CHAPTER 10

WAY TO LOSE!

Biff wrestled varsity most of the season. Willy and Dan were on the J.V. squad. There weren’t as many J.V. matches as varsity. Willy only wrestled twice, and he lost both times. But they were close matches.

One day Biff was telling the guys on the ice-hockey team how bad they were. “My grade-school team could have creamed you guys!” Biff told them. So they dared Biff to come to practice with them.

Biff borrowed skates and got out on the ice with the hockey team. But he wasn’t used to skating. Biff slipped and hurt his knee. He showed up to school the next day on crutches.

Biff was on the injured list. Willy had to wrestle varsity for the last meet of the season. It was against their biggest rival, Central. Everybody came. Willy’s mom and dad were there, and his little brother Joey. That wasn’t surprising. But most of his class was there, too. Even Clara was there.

“Change your mind about wrestling being gross?” Willy asked her.

“No. I still think it’s gross,” said Clara. “But it’s kind of cute-gross. Like a slobbery bulldog. You know what I mean?”

“Slobbery bulldog? I think I liked plain old gross better,” said Willy.

“Good luck,” said Clara. “Take it to him.”

Knowing all these people were watching him made Willy nervous, especially when he found out he had to wrestle Central’s captain, a kid named Bob Star.

“That guy pinned me last year,” said Biff to Willy. “He hasn’t lost a match all year. He’ll show you what a scrub you are.”

Star had muscles popping out all over him. He had hair all over his forearms. He looked like he had to shave twice a day.

“Oh no,” Willy said to Rufus. “What a monster! Why did I ever go out for this sport?”

“He’s not going to kill you,” said Rufus. “At least, I don’t think he will.”

“Great. Thanks for the encouragement,” said Willy.

When Willy shook Star’s hand, he saw that Star wasn’t as big as he’d looked from across the mat. Maybe, thought Willy, maybe I have a chance.

The whistle blew. Star came charging out and took Willy down right away. He was quick.

Willy wrestled hard. He kept hoping that Star would get tired, but he didn’t. Once Willy got rolled onto his back, but he got away before Star could pin him.

Then, in the last period, Star started to make mistakes. This was Willy’s chance. Willy got control, and he turned Star over onto his back! People in the stands were screaming and jumping up and down.

“Pin to win!” the coach shouted. “Pin to win!”

But before Willy could hold down Star’s shoulders, the whistle blew. The match was over. Willy looked at the scoreboard. He had lost.

“Good match, buddy,” said Star as they shook hands. Then the ref raised Star’s hand in the air to show that Star was the winner.

Willy turned back to the team bench. To Willy’s surprise the whole team and all the spectators stood up and cheered for him.

“Great effort,” said the coach.

“See, you’re not dead!” said Rufus.

“You lost, you scrub,” said Biff.

“He did a lot better than you could have,” Dan told Biff.

“Good match,” everybody told him.

Clara patted him on the back.

His parents hugged him. “I told you, you don’t have to win to be an athlete,” said his father. “Way to be.”

“I don’t know what the big deal is,” said Willy finally. “Biff’s right, I lost.”

“Yeah, but remember,” said Clara, “it’s not whether you win or lose that counts. It’s how entertaining you are to watch!”