dad was the team’s coach and the brilliant Annie was obsessed with sports statistics Gabe watched as on the field Logan broke the offense’s huddle and brought the team to the line He was the team’s quarterback Ben lined up behind him crouching down with his hands on his knees T-43 Red T-43 Red Hut-hut hut Logan took the snap dropped back and slid the ball into Ben’s waiting hands Ben dashed up the middle finding a hole and running for eight yards That gave the Grizzlies a much needed first down They were playing their crosstown rivals the West Grover Lake Fighting Hornets Gabe and his friends had occasionally butted heads with some of the kids from the town’s west side Their least favorite Hornet was Jacob Fuller a tall brutish kid 8
Of course as luck would have it Jacob Fuller was the Hornets middle linebacker He stood in the center of the team’s defense barking orders to the other players It was the start of the fourth quarter and the Grizzlies were winning by a score of 24 21 On the next play Logan dropped back and threw a pass to the team’s wide receiver Tyler Murphy Ty caught the ball and was pushed out of bounds right next to the orange first-down marker Great catch Ty Coach Roger shouted Logan quickly ran over and talked with the coach about which play to run next Sweep left on three Coach Roger told him 9
That was Ben’s favorite play to run He liked taking the ball outside stretching the defensive line and then darting upfield through a hole in the defense Logan took the snap spun to his left and pitched the ball toward Ben who was already running to the outside Ben tucked it close and weaved through two defenders It looked like Ben was going to score Then from nowhere Jacob Fuller smashed into Ben leveling him The ball squirted from Ben’s hands Both Grizzlies and Hornets piled on top of one another as they fought for control of the ball Oh no Gabe said quietly I knew something bad was going to happen The referees blew their whistles quickly diving in to peel apart the two teams Gabe 10
couldn’t see who had the ball He and the other team members on the sidelines stepped forward in anticipation A defensive lineman for the Hornets popped up waving the ball in the air The parents and players for the East Grover Lake team groaned Coach one of the other players shouted Look Gabe peered across the field to the spot where the pile had just been cleared One player still lay in the cold grass rolling back and forth in pain and clutching his leg Gabe gasped It was Ben 11
