As my team and I were stretching out of the football field my pre-game jitters were setting in. We were facing the undefeated team Franklin. For two years the have been undefeated except for their one tie, against us. I watched as the timer started counting down from one minute. Our team ran over to the field goal post and lined up with our numbers going least to greatest.” 26 Sam Ramlow,” I ran out onto the field hearing nothing but my teammates screaming. I ran by my teammates and slapped their hands. I couldn’t hear anything with everyone screaming so load. We went to the middle of the field. Brandon, Mike, and I were all captains. We won the toss and chose to receive. As we walked back to the sideline I looked up into the stands to see some of my friends in the bleachers.
Then I was on the field pumped up and ready to play. Once they kicked I watched the ball spin over my head and into the hands of Mike. I ran back to him and turned around, we ran together and around the 30 yard line somebody was going to take a shot at tackling Mike but I wasn’t going to let them. I quickly put that guy on his butt and watched as Mike was finally pulled down at around the 45 yard line. Now it’s time to play offense.
“Huddle up! 921 dive on two, ready BREAK!” I walked up to my spot and waited for the words.” Red set GO GO!” I was off as fast as I could go, I took the hand off and ran towards the one hole which is right in between the left guard and the center. “Crack!” My shoulder pads slammed into a guy and he was now on his back. I looked up cut left and was caught after a 15 yard gain. I came back into the huddle and heard a play called for Mike and I. After the hike I took off to the left on the outside and slammed into a guy. Mike got the pitch and ran to the left of my block.
After 25 yards they gang tackled him and after just two plays we were on the five yard line. My turn, I went to the line and waited for the hike. Once I got the ball my legs were chopping and I didn’t stop until I was in the end zone. I had to shed at least two people to get into the end zone. “Sam Ramlow fights to get the hard yards for a Pirates TOUCHDOWN!!” When everyone got out and got in we lined up and kicked the PAT.”It’s good!” I jogged to the sideline with all my other teammates. Right away I had to get into a huddle before the kick.
“Pirates READY!?” “READY!” Aiden kicked the ball perfectly so it was bouncing out of control. They grabbed the ball and looked up only to be completely demolished by Piercen. “Injury timeout” We waited a couple minutes for the injured player to be carried of the field. Then I walked off the field because I wasn’t on defense this half. I watched as Franklin drove up the field for a touchdown. It was now 8-8. Now we were all set to receive the kick, and so they kicked it. From the looks of it, it was coming towards me.
I pulled the ball in and took off looking for a seam. I cut to the outside, sidestepped, and stiff armed a guy. I got to about their 40 and walked to the huddle with pride. Jacob called a screen pass to me on the right side. “ Red set go!” I ran to the sideline not looking back. After about 10 yards I turned, caught the ball, and ran up field with my legs going as fast as I could. One of the fast linebackers got in front of me so I lowered my shoulder. I was tackled put punished him for it.
Then I got to sit out for I bit and have Brandon play for the rest of the half. I was taking swigs of Gatorade while I watched Brandon and Mike run all over the place. Mike got the ball and just took off. “GO! GO!” Mike was running down the sideline in a footrace with a guy from Franklin, but he wasn’t fast enough. “Mike Walters runs 70 yards for a Pewaukee TOUCHDOWN!” After that Franklin scored and then kicked a 25 yard field goal. It was 19-16 Franklin at half.
“Now let’s go out there and win this thing!” Our Coach wrapped up his little speech and we all ran over to our bench and got ready to kick to Franklin. “Pirates Ready!? READY!” The kick was a high end over end kick. I raced down to find whoever had caught the ball. The person who did seemed to be running around everyone. When he was in the middle of a juke I decided to crush him. I took one really hard step forward and launched myself at him. I slammed my should into his stomach. When we both hit the ground I heard screams of pain.
Then I stood up and looked down at my victim who seemed to have hurt his ribs. “opps,” I said and walked away. “3 5 max and rover attack. READY BREAK!” I was really anxious for this play because Brandon and I were on a blitz. “Hut Hut HIKE!” The quarterback dropped back to pass and Brandon and I sprinted after him. Right as Brandon nailed the quarterback he pitched it to his tailback. I dragged him down after about a 1 yard gain. After that play they threw two incomplete passes, they punted the ball and Brandon was on offense.
Late in the forth quarter We were still down by three. Then Brandon broke threw the line and ran for a 20 yard touchdown. Now it was 24-19 Pirates. We were about to win we just needed to stop them on defense. There was two minutes left in the game. We kicked it to them for a touch back, so they have to go 80 yards in two minutes. It was the game deciding play, third down with 5 yards to go. It was a toss to the right side and Brandon was running straight at him. Brandon rolled his ankle and went down hard grasping his right leg.
The Franklin running back was finally brought down after about 30 yards. They were at the 50 yard line. “Hut Hut HIKE!” The quarterback took the snap and dropped back. Two seconds later he launched a bomb down field. The ball was perfectly thrown and it dropped right into the hands of a Franklin receiver. Touchdown Franklin. We all thought it was over until piercen blocked the field goal and that gave us hope. It was now 25-24 Franklin. The only two fullbacks on our team were Brandon and I, Charles wasn’t hear today, so after the kick I would have to go out. The kick was a touch back.
“828 pitch on two. Ready. Break!” Everyone walked up to the line and got set ready for the play to be called. “Read Set GO GO!” I took off looking for the pitch, once I felt the leather against my arms I looked ahead to see which one of my blockers I was going to run off of. Ryan looked like he was doing a great job at blocking his guy. I ran to his left made a cut and sidestepped a guy. I had one more person to beat and he was really coming at me fast.
Then I noticed he was standing straight up so I lowered my shoulder and nailed him. He rolled over my back as I straighted my back out. I was off to the races. Then I noticed there was someone really close behind me so I cut to the side, bad choice. It slowed me down so then I was in a foot race with one guy and another now had a perfect pursuit angle. I had to dig deep into myself to find that extra charge. I had found the fire in my belly and I got just enough speed to pull myself away from the defender.
“ GO GO GO!” I was listening to my teammates scream to me and that gave me the will to get running. I had about 30 more yards to go and the other defender looked like he might get me. I kept running as hard as I could. The defender was closing in and by the time I was at the two he was right in front of me. I leaped into the air, my arms outstretched with the ball and landed on my back in the end zone. When I jumped I had hit him and it sent me flying out of control. I got up slowly and looked at the scabbard. 0:00, Pirates 30 Franklin 24.
After the PAT my teammates ran onto the field and mobbed me. We shook hands with Franklin and walked away with our heads high. This undefeated team wasn’t undefeated anymore.
