hard-fought attempts by the Scorpions to take back control, but the Slickers held out. The play shifted
from one side of the field to the other. At one point, Mark made a move toward a ball that had rolled loose in his direction.
Three Slickers were all over him instantly.
He shot the ball over to Mel Duffy, who zipped it up to Vince. But the Slicker defense was just too strong. Vince tried to
pass it off, but a Slicker wing took the ball away. A few smart moves by that same wing brought him within scoring range.
Moments later, the ball zoomed into the net for the game’s first goal. Slickers 1, Scorpions 0.
Charlie Burns banged his fists on his knees. Mark knew the veteran goalie hated to miss the ball. Judging by what he’d seen,
Charlie would never have had a chance to stop it. The Slickers were just too good at finding holes in the Scorpions’ defense.
And their defense is having no trouble stealing it away from our offense, Mark thought dismally.
Neither side scored again that half, but the Slickers threatened more times than Mark liked to count.
During the halftime break, it was obvious that Coach Ryan was upset with the way his team was playing.
“What’s going on out there?” he asked. “Have you all forgotten how to pass the ball? Call for plays? Are you trying to play
one-on-eleven? Let me tell you, it doesn’t work that way! We’re very lucky that score-board shows only one goal for their
side.” He paused to look each of them in the eye.
“Okay,” he said finally. “You don’t need me to yammer at you like this. You’re a skilled team. You just need to use one another
more efficiently. Work the plays, and keep the ball moving in the right direction. I want to see Charlie Burns so bored that
he’s yawning.” That brought a smile to the boys’ grim faces. As always, Coach Ryan pointed out what was wrong with their playing
but never made them feel it was too late to correct it. When the ref’s whistle blew to signal the start of the second half,
it was a fired-up Scorpions team that took the field.
From the moment play started, it was apparent that the coach’s words had struck home. They moved the ball much more quickly.
In their very first attack, clean passes flew between all three members of theforward line — Evan Andrews to Mark to Vince and back again. Gradually they brought the ball into firing range of the Slickers’
goal.
After breaking away from a couple of Slicker tacklers, Mark saw a chance to set up a play the team had practiced over and
over again. He called out, “Scorpion Red!” and faked to the left. Then, planting his left foot firmly on the ground, he booted
the ball over to Evan, on his left side. Evan got set right away and kicked the ball high into the air toward the goal. The
ball rose over the heads of the blocking Slickers and began to drop in front of the goal. The Slicker goalie positioned himself
for the catch.
That’s when Mark came zooming behind the blockers. With a powerful leap, he headed the ball into the corner of the net.
Goal!
The scoreboard now read Slickers 1, Scorpions 1.
Groups of Scorpions gathered around Mark and Evan to congratulate them on pulling off the play. Mark was all smiles.
“That worked great!” he exclaimed as he slapped Evan’s hand in a high five. “But hey, next time, why don’t you swoop in right
after me, just in case theirgoalie blocks me out? If there are two of us right there, one should be able to get control of the ball, right?” Evan looked
thoughtful, then nodded in agreement and trotted back to his position.
Mark felt great — until he heard Vince mutter something to Eddie Chu that sounded like “
Oink, oink,
Mr. Know-It-All.”
Mark was stunned. Did Vince think he had been hogging the ball? But it had been their cooperative effort that had moved the
ball into position! It was just dumb luck that Mark had been the one to call the play.
And what does he mean by
from one side of the field to the other. At one point, Mark made a move toward a ball that had rolled loose in his direction.
Three Slickers were all over him instantly.
He shot the ball over to Mel Duffy, who zipped it up to Vince. But the Slicker defense was just too strong. Vince tried to
pass it off, but a Slicker wing took the ball away. A few smart moves by that same wing brought him within scoring range.
Moments later, the ball zoomed into the net for the game’s first goal. Slickers 1, Scorpions 0.
Charlie Burns banged his fists on his knees. Mark knew the veteran goalie hated to miss the ball. Judging by what he’d seen,
Charlie would never have had a chance to stop it. The Slickers were just too good at finding holes in the Scorpions’ defense.
And their defense is having no trouble stealing it away from our offense, Mark thought dismally.
Neither side scored again that half, but the Slickers threatened more times than Mark liked to count.
During the halftime break, it was obvious that Coach Ryan was upset with the way his team was playing.
“What’s going on out there?” he asked. “Have you all forgotten how to pass the ball? Call for plays? Are you trying to play
one-on-eleven? Let me tell you, it doesn’t work that way! We’re very lucky that score-board shows only one goal for their
side.” He paused to look each of them in the eye.
“Okay,” he said finally. “You don’t need me to yammer at you like this. You’re a skilled team. You just need to use one another
more efficiently. Work the plays, and keep the ball moving in the right direction. I want to see Charlie Burns so bored that
he’s yawning.” That brought a smile to the boys’ grim faces. As always, Coach Ryan pointed out what was wrong with their playing
but never made them feel it was too late to correct it. When the ref’s whistle blew to signal the start of the second half,
it was a fired-up Scorpions team that took the field.
From the moment play started, it was apparent that the coach’s words had struck home. They moved the ball much more quickly.
In their very first attack, clean passes flew between all three members of theforward line — Evan Andrews to Mark to Vince and back again. Gradually they brought the ball into firing range of the Slickers’
goal.
After breaking away from a couple of Slicker tacklers, Mark saw a chance to set up a play the team had practiced over and
over again. He called out, “Scorpion Red!” and faked to the left. Then, planting his left foot firmly on the ground, he booted
the ball over to Evan, on his left side. Evan got set right away and kicked the ball high into the air toward the goal. The
ball rose over the heads of the blocking Slickers and began to drop in front of the goal. The Slicker goalie positioned himself
for the catch.
That’s when Mark came zooming behind the blockers. With a powerful leap, he headed the ball into the corner of the net.
Goal!
The scoreboard now read Slickers 1, Scorpions 1.
Groups of Scorpions gathered around Mark and Evan to congratulate them on pulling off the play. Mark was all smiles.
“That worked great!” he exclaimed as he slapped Evan’s hand in a high five. “But hey, next time, why don’t you swoop in right
after me, just in case theirgoalie blocks me out? If there are two of us right there, one should be able to get control of the ball, right?” Evan looked
thoughtful, then nodded in agreement and trotted back to his position.
Mark felt great — until he heard Vince mutter something to Eddie Chu that sounded like “
Oink, oink,
Mr. Know-It-All.”
Mark was stunned. Did Vince think he had been hogging the ball? But it had been their cooperative effort that had moved the
ball into position! It was just dumb luck that Mark had been the one to call the play.
And what does he mean by
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