Body Slammed! by Ray Villareal

Author:Ray Villareal
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: epub, ebook, QuarkXPress
ISBN: 111-1-11-111111-1
Publisher: Arte Público Press

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Friday night, TJ didn’t attend Jesse’s game. Earlier he sent him a text that read: Sorry, can’t make it 2nite. Me and your pops r wrestling @ the FedEx Forum in Memphis. Kick some Dragon butt 4 me! C U you Saturday @ 8. TJ

Jesse texted back to tell TJ that he would rather be picked up in front of the Target store near his house. Jesse had already told his grandparents that he would be going to Goose’s Halloween party Saturday, so he didn’t want TJ showing up at his door. He ended his text message with: Dont tell my dad that Im going to ur party.

It was just as well that TJ was out of town, because Jesse would have hated for him to witness the disaster that took place on the field against the Burnet Dragons.

The Sidewinders started strong, building a thirteen-to-nothing lead. Jesse begged Coach Blaylock to let him play, but the coach refused to listen. He chewed Jesse out for missing practice and said that he didn’t see any reason to put him in the game if he wasn’t going to show commitment to the team.

In the second half, the Dragons came back and scored two touchdowns. But late in the fourth quarter, the Sidewinders regained the lead, 20 to 14. They could smell victory and a district championship.

Then, with less than three minutes left in the game, Sam Morales did something uncharacteristically stupid. He didn’t know if it was the tension or the excitement of the game, but on the next play, he chop blocked a charging defensive lineman. Instead of going for the upper body to stop the rushing player, Sam dove at his knees and ankles. The lineman fell to the ground, grabbed his right knee and howled in pain. The referee blew his whistle and threw a yellow flag. A Burnet player, furious at Sam’s dirty move, seized him by his jersey and cussed him out. Sam snatched the player’s face mask and twisted his helmet around.

Soon, players from both sides jumped into the scuffle. When the referees finally took control of the situation, the Sidewinders were penalized fifteen yards, and both Sam and the Burnet player who grabbed him were tossed out of the game.

With a look on his face that would have frightened the devil, Coach Blaylock blasted his players for fighting. Now left with no other choice, he sent Jesse in to take Sam’s place.

Jesse ran out on the field, thrilled at the opportunity to be part of Deaf Smith’s first district championship.

On the line of scrimmage, he snapped the ball to Riley, who completed a twenty-three yard pass to Mitch Maloof. Despite their fifteen yard penalty, the Sidewinders picked up an easy first down.

The tambourines rattled. The fans cheered. The drumline stepped up its beat.

On the next down, Goose picked up five yards. The play clock had run down to under two minutes, and the Sidewinders were moving the ball. Another score and they would put the game out of reach for the Dragons.

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