first half from there. Teddy thought they might get to halftime with the score still 7â7 until Jack completed a couple of passes, one to Gus and one to Mike OâKeeffe, in the last two minutes.
They finally ended up at the Bearsâ twelve yard line, fourth-and-one, ten seconds left, the Wildcats out of time-outs.
At this point, Jack made the kind of play that star players just made in sports, out of the shotgun, the kind of play that can change everything.
And did.
â¢Â  â¢Â  â¢
As Jack called out the signals, he clapped his hands right before Charlie Lyons, their center, was supposed to snap him the ball. Jack was trying to get Gusâs attention, wanting him to go in motion.
But when he clapped his hands, Charlie thought Jack wanted the ball and snapped it, even though Jackâs head was turned. The ball banged off Jackâs shoulder pads, bouncing away from him, to his left.
At this point, the whole thing turned into the kind of play that Coach Gilbert liked to call a jailbreak.
Jack managed to get to the ball before the Bearsâ outside linebacker did, scooped it up, immediately reversed his field, and started running to his right. The play heâd called in the huddle was supposed to be a fade pass to Mike OâKeeffe in the right corner of the end zone, but that wasnât happening now.
Teddy was on the opposite side of the field from Jack, looking for open spaces while so much of the Bearsâ defense chased Jack.
Then he remembered something:
When in doubt, follow Jack Callahan.
He was still in the back field, trying to pick up blockers and get outside. Teddy was open by now, heading his way, waving his arm for the ball. But as he did, he saw that Jack was going to run for it.
He couldnât get to the sideline to stop the clock; the Bears had cut that off. And by now, even if he tried to throw the ball away, the half was probably going to be over by the time he did.
It meant Teddy was a blocker now, as soon as he could find somebody to block.
He saw the Bearsâ middle linebacker sprinting from Jackâs left as Jack cut toward the orange pylon. But Teddy didnât move quickly enough to cut him off or even get in his way.
He stopped and watched what happened next as if it were happening in slow motion.
He saw Jack dive for the pylon, extending the ball as he did, at the same moment the middle linebacker launched himself at him.
Saw the midair collision that knocked Jack sideways, even as he was trying to jam the ball down on the pylon before his body hit the ground, like a basketball player jamming home a dunk.
Saw Jack land hard on his right shoulder.
The refâs arms went straight up in the air, meaning touchdown, Wildcats.
But the Wildcatsâ quarterback was still down.
ELEVEN
J ackâs parents were there right away. So was Coach Gilbert, and Coach Williams, and Dr. McAuley, Brianâs dad, who served as the Wildcatsâ team doctor.
Teddyâs dad was standing behind them.
âSame thing happened to me once,â Teddy could hear him saying to Dr. McAuley. âItâs like a fighter getting a free swing at a guy. Youâre defenseless.â
Coach Gilbert had told all of Jackâs teammates to stay back. But none of them had stayed back very far. Teddy was closest to Jack, feeling like he wanted to cry. Or like he might be sick. If he had just been a step quicker, just that, he could have at least gotten between the linebacker and Jack.
Coach Gilbert and Coach Williams gently rolled Jack over so he was on his back. Jackâs dad helped them, whispering something to his son as he did.
Teddy moved a couple of steps closer. He wanted to hear everything they were saying.
âWhere does it hurt?â Dr. McAuley was saying now.
âEverywhere,â Jack said.
âBack of the shoulder or front?â
âBoth.â
âJack,â Dr. McAuley said, âweâre going to try to gently
They finally ended up at the Bearsâ twelve yard line, fourth-and-one, ten seconds left, the Wildcats out of time-outs.
At this point, Jack made the kind of play that star players just made in sports, out of the shotgun, the kind of play that can change everything.
And did.
â¢Â  â¢Â  â¢
As Jack called out the signals, he clapped his hands right before Charlie Lyons, their center, was supposed to snap him the ball. Jack was trying to get Gusâs attention, wanting him to go in motion.
But when he clapped his hands, Charlie thought Jack wanted the ball and snapped it, even though Jackâs head was turned. The ball banged off Jackâs shoulder pads, bouncing away from him, to his left.
At this point, the whole thing turned into the kind of play that Coach Gilbert liked to call a jailbreak.
Jack managed to get to the ball before the Bearsâ outside linebacker did, scooped it up, immediately reversed his field, and started running to his right. The play heâd called in the huddle was supposed to be a fade pass to Mike OâKeeffe in the right corner of the end zone, but that wasnât happening now.
Teddy was on the opposite side of the field from Jack, looking for open spaces while so much of the Bearsâ defense chased Jack.
Then he remembered something:
When in doubt, follow Jack Callahan.
He was still in the back field, trying to pick up blockers and get outside. Teddy was open by now, heading his way, waving his arm for the ball. But as he did, he saw that Jack was going to run for it.
He couldnât get to the sideline to stop the clock; the Bears had cut that off. And by now, even if he tried to throw the ball away, the half was probably going to be over by the time he did.
It meant Teddy was a blocker now, as soon as he could find somebody to block.
He saw the Bearsâ middle linebacker sprinting from Jackâs left as Jack cut toward the orange pylon. But Teddy didnât move quickly enough to cut him off or even get in his way.
He stopped and watched what happened next as if it were happening in slow motion.
He saw Jack dive for the pylon, extending the ball as he did, at the same moment the middle linebacker launched himself at him.
Saw the midair collision that knocked Jack sideways, even as he was trying to jam the ball down on the pylon before his body hit the ground, like a basketball player jamming home a dunk.
Saw Jack land hard on his right shoulder.
The refâs arms went straight up in the air, meaning touchdown, Wildcats.
But the Wildcatsâ quarterback was still down.
ELEVEN
J ackâs parents were there right away. So was Coach Gilbert, and Coach Williams, and Dr. McAuley, Brianâs dad, who served as the Wildcatsâ team doctor.
Teddyâs dad was standing behind them.
âSame thing happened to me once,â Teddy could hear him saying to Dr. McAuley. âItâs like a fighter getting a free swing at a guy. Youâre defenseless.â
Coach Gilbert had told all of Jackâs teammates to stay back. But none of them had stayed back very far. Teddy was closest to Jack, feeling like he wanted to cry. Or like he might be sick. If he had just been a step quicker, just that, he could have at least gotten between the linebacker and Jack.
Coach Gilbert and Coach Williams gently rolled Jack over so he was on his back. Jackâs dad helped them, whispering something to his son as he did.
Teddy moved a couple of steps closer. He wanted to hear everything they were saying.
âWhere does it hurt?â Dr. McAuley was saying now.
âEverywhere,â Jack said.
âBack of the shoulder or front?â
âBoth.â
âJack,â Dr. McAuley said, âweâre going to try to gently
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