THE FOXHOLE COURT: MARCH 18-MARCH 24

ONLINE:

“Both the Palmetto State Foxes and the UCLA Bruins came into the third round with momentum: the Foxes dispatched the surging UNLV Rebels in the death match, while the Bruins eliminated the Penn State Lions in a shocking upset. While the Foxes may have gotten the better of the Bruins when these two teams met in the first round, this time it was the Bruins who came out on top—making the case that, after a disappointing first round performance that saw them just narrowly avoiding elimination, they’re here to be taken seriously.”

“‘’It feels great,’ Bruin Joe Carmichael said. ‘The first round is in the past, and we’re playing like we know we can, now.’ But fans who tuned in hoping for a rematch between Carmichael and Fox Louis Granger, after Granger attacked Carmichael in the handshake line after their last meeting—an infraction for which he was disciplined by the ERC—were left disappointed. For his part, Carmichael seemed to want a rematch: ‘I’m not surprised [that he didn’t fight me]. He probably knew he couldn’t win a fair fight, so that’s why he blindsided me last time. That’s pretty cowardly.’ While Fox Coach David Wymack insinuated that Carmichael may have played a role in provoking that altercation, Carmichael flatly denied it. ‘I don’t know what he’s talking about,’ he said. ‘Everyone can watch the video and see for themselves what happened.’”

“In goal, the Foxes were missing their Captain Grant Rollins, sitting out his first game of the year with an MCL injury. Without Rollins on the court, the Foxes’ remaining goalkeepers—junior Emmett Ashford, junior Alis Tan, sophomore Caleb Fournier, and senior Anderson Ford—let in 6 goals total on the way to the Foxes’ 6-4 loss. Notoriously private, Wymack has been tight-lipped about a timetable for Rollins’ return, but with the third round hanging in the balance, the Foxes can only hope that it’ll be very soon.”

“And now Rollins isn’t the only player the Foxes have lost to injury: dealer Raphael Peruggia left the court with an apparent hand injury, and it’s still unknown how much time he’ll be missing. Unlike Rollins, freshman Peruggia hasn’t been a staple of the Foxes’ roster—with several red cards and an ERC-levied suspension during the regular season, he’s been more of a wildcard on the court than an asset.”

“The Foxes get an off week while the Bruins prepare to host the DePaul Blue Demons on Friday night. And then, next week, it’ll be the Foxes’ turn to face the Blue Demons. Afterwards, one team will be eliminated, while the two remaining teams will face each other in a final death match to determine who moves on to the semifinals. And, in that race, the Bruins are already ahead. The Foxes, on the other hand, have ground to make up.” 

“ELSEWHERE IN CLASS I: In the odds bracket, the Edgar Allan Ravens won a blowout victory against the UT Longhorns, with a score of 7-1. The Belmonte Terrapins and the Ohio State Buckeyes, however, were much more evenly matched: the Buckeyes prevailed in the shootout, with a final score of 5-4. Next, the Terrapins will play the Ravens in Nashville, while the Buckeyes will take on the Longhorns in Columbus.”

- COLLEGE EXY ONLINE, “FOXES’ LUCK TURNS IN REMATCH AGAINST BRUINS.”

ON CAMPUS:

The Foxes suffered their second loss of the Championships, but there’s no time for them to get discouraged: they have four points, and they have to be their best against the Blue Demons in two weeks and build on that total, and so there’s no letting up when it comes to their practices.

There’s no game for the Foxes to play on Friday night, but there are games to watch—one in particular, that will help determine the Foxes’ chances of surviving the third round. Tonight, the odds bracket is just a distraction; tonight, it’s all about the Bruins and the Blue Demons.

With the Bruins and the Blue Demons playing in Los Angeles, first serve isn’t until late. This time, their watch party is in the Vixen Den and, before the game starts, it’s just like an ordinary party—until the TV is turned on and the music is turned off, the Foxes and the Vixens gathering round and keeping careful tally of the points each team scores.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS, ASBURY!

Thank you for everything you contribute to TFC!

@claudiajewellx, @calebfournierx

THE FOXHOLE COURT: DECEMBER 17-DECEMBER 23

ONLINE:

“Are you all studying? We certainly are—if by ‘studying,’ you mean ‘studying various Exy players’ social media for clues about what went down at the Winter Banquet.’ And, lucky for you, when it comes to gossip we always get an A-plus.”

“There were so many Fox-Fox and Fox-Vixen couples that we can’t keep track, but you let us know, who were you surprised to see together? We might have said our favorite recurring soap opera, if only it had a happy ending—but judging by the tears on this Vixen’s face, happily ever after isn’t in the cards.” 

“And another Vixen, caught looking mighty ragged in the lobby of the Foxes’ hotel, might have fallen flat on their face as well—though at least this time it wasn’t in front of a screaming crowd. What’s the matter? Did your date not go well? There’s more dirt here, we just know it.”

“But while some people cry, others throw punches—or, at least, they come close. We’re not surprised there’s no love lost here, but we’re kind of disappointed in the lack of follow-through. There was one Fox involved who’s known more for breaking heads than having a cool one. We think he picked the wrong time to turn over a new leaf.” 

“But, don’t fret, punches were definitely thrown at the banquet—they were just friendly fire, one Fox goalkeeper taking a Vixen down. You couldn’t have settled this one behind closed doors? We don’t know why we bother asking: we should know by now that Foxes—and Vixens—will always choose the messiest and most embarrassing path. Why would we ever expect anything different?”

“So what’s the tally? Tears? Check. Punches? Check. Why not go for the trifecta and add in a drunken family reunion? We thought that was what Christmas was for, but I guess Christmas came early for one Fox, who was spotted outside of Castle Evermore with his brother, looking none too steady.”

- FOXWATCH, YOUR SOURCE FOR GOSSIP AT PALMETTO STATE UNIVERSITY

ON CAMPUS:

The Foxes return to Palmetto just as finals fervor really sets in across campus: and the Foxes, even with their lighter courseload and five-year path to graduation, aren’t immune—they still have to maintain their grades to maintain their spot on the team. For the Vixens, who don’t have the same five-year luxury, their study schedules are even more jam-packed.

 As students wrap up their finals, the campus begins to thin out for the upcoming break, but the Foxes and the Vixens have time for one last party: their holiday party, and the exchange of Secret Santa gifts. The Vixens decorate the Den in between finals in string lights and paper snowflakes, a Christmas tree with ornaments for the Vixens that will stay over break, ready for the party on Friday, December 21, with Christmas cookies provided and ugly sweaters encouraged.

For some of the Foxes, and some of the Vixens, it might be the closest they get to Christmas: while campus will close over the weekend and the rest of the students will leave, Wymack has received special permission from the school for any Foxes who want to to stay in Fox Tower over break.

THE FOXHOLE COURT: DECEMBER 10-DECEMBER 16

ONLINE:

“Results in the Southeastern District came right down to the wire, but with the Foxes beating the Gamecocks 5-2 and the Jackrabbits beating the Dolphins 3-2, the Foxes inched ahead in the tiebreaker, pulling them ahead of the Jackrabbits for the fourth and final spot in the Spring Championships—by a single goal.”

“How does it feel for the Foxes to make it to Championships for the second year in a row? ‘It’s amazing,’ said junior striker Leo Duarte, who played for the first time since October after breaking his hand in a game against the Ravens. Perhaps even more shocking than the Foxes pulling off a last-minute victory was Duarte, who scored his first goal after a season marred by injury and poor play. On Friday, the relief was palpable: 'I’m really hoping that there will be more goals from me come Championships,’ Duarte added.”

“Freshman backliner Basil Walcott, seemed to agree, when he wasn’t sniping with reporters. ‘The Foxes are champions: never forget that,’ Walcott said. Bold words from a player whose team, prior to last year, hadn’t even qualified for the Championships anytime in recent memory. We’ll see if the Foxes are able to back up those words come January.”

- COLLEGE EXY ONLINE, “SOUTHEAST SHOWDOWN: FOXES EKE OUT VICTORY.”

“The 2018 regular season is in the books, and after a season of ups and downs and some incredible upsets, we know who will be fighting for the Class I title in the new year:”

“Southeastern District: 1) The Edgar Allan Ravens; 2) The Breckenridge Jackals; 3) The Belmonte Terrapins; 4) The Palmetto State Foxes. Even with the top two spots falling into predictable place, the Southeast was more competitive than ever this year, and after the dust settled on a photo finish, the surprise victors were none other than the Foxes, who just managed to sneak into fourth place and back into the Championships for a second year in a row.”

“Northeastern District: 1) The Ohio State Buckeyes; 2) The Penn State Lions; 3) The Boston Terriers; 4) The Depaul Blue Demons; 5) The Binghampton Bearcats. The story in the Northeast is the story of the rise of the Buckeyes, who took first place in their district for the first time in history—but also the story of the fall of the Lions, who just barely managed to hold onto second place, after losing their entire coaching staff in the wake of scandal. But this story could be gearing up for a twist: in the odds bracket for the first time, the Buckeyes will have to fight through the other top-ranked teams to get to the semi-finals, while the Lions will have a much easier path through the evens bracket.”

“Southwestern District: 1) The UT Longhorns; 2) The UNLV Rebels; 3) The Arizona Sundevils; 4) The Baylor Bears. The Longhorns continue to hold onto the top spot, as the Sundevils continue to fall just short in their quest for past greatness, falling behind not only the Longhorns but the surging Rebels as well.”

“Northwestern District: 1) The USC Trojans; 2) The UC Davis Aggies; 3) The Washington State Cougars; 4) The UCLA Bruins; 5) The Idaho Vandals. While the rest of the districts have seen some upheaval, the Northwest remains predictable—save for the Vandals, who qualified for the Championships for the first time since making the jump to Class I in 2015.”

- COLLEGE EXY ONLINE, “WELCOME TO THE CHAMPIONSHIPS: YOUR TOP 18 TEAMS.”

“Sadly, since the Foxes pulled out a win, we can’t offer you any Fox tears—but can we interest you in a Vixen absolutely eating it over and over and over again? That’s right, we’ve got the gif, and we’ve been staring at it nonstop since Friday. Just when you thought this squad couldn’t be any more embarrassing, they find a way to pull it off. What is that saying again? Laughter (at others) is the best medicine? Take it from us, this will do the trick.”

“It looks like two other Foxes have taken each other off the market—for now. We can’t say we’re surprised when two filthy rich trainwrecks hook up, but it does seem like an exercise in narcissism, doesn’t it? And if this party boy can keep it in his pants for his new lady love, we’ll be shocked.”

“The victorious Foxes might have tried to keep us out, but we’ve got gossip for you anyway. And we’ve got a riddle: what’s sloppy and drunk and red all over? Yelling at one boy, disappearing for some private time with another girl, and ending up with someone else at the end of the night? Seems like someone was busy.”

- FOXWATCH, YOUR SOURCE FOR GOSSIP AT PALMETTO STATE UNIVERSITY

ON CAMPUS:

Even with finals rapidly approaching, the Palmetto campus is awash in orange and good spirits: and with both the Exy and football teams heading into their respective Championships, the stupid body seems willing to hop on the Exy bandwagon and temporarily claim the Foxes as their own.

With their spot in the Championships secure and no Exy left to play this semester, the Foxes enter into an abbreviated practice schedule, allowing them to maintain their conditioning and keep their on-court skills sharp, but still recover from their push to the postseason and conserve some energy for the coming Championships, where there will be a lot more brutal Exy to play.

The host for this year’s Winter Banquet is none other than the Edgar Allan Ravens. After an undefeated season that saw them squarely on top of the Southeastern District once more, the Ravens will welcome teams from both the Southeastern and Northeastern Districts into Castle Evermore on Saturday, December 15.

Of all the teams in the Foxes’ district, none are further away than Edgar Allan, and the over seven hour journey is a reminder of what’s to come next semester, when they take on even farther-flung teams.

With their banquet attire in tow, the Foxes and Vixens meet in the Court parking lot on Saturday morning to begin their journey. While they have no desire to stay in Ravens country for longer than they have to, the cumbersome journey means they’ll be staying overnight, and so when they arrive in West Virginia they check into their hotel and begin getting ready for the evening ahead.

THIS IS YOUR GAME

Name: Caleb Fournier Age: Nineteen Class Year: Sophomore Position: Goalkeeper, #34 Hometown: Freehold, New Jersey

THIS IS YOUR MOMENT

TW: drug abuse, addiction, abuse

Natura nihil frustra facit. Nature does nothing in vain. The words have been tattooed on Caleb Fournier’s body since he was fifteen years old, stupid enough to let a crusty tattoo artist ink the words into his skin. He believes that everything in his life happened for a reason.

An only child in what could have been a happy family, Caleb’s life had gone downhill in a matter of months. He was only nine months old when his father died in a car accident, one that he caused. Being driven to daycare was an everyday occurrence in his life: his dad drove him on his way to work, and his mother picked him up on her way home from work. It was a practiced routine, almost down to the minute. But one day, Caleb was playing with a toy and dropped it on the floor of the car, crying almost immediately. His father got distracted trying to pick it up and stop the wailing and lost sight of the road. His dad died on impact from the collision, but Caleb escaped with only minor injuries. Everything that could have been with his family went to down the drain—and it was all Caleb’s fault.

His mother, a once habitual drug user, fell back into old habits and had no time or mind to care for her infant son. She blamed him for his father’s death, something that would stick with Caleb for the rest of his life, it’s all your fucking fault said to him in a drunken slur. The words stayed with him, echoing in his over and over again. And he believed them, too—it was hard not to when the words had been ingrained in his head from before he could even speak. He started to believe that everything was his fault. His mother withheld food from him and he deserved it. She would hit him in frustration on the anniversary of his father’s death and he had it coming.

It was when he was eight that he was removed from his mother’s care when a teacher noticed a cigarette burn haphazardly hidden under his shirt sleeve and reported it to Child Services. And while the life he had before couldn’t be called exactly stable, it became decidedly less so as he bounced around from foster home to foster home. First, there were the Medinas, a family that held a great amount of love for performing arts, so Caleb learned how to play guitar to make then want to keep him. They got pregnant within six months and they didn’t have the money to support Caleb and their son, and so they chose the biological one. He had known they were going to from the moment they said they were going to have a baby. What he never saw was the late nights with the Medinas poring over their checking accounts and looking for any solution that wouldn’t involve them having to give Caleb up, and being unable to find one. Caleb just thought that he had done something wrong.

Next came the Houstons, with two sons older than Caleb and a younger daughter. He was a bit timid at first, but the boys quickly got him involved in their soccer practices and playing basketball in the driveway of their perfect little suburban house. They even got Caleb a guitar for his ninth birthday, something he treasured with all of his heart. He spent several years with them, happily following his foster brothers’ lead on everything, trusting their word and holding close to his chest whatever they told him. He honestly thought that this was going to be his forever home.

But Dominic, the eldest, had friends who were poisonous, who tainted everything they touched. Oliver had grown up with Dominic and didn’t have the same level of hero worship for him that Caleb did. So when Dominic started doing risky shit, it was Caleb who idolized him and who went right along in with whatever Dominic roped him into. It lead to Caleb taking the fall for robbing a convenience store entirely by himself. At fourteen, it was hard to believe that Caleb thought of it himself but Dominic was eighteen and would be tried as an adult, so he let everyone believe Caleb was the mastermind. They didn’t get far with the money, and Caleb never got in real legal trouble besides a couple hours of community service and a slap on the wrist. The Houstons, however, decided that they didn’t want a problem child in the house and so he was moved to a new family.

No one wanted a foster kid that was well past his prime age. They wanted little kids, unburdened by adult knowledge and that might eventually call them mom and dad. Fifteen years old with court-ordered community service and probation wasn’t the ideal kid. Caleb hated every last bit of it, but he still believed there was something guiding him to where he was meant to be—wherever that was. But his positive attitude alone wasn’t enough to improve his circumstances, nor was it enough to stop him from wondering what his mother saw in the drugs she had put into her veins for almost his entire life. It only took him a couple of times to get hooked on it, understanding why she loved it so much. It numbed the pain and the outside world that felt out to get him. The logical part of him knew that this was bad for him—but it was too small to get him to stop, and only getting smaller.

Foster home after foster home followed, a seemingly endless supply of them, but he found that he cared less and less. They never lasted long, but one lasted long enough for him to discover Exy and suddenly, Caleb knew what he had been waiting for. Everything in his life had been leading him up to this moment, to playing Exy. It was something he couldn’t believe, just how amazing he felt playing the game, and he never wanted it to stop. And the day he picked up a racquet for the first time was the same day he got the words natura nihil frustra facit tattooed on him.

SEIZE IT WITH EVERYTHING YOU’VE GOT

He wasn’t a great player, but he was good, though not good enough to land a spot on any of the best teams, or at least not good enough to make them overlook his upbringing. Caleb didn’t mind too much, though, holding onto the belief that, somehow, everything would work out for him—and, indeed, towards the end of his senior year Coach David Wymack showed up at his rec center with a list of Caleb’s stats and a five year contract to play for the Palmetto State Foxes. He signed it without so much as blinking. Five years to play Exy sounded like a dream come true.

The drugs never stopped though. Wymack never knew about him using, so he couldn’t put a stop to it. He could handle himself well enough while he was high, having had years of practice, and so he was able to escape the notice of even the shrewdest of eyes. And, with everything to lose, Caleb only got more creative when it came to hiding his bad habits. Palmetto was a home and the Foxes were a family, the first real one he’d had in a long time, and ruining it was unthinkable. But it didn’t stop him from using, didn’t stop his mother from having been right all along. But as far as anyone was concerned, as far as Caleb was concerned, he was brand new, his past life left in the dirt, never to be seen again. He purposely overlooked the fact that he was still using, that he needed to take the pain away somehow to feel new again, needed to take to take the pain away in order to breathe clearly—as long as no one knew, then that didn’t matter, because it didn’t matter to him.