“Nice job,” Coach says when I come off the field. “You not only took down 23, but rattled his confidence. He knows he’s not unstoppable anymore.”
Coach sends me back out on the field, this time, to play the position I know best—fullback. I see the Titans’ coach send Ellison Green back out too. It looks like the two of us will be going head-to-head this game, but he’s at least fifty pounds heavier than me and four inches taller. I have no idea how to stop the moving force of a guy like that. I glance at Anton and know that I have to find a way to protect him and keep the pocket open.
Our team huddles up, but Anton struggles to call the first play. As I look over at him I’m actually starting to get really angry with him. He’s had every play in the book memorized since our first day of practice our freshman year. I don’t understand why he can’t just focus on this game rather than complaining about his stupid headache or worry about the school.
“A post route,” I say to him looking back at Coach.
Anton nods at this. I take over. “We need to get on the scoreboard,” I say, and then I look at our offensive lineman. “Whatever you do, don’t let 46 through. Block hard, block low.”
We line up and Green is staring at me again.
I don’t look away. I watch to see which way his body is positioned, trying to figure out where he’s going to go.
“Hut!”
Anton pulls back to throw. We buy him some time, but he’s slow, unsteady. He gets pressured and throws the ball out-of-bounds.
“What was that?” I yell at him.
He just shakes his head
“Get it together,” I say. “We need to get a first down.”
I’ve never yelled at him out on the field. He’s never one to make mistakes, but we need him to snap out of it and get his head in the game.
We line up again. Same play. I signal for two linemen to block 46 on the right. I can see his back foot turn that way. Anton steps back and throws, but it’s weak and low. One of the Titans’ players picks off the ball.
I turn and chase, but Ellison Green takes me down. And just like that, the Titans are ahead. They kick the extra point and it’s 7–0.
Our crowd is quiet; I feel the disappointment in the air. We should’ve scored first. This is our field. This is our school.