End Zone by Tiki Barber

come from even further behind this season, so there was no need to panic.
    Except for one thing: The defense was going to have to stop North Side cold. They’d already given up seventeen points, but that was because the Rockets had started deep inside Eagle territory due to Hayden’s mistakes.
    The Eagles could not afford for their QB to keep fumbling and throwing the ball away. He seemed steadier now, throwing another quick pass to Luke at the three. On third down, Coach Wheeler called a rollout.
    Felix Amadou was covered in the end zone, and the linebackers weren’t fooled by the fake handoff to Tiki. They stayed with Hayden, and brought him down at the five yard line. The Eagles had to settle for a field goal that made the score 17–3.
    â€œWell, we’ve gotta do what we’ve gotta do,” Ronde said to himself as he strapped his helmet on. For the Eagles to win, he was going to have to make a big impact on this game—starting right here and now.
    The Rockets started their next drive at the thirty yard line. With a two-touchdown lead, they tried to eat up the clock by keeping the ball on the ground. But the Eagles were ready for them, and soon it was third and long.
    Here came the pass play, Ronde knew. They’d probably try to keep it simple—a quick throw to avoid the blitz, just long enough for a first down.
    Ronde gave his man a hard bump, sending him reeling backward. Then he headed for the forty yard line, which was exactly how far the Rockets needed to get with the pass.
    Sure enough, their halfback had sneaked through the Eagle defensive line and now turned quickly to receive the throw. But Ronde was there first, leaping in front of him to grab the ball out of the air for the interception!
    It was exactly the break the Eagles needed. No sooner was the offense back on the field than Coach Wheeler called a pass play—this time, going straight for the end zone. And Hayden, suddenly feeling it, threw a perfect strike to Frank Amadou in the corner of the end zone for the touchdown!
    By halftime, the score was 17–10, Rockets. But everyone in the Eagle locker room was focused and ready. Nobody crowed, or bragged, or fooled around, or even talked much. They were a bunch of men on a mission.
    It wasn’t life or death, of course—but it might as well have been. Ronde saw the looks in their eyes, and insidehis heart, he knew —this team was not going down in defeat. Not today. Not this game. No way .
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    As Ronde waited for the second half kickoff to come down into his arms, he tried to still his pounding heartbeat. “Breathe,” he told himself. “Breathe . . .”
    He took the ball and squeezed it hard to his chest, making sure he had a good grip before he began to run. Somehow, he felt an extra sense of alertness. It was like everyone else was moving in slow motion.
    Starting with a stutter step that made two rushers trip over themselves and tumble to the ground, Ronde darted this way and that, spinning away from one tackle, ducking under a leaping rusher, and finally finding a seam of daylight.
    That was when he kicked it into high gear. Two more defenders skidded to the ground, grabbing for his legs but ending up clutching nothing but air. Ronde’s legs whirred at amazing speed, and everything turned red in his vision as he raced for the end zone!
    He felt hands grab his ankles just as he crossed the goal line. Clutching the ball even tighter, he hit the ground hard, but kept possession. Touchdown, Eagles!
    The crowd went nuts, and the band launched into a victory march, with the big bass drum pounding. Adam raced onto the field, and his extra point was true, as usual.
    Tie game, 17–17! And after the Rocket offense went three and out, it was the Eagles’ offense turn.
    Ronde couldn’t wipe the grin off his face as he stood on the sideline. With the great runback he’d given them, the Eagles