The clock wound down.
Scarsdale was running the ball right up the middle to keep the clock winding down. Landon kept his eyes on Coach Furster and saw Brett’s dad, who for some reason had a cell phone in one hand, say something to Coach Furster. The two of them argued, but Landon got distracted by the action on the field.
He watched Timmy stand straight up on the snap of the ball and get driven nearly ten yards back before falling in a heap. Landon could do better than that. He knew he could, and he moved closer to where the coaches stood on the sideline. Brett’s dad had disappeared somewhere. Landon looked around and thought that Coach Furster had said something to him.
He looked up, but the coach had his eyes glued to the field.
Landon looked at the clock, which said 00:27 and was winding down.
Landon turned and scuffed his cleats all the way to the bench. When he got there, he spun around and slumped down. Coach Furster was staring at him through the crowd of kids on the sideline, as if Landon had done something wrong. Landon could only shrug. The coach shook his head and spit in the grass.
The last play of the game was another run up the middle. Someone from Bronxville made the tackle and got up excited, even though his team had just embarrassed itself. The players and coaches lined up and shook hands, Landon among them. Then the team gathered in the end zone for a post-game speech. Coach Furster kept shaking his head and spitting as if he couldn’t get the bad taste out of his mouth.
“That was just pathetic.” He glared around at the players, his voice sounding like it might be hoarse from shouting. “Well, next week we’ve got Tuckahoe, the biggest rivalry in downstate football and our chance to regain the Pondfield Road Cup. You all know that it’s practically a holiday when we play them, and the game is on Saturday, so it’s a short week. I’ll say this: you play like you did today, men, and we may not win a game all season, so you better come to practice Tuesday night ready to work, and be ready to run until you puke. That’s all. Go. Get out of my sight.”
The team broke apart, but when Landon turned, his eyes widened at a sight that horrified him much more than the thought of running till he puked.