Chapter 67

In early December, Mitchell had received an invitation to a high school football combine of sorts being conducted at Maddie's college in the state capital. Colleges contracted with a company to measure the skills of possible scholarship candidates. Several teammates of Mitchell's had been invited. Liam Marsh, Jared White, and Tyler Smith were excited about the opportunity to display their talents and possibly secure a scholarship.

The four friends made plans to drive to the capital on a Friday night and rent a couple motel rooms. They'd work out for the scouts Saturday, spend another night in the motel, and drive home Sunday. They all agreed to go to bed early Friday to be at their best for the combine the following day.

The next morning Mitchell and his friends reported to the practice Field at the school. It had what looked like a big inflated tent over it and was surprisingly comfortable inside. The friends recognized players from teams that they had faced during the season. The