he didn’t like the idea of taking that honor awa y from a senior, so he’d pulled his name.
Besides, even though he was captain of the football team, that kind of attention off the field made him feel a little awkward.
Beldon’s concession stand was stocked with popcorn, hot chocolate, cand y bars, pizza, and nachos with cheese. Some parents had been pushing for “health y alternatives,” some sort of vegan health bars, but as far as Daniel knew, the y’ d never sold an y of them ye t except to themselves.
Parked be yo nd the southern end zone were two emergenc y vehicles: Daniel’s dad’s squad car and an ambulance for an y trouble, on the field or off it, that might sprout up at a game between these two rivals.
After the pla ye rs had warmed up, the school district superintendent went to the announcer’s booth at the top of the Eagles’ stands, took the microphone and offered a moment of silence in honor of Emil y and her famil y.
Then the marching band pla ye d the national anthem, the two teams took the field, and the game began.
During the first half, the headache was still bothering Daniel, but he managed to throw for two touchdowns, one in the first quarter, one in the second.
Coulee ran back the second kickoff and then, after the change of possession, hit a thirt y- three- ya rd field goal with twent y seconds left in the half to bring the score to within four.
Home 14.
Visitors 10.
At halftime in the locker room, Coach Warner offered a few words of encouragement to the team as a whole, then the assistant coaches met with their offensive and defensive units.
“B ye rs,” said Coach Jostens, “ yo u need to keep an e ye on that defensive end and sta y focused on reading yo ur ke ys . Recognize the coverages on those pass pla ys . We’re gonna be throwing the ball a lot in the second half.”
“Yes, Coach.”
He spent a few minutes reviewing blocking schemes for pass protection with the offensive linemen, then turned to the receivers. “We can break this open in the second half. We need yo u to run disciplined routes. Crisp. Clean. Got it?”
Nods of agreement from the pla ye rs.
However, as Daniel ran onto the field to throw a few balls to loosen up his arm, the headache that’d been lurking somewhere in the back of his mind crawled forward and tried to swallow up all of his focus and attention.
CHAPTER
FOURTEEN
The third quarter began with the teams exchanging touchdowns and converting the extra points, bringing the score to Eagles 21, Pioneers 17.
Run.
Evade.
Pass and pla y.
The fans were loud and wild and it was hard to hear, so when Coach wasn’t sending in pla ys with the running back, he was holding up signs with the names of college teams on them to signal Daniel which pla ys to call.
First and ten, their own thirt y- five ya rd line.
This time the sign read, “Alabama,” which was a gun slot left slant trail pass. On this pla y, Daniel would have four possible receivers to throw to.
In the huddle he told them, “You get open, I’ll get yo u the ball.”
The y broke huddle and the gu ys took their positions. Daniel started in a gun set, gave the count, and the center snapped the ball.
The Pioneers had gone to a 4-2-5 defense and Daniel found his wide receiver, Randall Cox, in the middle of the field for a twelve- ya rd gain just before the end of the third quarter.
At the start of the fourth, after a botched running attempt, Daniel found himself at second and ten, at his own fort y- nine ya rd line.
Beldon High’s band started in with some t yp e of chant song and, because of the noise, Coach Warner held up a sign with “Nebraska” written on it, code for a read option right out of the gun.
On a read option, Daniel’s line wouldn’t block the defensive end. If he crashed at the running back, Daniel would keep the ball. If he didn’t crash, he would hand it off to his running back. So at the snap, when the left defensive end came at him fast and hard,
Besides, even though he was captain of the football team, that kind of attention off the field made him feel a little awkward.
Beldon’s concession stand was stocked with popcorn, hot chocolate, cand y bars, pizza, and nachos with cheese. Some parents had been pushing for “health y alternatives,” some sort of vegan health bars, but as far as Daniel knew, the y’ d never sold an y of them ye t except to themselves.
Parked be yo nd the southern end zone were two emergenc y vehicles: Daniel’s dad’s squad car and an ambulance for an y trouble, on the field or off it, that might sprout up at a game between these two rivals.
After the pla ye rs had warmed up, the school district superintendent went to the announcer’s booth at the top of the Eagles’ stands, took the microphone and offered a moment of silence in honor of Emil y and her famil y.
Then the marching band pla ye d the national anthem, the two teams took the field, and the game began.
During the first half, the headache was still bothering Daniel, but he managed to throw for two touchdowns, one in the first quarter, one in the second.
Coulee ran back the second kickoff and then, after the change of possession, hit a thirt y- three- ya rd field goal with twent y seconds left in the half to bring the score to within four.
Home 14.
Visitors 10.
At halftime in the locker room, Coach Warner offered a few words of encouragement to the team as a whole, then the assistant coaches met with their offensive and defensive units.
“B ye rs,” said Coach Jostens, “ yo u need to keep an e ye on that defensive end and sta y focused on reading yo ur ke ys . Recognize the coverages on those pass pla ys . We’re gonna be throwing the ball a lot in the second half.”
“Yes, Coach.”
He spent a few minutes reviewing blocking schemes for pass protection with the offensive linemen, then turned to the receivers. “We can break this open in the second half. We need yo u to run disciplined routes. Crisp. Clean. Got it?”
Nods of agreement from the pla ye rs.
However, as Daniel ran onto the field to throw a few balls to loosen up his arm, the headache that’d been lurking somewhere in the back of his mind crawled forward and tried to swallow up all of his focus and attention.
CHAPTER
FOURTEEN
The third quarter began with the teams exchanging touchdowns and converting the extra points, bringing the score to Eagles 21, Pioneers 17.
Run.
Evade.
Pass and pla y.
The fans were loud and wild and it was hard to hear, so when Coach wasn’t sending in pla ys with the running back, he was holding up signs with the names of college teams on them to signal Daniel which pla ys to call.
First and ten, their own thirt y- five ya rd line.
This time the sign read, “Alabama,” which was a gun slot left slant trail pass. On this pla y, Daniel would have four possible receivers to throw to.
In the huddle he told them, “You get open, I’ll get yo u the ball.”
The y broke huddle and the gu ys took their positions. Daniel started in a gun set, gave the count, and the center snapped the ball.
The Pioneers had gone to a 4-2-5 defense and Daniel found his wide receiver, Randall Cox, in the middle of the field for a twelve- ya rd gain just before the end of the third quarter.
At the start of the fourth, after a botched running attempt, Daniel found himself at second and ten, at his own fort y- nine ya rd line.
Beldon High’s band started in with some t yp e of chant song and, because of the noise, Coach Warner held up a sign with “Nebraska” written on it, code for a read option right out of the gun.
On a read option, Daniel’s line wouldn’t block the defensive end. If he crashed at the running back, Daniel would keep the ball. If he didn’t crash, he would hand it off to his running back. So at the snap, when the left defensive end came at him fast and hard,
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