There was plenty of talk around the school about the game against the Wetherhoods. The rumour was that Mr T was telling (not asking) every teacher to bring their class out to support the school football team. After all, it wasn’t often that Sandhurst had a chance to win the Inter-School Football Trophy.

Mr T and Miss Connelly worked it so that the main netball game wouldn’t be played at the same time as the football match. They sure were gunning for maximum crowds.

The crowd was six or seven deep at the netball. I didn’t see Bryce anywhere, but that wasn’t surprising given the number of kids milling about. There were barbecues and a couple of tents set up selling drinks and hot food for all the visitors. I’m sure Mr Fisk was responsible for a good proportion of the sausages already sizzling.

The netball game against the Wetherhoods gave me my first look at the sort of kids we would be playing. If the female version of the Hoods was anything to go by, it was going to be a spiteful and tough game.

There were plenty of cries and falls and scraped knees as the Sandhurst netball team took the full force of the Wetherhoods’ dodgy tactics.

At one stage in the third quarter, I managed to catch Luci’s eye. I clenched my fist – not as in, ‘Hey Luci, go the knuckle’, but more, ‘Stay determined, stay strong’. She did. She played brilliantly. Her passes were always bang on target and she was frustrating the player she was against.

With only a few minutes to go, and with Sandhurst behind by two goals, she intercepted a pass near the centre of the court and fired off a bullet-like pass to Mia, who scored.

The Wetherhoods had the next centre pass, but again Luci, who was playing with a GA on her back, got a hand to the ball and tapped it to Talia. She broke back and Talia looped the ball to her. Luci got the ball to Mia and then raced in under the ring. The Wetherhoods goalkeeper pushed her out and Luci went flying.

There were groans and cries from everywhere. Even Bubba was shouting at this enormous Hood with a GD on her back, standing there defiantly with her hands on her hips.

Luci bounced back up, though, took the ball from the umpire and calmly popped it through the ring.

There must have been only seconds left. The place was rocking. Everyone was screaming for one more goal. And the girls delivered. Again, Mia, Luci and this time Becky combined without anyone else getting a touch.

The Wetherhoods, however, were not done yet. After taking the centre pass, the wing attack threw a massive long pass into their attacking circle. Corinne stuck her long arms up and caught the ball a split second before the Wetherhoods goal shooter crashed into her. Corinne didn’t budge. She was like a rock.

Suddenly it was over, and people were rushing onto the court to hug and high five the Sandhurst team. Even Luci and Mia were hugging. It sure is amazing how sport can bring people together.

I didn’t imagine Fisk and I would be hugging after the game, but our relationship was different on the footy field.

Bubba and I left the netball soon after and jogged over to the footy oval, where most of the players were already kicking footballs around.

The big crowd was rolling down towards the oval. I couldn’t see the Wetherhood team anywhere.

‘Where are they?’ I asked Bubba.

‘I think they come up out of the ground,’ he chuckled. Bubba was feeling pretty relaxed. He was on the interchange bench.

Mr T called our team over and told us to stay focused on the ball and keep it moving fast among our own players.

Some cheers and car horn blasts distracted me. It was the Wetherhoods. They were jogging onto the oval in a close pack. They looked big, tough and mean. Their uniform was a mix of black, red and yellow. They were pushing at each other and shouting.

Mr T raised his voice. ‘Get in close, everyone.’

I looked to see Fisk’s reaction to the Wetherhoods’ arrival. There was determination in his face. He looked pumped. I was feeling excited too, but also nervous.

‘There are supporters out here that you have never met,’ Mr T continued. ‘People who are ten, twenty years older than you. And this game means so much to them. They have played for this school. And most of them have never seen the Inter-School Trophy. Ever. We’ve battled the Wetherhoods and Ascot for years. Today, we have a chance to do something special. You are a special team. Work together and make me, your parents and every person in our school community proud of you.’