Senior Year Box Set

After we warmed up, we walked to the visitors locker room. I found it amusing that Coach Hope was taking this so seriously. He put Coach Mason and Moose in charge of us. The Orange, aka first, team had the rest of the coaching staff helping them.

Coach Mason and Moose were talking, so I pulled the team together. I took a moment to look each one of them in the eye.

“Before the game, I told myself that it didn’t matter where I was on the depth chart. Looking around, I think you all should be on the first team. For whatever reason, we’re like that Christmas show with all the broken and unwanted toys,” I said as Moose and Coach Mason came and stood beside me.

Coach Mason nodded for me to continue.

“This is our chance to show that they need to rethink their perceptions. You’re being given an opportunity to prove that you belong as starters. Lincoln Bulldogs are known for their fight. Lincoln Bulldogs are winners. Being a Lincoln Bulldog means something. This is where our run for the State Championship begins.

“Yes, this game doesn’t count in the record books, and our opponent is our teammates. But I don’t plan to lose. I want us to dominate. I want you to fire off the ball and show them that they made a mistake holding you back. Seize this opportunity. Take it in your bulldog jaws and don’t let go.

“Bring it in,” Coach Mason said, and we put our hands in the middle.

“Who are we?” I yelled.

“Bulldogs!” my teammates responded.

“Where are we?”

“Our House!”

“Let’s stroll on out there like we own this place,” Wolf said.

Someone started the chant ‘Our House’ as we walked out of the locker room. It was subdued at first and gradually got louder.

“Our House! Our House!”

We heard the band playing our school song as the Orange team ran onto the field. I stopped us at the edge of the building to give them their moment.

“Line up four across,” Wolf ordered.

I smiled. I liked how he was doing this. Once he had us organized, we began to move forward as a team. The crowd had started to calm down, and as the ringing of those damned cowbells subsided, they heard us chanting ‘Our House.’ When we reached the goal line, Tim and Wolf linked arms with me as we marched out. The crowd took up the chant.

“Our House! Our House!”

It was fun to see the first-teamers’ smiles drop off their faces. Several of them knew their days were numbered, and we were there to take what was ours.

I think Moose and Coach Mason appreciated that we walked. Coach Mason was in his 70s, and Moose was near retirement. They had us gather around on the visitors sideline.

“That was different,” Coach Mason said.

“Just remember, they’re your teammates, and we’ll need them when the season starts,” Moose said.

“That doesn’t mean to go easy on them; it means no cheap shots,” Coach Mason said.

The referee came over.

“We need someone for the coin toss.”

“David, go deal with that,” Moose said. “And David, get us the damn ball. I want to put seven on them right away.”

We won the coin toss and got the ball. For a practice game, they decide to skip kickoffs and punts to avoid injuries. We were starting on our 20 yard line. Right before we took the field, my stomach revolted. I stepped to the side, jerked my helmet off, and threw up. The Lincoln fans stood up and cheered. They knew that meant they were about to see something special. I was ready.

We already had the first three plays called. Coach Mason wanted us to go quick. I lined up under center with Bert at fullback and Jake at tailback. Wolf was lined up next to the tackle as my tight end. My half brother Phil was the wide receiver on Wolf’s side, and Roc was on the other.

“Down!”

Wolf stood up, stepped back, and motioned for Phil to move forward to take his spot on the line.

“Set!”

Wolf came in motion towards me. I watched to see how the defense reacted. When no one moved, I knew they were in their base zone defense. If the outside linebacker had followed Wolf, they would be in man-to-man. When Wolf reached me, he stopped and turned towards the line.

“Hut, HUT!”

Coach Mason’s plan was to make them respect the run. If they had to worry about that, then my play-action passing game would eat them up.

On the snap, Wolf shot through the hole and was met by their linebacker. Wolf was six-five and 235 pounds. He’d lost weight over the summer but hadn’t lost any of his strength. Their linebacker was five-eleven and 185 pounds. I give the kid credit for taking Wolf head-on; even I wouldn’t want to do that. Wolf put the kid on his butt and was looking for his next victim when Bert flew by him and crushed the safety. Jake was right on his tail and neatly stepped around them and was gone.

I jogged down to the other side of the field to play defense. Coach Hope had them run the same play against us. Don Crown was their tight end, and he shot through the hole to block me. I tossed him to the side, and Ed hit me. Ty was right behind him, and he juked to step around us. Unfortunately, he stepped towards Tim, who was there to clean up the play for only a three-yard gain.