End Zone (5 page)

The disappointed Wildcats lined up opposite the relieved Eagles, and the quarterback took a knee to end the first half. The Eagles trotted off the field, still in the
game, but facing a 14–6 score that looked like a very high mountain to climb.

In the locker room, Ronde sought out his brother. He knew Tiki must be near his wit's end. What could he say to inspire him, to get him ready to play the best second half of his life?

He sat down and put an arm around his brother's shoulders. “You did great.”

“Yeah, great,” Tiki said sarcastically. “I could have had that touchdown, but I let the ball get knocked away—like an idiot.”

“Hey! That was a good play. There was nothing else you could have done there.”

“I could have gone down at the two, with the ball in my hands.”

“But time would've run out!” Ronde pointed out. “You
had
to reach out with it.”

Tiki looked up at him. Ronde saw that his eyes were filling with tears. Tiki fought them back, gritting his jaw. “They're all over me, Ronde,” he said.

Then, to Ronde's surprise, Tiki grinned. “Sure you don't want to switch with me for the second half?”

“Ha!” Ronde laughed. “That's rich, dude. Like I could really do that.”

“You could,” Tiki said. “You said so yourself.”

“I was just flossin'. You know I wasn't serious.”

“I know. Still, right now, it's a tempting offer.”

“Hey—just get back out there and play your game.”

“I've
been
playing my game—what more can I do?”

Ronde sighed. “Look, I know
you're
tired, but man, you're tiring
them
out too! I saw them all sucking wind, just like you. It's just a matter of who's in better shape to play the next thirty minutes.”

Tiki snorted. “Nobody's in better shape than us,” he said.

“That's right!”

“They really were sucking wind?”

“Would I lie? Don't answer that question.”

Now it was Tiki's turn to laugh—and Ronde saw that he had succeeded in breaking the spell. His brother seemed lighter now, ready to get back out there and grind it out.

“Listen,” Ronde told him, “just forget all that garbage going through your head, okay? Remember what you said on Thanksgiving.”

“What was that?”

“Don't tell me you forgot already! You said you were thankful for all your gifts and for the mind to use them well.”

“I said that?”

“That's right.”

“That's pretty good.”

“You got that right. Now get out there and use that mind. Maybe get a little creative, and show 'em a few surprises.”

“Surprises?”

“You know what? Hayden can run. Maybe you might want to look for him when they're all over you.”

“A little lateral action?” Tiki looked intrigued.

“Just a thought,” Ronde said, grinning. “Hey, life's full of surprises—why not show Pulaski a few?”

“Not bad,” Tiki had to admit. “I'll run it by Coach and Hayden.”

“Make sure you give credit where credit is due, now.”

“Ha! I am just full of brilliant ideas,” Tiki teased.

“Take credit for it if you want; what do I care? Just go out there and love the game.”

“You're full of good stuff today, Ronde. You know, you ought to write an advice column.”

“Oh, no, don't get started now.” Ronde laughed.

“Seriously, thanks. You're the best, brother.”

“Best one you ever had, huh?”

“Hey—let's go play proud.” Tiki put out his hand.

“Play proud, yo,” Ronde agreed, giving Tiki their secret handshake—the one they'd used since way back in pee wee league. “Let's go win us a football game.”

TIKI SQUEEZED HIS BROTHER HARD. HE KNEW HE
was lucky to have Ronde. In spite of their occasional arguments, they were as close as two brothers could be. Closer even than that, because they were identical twins.

It was really something special to have someone out there in the world who was so much like you that they thought the same thoughts at least half the time.

Tiki meant it when he'd said his piece at Thanksgiving dinner, about how grateful he was for his brother. And his mom, too. He knew he had a lot to be thankful for—but if he didn't get out there and somehow change the course of this game, the biggest prize of his life would escape his grasp.

Oh, sure, Hidden Valley was going to make the playoffs anyway. They'd probably wind up playing this same team again in the play-offs. But there was something about a perfect season that was different.

Last year had been special because of all the Eagles had overcome—they'd only narrowly escaped elimination several times.

But this year was just the opposite.
Everyone
expected them to win. If they didn't, the whole school would be devastated.

“Okay, Eagles, let's get out there and take back this game!”

Tiki blinked. The coach had been talking for a while, but Tiki'd been so involved in his own thoughts, he'd missed the whole speech!

Coach Wheeler's voice was hoarse, as it usually was this time of the season. The team cheered and lined up to run back onto the field. Tiki and Ronde waited till the last, exchanging their secret handshake one more time.

The second half did not start well. Ronde ran the kickoff back for forty big yards—only to have the whole thing called back by a penalty! Rio Ikeda, one of the Eagles' young stars on special teams, had allowed himself to get too pumped up, and he'd blocked one of the Wildcat rushers in the back.

Rio came off the field looking forlorn. “Hey, chin up, dude!” Tiki told him. “We need you to be your best this half—no moping around. We're gonna win this game, and you're gonna be a big part of it!”

Rio smiled and nodded. “Thanks, Cap'n,” he said.

Tiki didn't have to look down at the
C
stitched onto his jersey to feel it burning into his chest. It was all about playing proud. That was the message their mom had taught him and Ronde, and that was the message they, as
Eagle co-captains, tried to pass along to their teammates every day.

Coach Wheeler called in the play: Texas Tech. It was a sweep, with everybody blocking for Tiki. Up till now, the game plan was to have Tiki charge straight into the line. with off-tackle plays down after down. They hadn't gained much yardage, but at least they'd tired out the Pulaski D-line.

Hopefully, they wouldn't have the wind left to chase Tiki all the way across the field and tackle him before he could turn the corner.

The ball was snapped. Hayden slammed the ball into Tiki's chest. Tiki grabbed it and ran for all he was worth, straight along the ten yard line. He turned the corner, shook off the fingertip tackle attempt by the Wildcat defensive end, and turned it up into the backfield.

Twelve yards later, the safety slammed him out of bounds. But Tiki could see that Coach's strategy was going to work. If they hadn't caught him this time, no way would they catch him later in the game, when they were
really
tired.

If the Eagle defense could stuff the Pulaski attack, he and the offense would make sure the team came all the way back.

After a quick pass to Jonah James, it was Tiki time again. This time, the sweep went left instead of right, because the ball was spotted on the right hash marks,
which gave the Eagles more room to their left.

It worked again, netting eight yards, and keeping the drive going. But once they were in the red zone, the defense stiffened up. With less room to maneuver, and the backs closer to the line of scrimmage, it was harder to gain ground. In the end, they had to try another field goal. Even worse, this one was blocked!

Now Tiki could only watch, and hope that the Eagle defense was up to the challenge of keeping the game close. On first down, Pulaski tried a sweep of their own—but Ronde sniffed it out, running all the way across the field to make the tackle and hold the Wildcats to a short gain.

On second down, they tried a quarterback draw. This time, it was Rob Fiorilla who made the great play, grabbing the quarterback's sleeve as he went by and dragging him off-stride, so that the rest of the defenders could throw him for a loss.

It was third and ten, and everyone, including Tiki, knew that, in spite of the fact that they were deep in their own end, the Wildcats would have to pass. Tiki watched, his eyes fixed on Ronde as his twin kept stride for stride with Pulaski's number one receiver.

Coach Pellugi had sent out an extra defensive back so that they could double-team Justin's man. That left Ronde in single coverage. It was bait, and Pulaski's quarterback went for it, throwing a long bomb to his number one guy.

The ball was thrown well, and the receiver was taller
than Ronde—even though Ronde was a lot bigger than he used to be. But Ronde made up for it with tremendous speed and leaping ability—not to mention great hands. Without breaking stride, he took to the air and grabbed the ball away from the receiver!

Ronde fell to the ground, but the ball stayed firmly in his grasp.

“Attaboy, Ronde!” Tiki threw a fist high into the air as he ran back onto the field.

Hidden Valley started from their own seventeen yard line. But with Tiki running side to side, and Pulaski running out of energy, the Eagles were suddenly unstoppable. The only time they didn't make major gains was when Tiki had to go to the sideline for a quick breather.

Ten plays later, after a slow but powerful drive, he leaped over the pile of linemen and into the end zone! It was now a two-point game, and Coach called for a two-point conversion attempt to try and tie the game.

Tiki felt sure Wheeler would call his number, but instead, he called for a fake handoff and quarterback rollout to the weak side. Tiki would surely have complained if he'd been on the sideline, but in the huddle, there was no one to argue with.

Besides, he knew what Coach was thinking: Pulaski would be putting everyone on Tiki-watch. It only made sense to surprise them.

It would have worked, too, if Hayden hadn't tripped
over his blocker's foot and tumbled to the ground. A moan went up from the home crowd when they realized their heroes were still behind in the game, 14–12.

Pulaski's offense stayed on the ground, keeping away from Ronde at all costs. They wound up having to punt, but not before moving the ball into Eagle territory.

On the Eagles' next drive, Tiki found he was getting tired again. He was a step too slow on the sweeps, twice in a row. Then he saw Coach Ontkos waving him off the field!

“What's the deal?” he asked after he made it to the sideline.

“I'm giving you a rest till the fourth quarter,” said Coach. “Let Luke tire them out for a while. Then we'll get you back in there when we've got better field position.”

“I'm not tired, Coach!” Tiki protested—but he knew he was.

“Tiki, it's important to be patient. Remember, it's the score at the end of the fourth quarter that counts.”

With Luke running on fresh legs, the Eagles managed to push the ball nearly to midfield. But a lot of time was getting run off the clock, and because Coach didn't trust Hayden to pass more than once in a blue moon, they had to stay on the ground and use up precious time.

The fourth quarter started with a punt to Pulaski that was run back all the way to midfield. Tiki cringed. Hidden Valley couldn't afford to fall any further behind—not when they had no passing game!

The Wildcats wasted no time on their attack, going to the air on first down and coming up with fifteen yards by throwing at Justin's man. Then they tried pounding it forward on the ground, but Rob Fiorilla, who was having the game of his life, stuffed them twice in a row.

That's when something happened that blew Tiki's mind. Pulaski's quarterback dropped back to pass, and was looking for his tight end, when Ronde appeared to stumble, allowing his man to get two steps on him!

“Oh, no!” Tiki moaned, and he wasn't the only one who noticed. The quarterback quickly turned and fired, going for Ronde's man as he streaked toward the end zone.

But amazingly, Ronde got there first! From the moment the quarterback released the ball, Ronde turned it up into another gear—a gear even Tiki didn't realize he had.

He caught up to his man and outjumped him for the ball, for the second time that half! He came down at the one yard line, but hey—it was Eagles' ball, and they only needed a field goal to take the lead!

“Get back in there, Barber!” Coach said, clapping him on the back. “How you feeling? Still tired?”

“No, Coach!” Tiki shot back, grinning. “I never was tired. I told you that!”

“That's my boy,” he said. “Keep those feet moving, now.”

Tiki dashed out to the huddle. “Miami, on three,” said Hayden—an off-tackle run for Tiki—back to the original plan.

This time, the defense seemed a step slower than before. They had their hands on their hips and were sucking in air after the play, which netted eight yards.

On second down, Tiki blasted through a gigantic hole created by Paco throwing his weight around. When he finally went down, he was at the forty-two yard line!

“Texas Tech on one!” The sweep again. Tiki took the ball and went flying toward the sideline, then turned the corner untouched. When he saw the safety about to knock him out of bounds, he did a quick 360 and turned back toward the hash marks. The safety went flying off the field and right into poor Cootie!

Tiki could hear the crowd roaring in his ears as he crossed midfield and headed into Wildcat territory. When they finally tripped him up, it was at the Pulaski thirty-eight.

Tiki looked up at the clock. Only three minutes left, but they were getting close to Adam's field goal range. All they had to do was keep going. But Tiki needed a breather, and he knew it. Raising his hand, he signaled to be replaced.