigious powerhouse, Yokohama Kouhoku is also Seidou's bitter rival this year.

In the Kanto Tournament, they handed Seidou a humiliating first-round exit, a memory still fresh in the minds of Seidou's players.

Upon learning of their opponent, Seidou's entire team was fired up, eager to use this grand stage to exact their revenge.

Eijun shared this determination. The last time Seidou faced Yokohama Kouhoku, he had been relegated to the second string under Coach Kataoka's orders, honing his skills away from the main stage. Furuya, however, had faced them, leaving a strong impression on their opponent.

With Furuya's outstanding performance in the first game of this Koshien, Yokohama Kouhoku is sure to be even more wary of him this time around.

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