The sun was starting to wane as the sounds of music was blaring all over the small stadium, which was almost drowned out by the sounds of a few thousand people walking on the metal bleachers to their seats. With me was the girls, Joshua, and my parents. My brother, Rainbow Dash, and Nassir were no where to be seen: they were getting prepared for the game that was to start in half a hour. Bob was with me, in case shit went downhill in the game. Lake Forest's rivalry with Laguna was always fierce, and the game during my freshman year ended early during because of a massive brawl.
If the Freshman and Junior Varsity games were any indication of Varsity's chances this year; we might be in trouble: Freshman lost 62-3 yesterday and JV lost 35-7 a hour ago. Laguna's varsity team was ranked number one in the nation, and was expected to play in the state bowl game at the end of the season, so pulling off the massive upset would of been a once in a lifetime sight to see.
I escorted the girls and Joshua to the far end of the bleachers, where the student section resided. Most were happy to see the girls; which I knew the girls would be well liked here the moment I laid eyes on them those many months ago. Of course, they would make the occasional enemy between then and now, those enemies became new targets and new people to keep an eye on. As I got myself seated with Joshua and sharing a warm blanket with him, we waited for the start of the game.
***
The team room was usually energetic and loud minutes before the game. This time it was silent: many were reflecting on the importance of this game, some were actually whispering to the person next to them, and some were praying. Nassir had his armed crossed and bounced his knee viciously, impatient and eager for the upcoming game. Rainbow Dash was also nervous. Ever since she was on the team, everyone told her the importance of this specific game and why we must beat the Titans. I looked over to her and she was zoned out. It felt surreal she was human, with me, and in the black and gold uniform of the Lake Forest Scout's that I called my team's jersey since freshman year.
The tension broke when coach walked in determined. He was followed by the coordinators and the position coaches.
"Tonight, we play the Laguna Titans. I'm not going to sugar coat it to you guys: people are expecting for them to steamroll us tonight and keep the "Wagon Wheel" and their national #1 ranking this week. But let me teach you all a little mythology lesson: The titans were once the masters of the earth. They crushed all those who opposed them. Eventually they fell. I really didn't know where I was gonna go with that, but those titans can fall too! WHO IS WITH ME!"
The rest of the team were fired up. They were cheering and shouting as we all got up and exited to the blacktop on the way to the field. The sun was setting quickly, and the stadium lights were already on. The team walked to the field in two columns, with each person holding the hand of the person across from them in the other column. Rainbow was always the one next to me every game, so holding her hand before each game for a few minutes wasn't so bad. The chain-linked door that was our entrance to the stadium was covered in black plastic, usually to hide when we were about to take the field.
"TIME TO WIN THE 104TH GAME AND SHOCK THE WORLD!" Coach screamed as the fog machines started and the stadium announcer introduced us.
"Here comes your Lake Forest Scouts!" our stadium announcer said with a proud tone. The team ran through the white smoke and onto the field. The crowd on the home side of the bleachers all were in a standing ovation, we felt we were one, as a team. Laguna? well telling from their banner they were a bit cocky coming into the game.
We all giggled a bit because even though our schools met 104 times before, they still couldn't get the mascot right. They seemed like they were trying to push our buttons: but we knew better. That was until after one of the members of the local Indian tribe threw a flaming spear filled with feathers on the midfield point on horseback. Some of the Laguna players took offense to it and proceeded to knock the spear down and put out the flame on top of the spear. That made a good amount of our players (including Dash) storm the field, cursing and shoving at everyone on the Laguna team while taking back the spear. The rest of Laguna's players took the field as well and started to get on everyone's faces. Eventually both teams were on the field shouting each other down, while the coaches for both team stepped between them, trying to get their teams back on the sidelines.
The skirmish ended quickly enough for the game to start on time. The ball was kicked off from the Titans to us and so began the 104th meeting between the Lake Forest Scouts and the Laguna Titans. The ball was kicked far enough for our returner to take a knee on the end zone. We jogged out onto the field and huddled by the ball. First play was a quick pass, which seemed simple enough. Rainbow was on the other side of the field, looking forward and prepping herself for the first play. Nassir was moving his shoulders around, ready to block.
The QB snapped the ball, and the play was on. I ran my route flawlessly, but the QB had his eye on Dash the entire time. The toss was effortless, so was Dash's catch. She didn't see her defender, who grabbed her by the facemask and threw her on the ground. Every time someone ever did that to anyone on my team during any other game, I wanted to knock his ass out, but held it in. The fact that it was Rainbow Dash, however, made it easier for my inhibitions to erode. I shoved the guy to the ground, only to be surrounded by some of Laguna's players and their trash talking. My teammates came to my aid and it became another skirmish that forced the coaches to come to the field to break us up once again.
Laguna was given a 15 yard penalty for the facemask on Rainbow, and got us closer to the end zone. Nassir was handed off the ball for the second play, and ended up at Laguna's 15 yard line after breaking a few tackles and running 65 yards.
Third play was to be a passing play. Dash was once again on the opposite side of the field. The ball was snapped and both of us ran towards the end zone. The QB saw that Dash had one step in front of her defender and tossed it to her. Rainbow Dash leaped at the last possible second with her hands out. The ball landed on her palms while she was in the air, and Rainbow instinctively pulled it to her chest on the way down. We ran to her the second she landed. I was the first to her and picked her up in celebration as everyone else celebrated. Both the crowd and the player's cheers were loud enough for us to barely hear "Roxy Dodgers with the catch" on the PA system. For the record: Rainbow Dash was the first female to score a touchdown in the rivalry, a distinction that everyone on campus would always remember her for.
The rest of the game became a shootout: Every time we scored, they would score, and so on. Rainbow Dash had the most between Nassir and I with 3 touchdowns. Nassir scored twice, one of them was 80 yard run and it would eventually made the Sportcenter's top 10 of that night. My only touchdown came from the hail mary throw that ended the half.
***
"Timeout, Scouts," The PA announced as coach motioned everyone to surround him. The war chant from the crowd was intense, and it had no intention of letting up. Everyone in the stands were doing the chopping motion. My sister, the girls, even mom and Richard were getting into it. Some eyes from the team were looking towards the scoreboard: one minute left in the game, we were trailing 56-59, third and fifteen on the 50 yard line. It looked bleak, which was why coach called the entire team to huddle around him.
"Here's the thing guys," Coach started. "If we lose this game, It wont hurt us and we still will make playoffs. But, If the Titans lose: those cock suckers not only lose their national ranking and the Wagon Wheel, but they lose their thirty game winning streak, chance at a bowl game, and MAYBE their chance for league championship. So now that you all know what they have to lose: all or nothing?"
"Yes coach!" was the general consensus. Our hatred for the players across the field was that strong, where we were willing to lose the game for the small chance to bathe in their tears.
"Good. Let's dig into the old bag of tricks," Coach announced as he placed his headset back on his head.
"Red Alert Roxy!"
Next Chapter: "Red Alert Roxy"