Chapter 21

Everyone was excited as the bus rolled into Trinity High’s parking lot next to their football field. After last week’s game, practice all week had felt different, like the team was starting to think they could win after a long losing streak.

I was feeling it, too, something like excitement instead of nerves for the first time since moving to JV. It might have helped that this was my first away game with the team. When I’d played the away game with the freshman, it had basically been us and a few parents.

We didn’t have the full caravan that varsity had, but we had a fair number of cars and a second bus carrying the JV cheer team, which is something we didn’t have as freshmen. There was only a JV and a varsity cheer team, so we’d had to go without.

There were also a number of kids from our school who’d carpooled and followed us. We didn’t have the marching band, but it was a pretty good showing after playing to empty stands as a freshman at an away game.

“Alright, let’s move!” Coach Holloway barked as the bus came to a stop. “Grab your gear and get on the field. Warm-ups start in fifteen!”

I stood and slung my bag over my shoulder and headed off the bus. Most of the grab-ass came to a halt as we made our way off the bus and toward the visitors’ locker room.

It was time to get our game faces on. Well, for most of us.

I caught Jorden Kinsell glaring at me again, and he wasn’t particularly subtle about it. Honestly, at this point, I didn’t care. I had bigger things to focus on than his resentment over being benched. I was trying to be more ‘adult’ about everything these days, keeping in mind what I remembered from the dream version of myself, but if he was meant to lead the team, he would have played better.

Trinity got the kickoff and the game was on with their returner catching it cleanly at the five. Our coverage team swarmed downfield, forcing him out of bounds at their twenty-five.

Not a terrible way to start the game.

Trinity’s offense started with basic plays, not that different from the stuff Coach gave us. We had a good stop on the second down when Donald Huff broke through their line and wrapped up their running back for a slight loss.

After their quarterback overthrew his receiver on third down, they punted and it was our turn to have a go.

“Remember,” Coach said as I jogged past after calling the play. “Establish the run early. Make them respect it.”

Not what I wanted to hear, but what I expected.

At least it went well. Jerry took the handoff smoothly, finding the hole our line created and then dragged a defender for an extra yard, setting up second and six.

Coach asked us to make them respect the run, and that’s what we did.

On the next run, Joe powered through on a fullback dive, really hammering into their linemen. It wasn’t a huge gain, but it put us at third and short.

The next play was a surprise. A quarterback sneak. We’d done it once in practice, but it hadn’t gone well. I was tall and in good shape, but I didn’t have the weight to really push through linemen like that play called for. I guess Coach thought we’d catch them off guard.

And he was right.

I didn’t get very far and it felt like I’d hit a brick wall, but we picked up two yards when we only needed one for a first down.

I could feel the momentum building.

Jerry swept right on the next play, following his blockers for six yards again. That was starting to be his magic number, but for pushing the ball downfield a little at a time, we’d take it.

On the next play, the defense started to creep up and I called my first audible of the game. I sold the play-action hard on second down, the entire defense flowing with Jerry while Joe slipped through the middle, running for four more yards.

We were starting to gain some yards. Not fast, but it was working, and I could see their defense starting to get frustrated, which was exactly what they shouldn’t do.

Jerry took advantage of it and broke free on a counter left, with twelve yards of green grass opening up before him. Our first serious yardage and our side of the stands, light though it might have been, went wild. We were rolling now.

We kept going. Joe pounded up the middle for another three on first down and I thought there was a chance we might make it all the way on this first drive.

Then things went wrong. Jerry got caught in the backfield on a pitch right, their defensive end reading it perfectly. An eight-yard loss and our momentum stalled. Third and long, our protection broke down. I spotted Mickey breaking open deep and I actually considered saying screw the short lob Coach had called, but I never got the chance.

Their linebacker came free on a delayed blitz. I tucked the ball and ran, finding space to the right. Six yards. I was proud that I’d managed to keep from getting sacked and even pick up a little of our lost yardage, but it still left us pretty far back on fourth down.

We were, however, in field goal range.

I ran off the field and the special teams ran out, getting us our first points of the game. 3 – 0.

Trinity’s next possession had a few moments where it looked like they might get something going, but ultimately, they went nowhere. Especially after Spencer Marshal made a tackle on their running back, burying him hard in the dirt, and then their QB overthrowing his receiver by a good three yards.

We got the ball back with under a minute left in the quarter. Jerry took another handoff as time wound down, gaining three yards before the whistle blew and the quarter ended.

Not brilliant football, but a good first quarter.

We started the second quarter with a handoff to Joe, who plowed straight ahead, pushing through the line for four yards.

Classic Wheaton football, apparently. Head down, smashing into the other line.

Not the most exciting ball, in my opinion, but at least it was working somewhat this time and we had points on the board.

“Nice push,” I said, giving him a light push as we lined up for the next play.

The defense shifted and was showing blitz. I rolled right on the snap, buying time as their linebacker crashed through. Since it worked the last time, I went with the same strategy, tucked the ball and ran, sliding after picking up five yards.

I could see Coach with his arms folded, glaring at me as I headed back to the huddle. I knew he wanted me to throw it away, but it felt like such a wasted opportunity, especially when they were heavy on one side of the line and I thought we had room to run.

We picked up eight more yards on the next play, this to Joe again, except he went on a counter instead of blasting down the center like every other time.

I guess Coach wanted to keep them guessing.

He was keeping me guessing with the next play when he surprised us all by calling a pass play. And not just a short dink, but a serious, honest-to-God pass.