break — and a successful goal — for the Bears.
“If I didn’t know any better,” Garry whispered to his brother as they hurried off the field for the halftime break, “I’d say
Evan has a grudge against Michael!”
“It does seem like there is trouble in paradise!” Todd whispered back.
The trouble got worse — for Michael, anyway. When the second half began, the once-unstoppable attacker was left sitting on
the bench while Todd took the face-off!
Todd might not have been a dynamo like Michael, but he was a complete team player.So was Pedro, who came off the bench to take Conor’s place. Together, the two subs moved the ball down the field so smoothly
it looked like they were doing a simple passing drill. And when Todd slashed his stick downward and sent the ball into the
lower right corner of the net to put the Rockets ahead by one, no one cheered louder than Garry.
And to think Michael wanted him off the team!
he thought as he smiled proudly at Todd.
But that one-point advantage didn’t last long. The Bears controlled the ball after the next face-off and roared down the field
in an all-out blitz on the goal. Carl and Eric stood their ground but Andrew, subbing for Brandon, hesitated in the face of
the onslaught. When he did finally move to cover his man, it was too late. The Bear, a huge but fleet-footed boy, blew by
him with the ball safely cradled in his stick pocket.
Christopher came out of the goal to cut him off, but when he did, another Bear sidled in, received a pass, and angled the
ball past the Rockets goalie. Tied game again.
The score stayed even throughout the third quarter, and into the fourth. Garry was beginning to wonder if either team would
ever break through when Samuel got the ball and yelled, “Middie sweep!”
The Rockets had tried the play a few times earlier in the game without success. But that was when Michael had still been on
the field. This time, Todd was in the center attacker spot. Garry wondered for a split second if his brother, usually a midfielder,
would know how to run the play from that position.
He needn’t have worried. When not playing lacrosse, Todd liked to play elaborate magician-and-monster role-playing games.
To play games like that well, he had to knowwhat each piece was up to at all times and keep track of his opponent’s action too. Now, Todd transferred those skills to
the lacrosse field.
He planted himself at the top of the crease, ready to screen for Samuel. Samuel darted by him and looked to the goal, but
even with Todd blocking the goalie’s view, he didn’t have a clear shot.
Now the ball went to Jeff. Once more, Todd set a screen — and this time, the play worked like a charm. Jeff darted to one
side of Todd and laced in a perfect shot seconds before the goalie realized what he was up to.
The Rockets were up by one! That late-game goal seemed to deflate the Bears. When the game ended a few minutes later, the
Rockets had pushed yet another goal across the line to win by two.
Garry cheered with the rest of his teamand then, winded from playing the entire game, headed to the bench for a much-needed rest. But any thought of relaxing went
out the window when Michael planted himself on the bench beside him.
“You are really in for it, you know that?” the attacker threatened. “If I don’t score several times the next game, you are
dead!
”
Garry took off his helmet, ran his fingers through his sweaty hair, and put on a puzzled look. “Correct me if I’m wrong, but
don’t you actually have to be in the game in order to score?”
Garry had often heard the expression “so angry his head exploded.” But he didn’t really get what it meant until just then.
Michael’s eyes bugged out, his nostrils flared, his face turned beet red, and his lips pulled back in a snarl. Garry actually
leaned back, certain his nemesis was about to lose it completely.
But Michael just stood up and shook a finger in
“If I didn’t know any better,” Garry whispered to his brother as they hurried off the field for the halftime break, “I’d say
Evan has a grudge against Michael!”
“It does seem like there is trouble in paradise!” Todd whispered back.
The trouble got worse — for Michael, anyway. When the second half began, the once-unstoppable attacker was left sitting on
the bench while Todd took the face-off!
Todd might not have been a dynamo like Michael, but he was a complete team player.So was Pedro, who came off the bench to take Conor’s place. Together, the two subs moved the ball down the field so smoothly
it looked like they were doing a simple passing drill. And when Todd slashed his stick downward and sent the ball into the
lower right corner of the net to put the Rockets ahead by one, no one cheered louder than Garry.
And to think Michael wanted him off the team!
he thought as he smiled proudly at Todd.
But that one-point advantage didn’t last long. The Bears controlled the ball after the next face-off and roared down the field
in an all-out blitz on the goal. Carl and Eric stood their ground but Andrew, subbing for Brandon, hesitated in the face of
the onslaught. When he did finally move to cover his man, it was too late. The Bear, a huge but fleet-footed boy, blew by
him with the ball safely cradled in his stick pocket.
Christopher came out of the goal to cut him off, but when he did, another Bear sidled in, received a pass, and angled the
ball past the Rockets goalie. Tied game again.
The score stayed even throughout the third quarter, and into the fourth. Garry was beginning to wonder if either team would
ever break through when Samuel got the ball and yelled, “Middie sweep!”
The Rockets had tried the play a few times earlier in the game without success. But that was when Michael had still been on
the field. This time, Todd was in the center attacker spot. Garry wondered for a split second if his brother, usually a midfielder,
would know how to run the play from that position.
He needn’t have worried. When not playing lacrosse, Todd liked to play elaborate magician-and-monster role-playing games.
To play games like that well, he had to knowwhat each piece was up to at all times and keep track of his opponent’s action too. Now, Todd transferred those skills to
the lacrosse field.
He planted himself at the top of the crease, ready to screen for Samuel. Samuel darted by him and looked to the goal, but
even with Todd blocking the goalie’s view, he didn’t have a clear shot.
Now the ball went to Jeff. Once more, Todd set a screen — and this time, the play worked like a charm. Jeff darted to one
side of Todd and laced in a perfect shot seconds before the goalie realized what he was up to.
The Rockets were up by one! That late-game goal seemed to deflate the Bears. When the game ended a few minutes later, the
Rockets had pushed yet another goal across the line to win by two.
Garry cheered with the rest of his teamand then, winded from playing the entire game, headed to the bench for a much-needed rest. But any thought of relaxing went
out the window when Michael planted himself on the bench beside him.
“You are really in for it, you know that?” the attacker threatened. “If I don’t score several times the next game, you are
dead!
”
Garry took off his helmet, ran his fingers through his sweaty hair, and put on a puzzled look. “Correct me if I’m wrong, but
don’t you actually have to be in the game in order to score?”
Garry had often heard the expression “so angry his head exploded.” But he didn’t really get what it meant until just then.
Michael’s eyes bugged out, his nostrils flared, his face turned beet red, and his lips pulled back in a snarl. Garry actually
leaned back, certain his nemesis was about to lose it completely.
But Michael just stood up and shook a finger in
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