VIRAGO

ukiyo

They went into halftime scoreless once again, but it was not from a lack of opportunity, it was once again from a lack of execution, and they all knew it too. Coach Wallace did not say much to them except that they were doing a great job and to keep doing what they were doing. The team talked among themselves for a bit to gear up for the next half, telling each other what they needed to watch out for and what they needed to improve upon, but they kept the attitude positive and light. They wanted that trophy bad, but they needed to get something going first. Reed and Adams did their handshake once more, and they hoped it would not be the last time they would do so. They looked at one another, and she grinned at him, giving him a little smirk. He nudged her shoulder and they chuckled, heading back to their positions.

"You know, even after all this is over, you'll probably still be my favorite teammate I've ever played with." He told her with a smile, and she chuckled at him.

"Good, glad I could make that much of an impression on you in this short of time." She said with a wink as the whistle blew, and she could see him shake his head at her. Man was she glad to have her best friend back.

She watched as the ball went back and forth between both sides of the field, and even though both teams were playing out of their minds, there were no goals to avail. The one rule of the tournament was that they would go straight to penalty kicks if no team were to score in regulation time, and in the last few moments of the game, that was what it seemed it was going to turn out to be. The final whistle blew and it was as if silence cursed them all. They went over to the sidelines to figure out who their five shooters were going to be, and all of the guys were hyping them up and giving Reed the confidence boost she needed. She took a few swigs of water before releasing a deep breath and heading over to the referee and the other goalkeeper. They flipped another coin and it was decided the Pirates would shoot first against the Redskins. George was first at the spot, getting the Pirates up one-nil. He was a master at penalty kicks, so they were all excited for him to lead off and get them going. It was now her against the forward who had tested her just before halftime, and she stared at him. His eyes were just looking down but all of his body language said he was heading to the left. He was quick getting to the spot, but he nailed the ball exactly where she thought it was going to go and she had an easy block to keep them at one-nil.

The second round of penalty kicks began with Ted, who hoped to get them up two. Even from an unfair angle, Reed could see where that ball was going and the opposite goalkeeper kept them only down one. It was an easy save, but the guys still hyped Ted up to tell him it was alright. Now it was back to her, and she stepped into the net, watching everything about the guy she was against. She was not able to read him as great, but his slow strides towards the ball told her he was heading to her right, which was common for right-footed players. It gave them more power, and that was all he needed to get it just by her fingertips and into the back of the net. It now was a tie game again, and she felt the butterflies start fluttering a little faster.

Nash stepped up to the spot and placed the ball where he wanted it. He stared at the ball and the ball only, and he made a winding run to make it more difficult for the goalkeeper, which it did, and he was able to get them up to two-one. They all cheered and Reed got back into the net, letting out a big sigh to calm herself. She looked at the scrawny opponent before her, and she was able to read him like a book. She waited until his foot went through the ball for the final say, but she was able to make an easy save, keeping them only at one.

Their only left footed player on the team stepped up in the fourth spot, and Jack lined himself up straight back from the ball, another technique to make it difficult for the goalkeepers to read the player. This one she had taught them all, and Jack executed perfectly, able to get them up three-one. She now got into the net, and she knew she was going to have to guess which direction on this one because there was no reading the player in front of her. She went one way while the ball went the other, and now they were only up three-two.

Hunter was the last of the shooters for the Pirates. She watched as they all lined up arm in arm on the sideline watching the event go down, and Hunter could end it right then and there if he were to score. He made it difficult, but the goalkeeper got a lucky block, and now it put all the pressure onto her. If the Redskins were to score, they would be tied and have to go into a sudden death shootout. Her heart was pounding in her chest as she watched him go towards the ball, and she watched his hips read a different direction than what she planned. It was a low driven ball to the left bottom corner, and she slid, getting her fingers on the ball, enough to push it out of the way of the net. She heard the referee whistle and that was it - that was game. Her teammates all came running out onto the field to tackle her, and she was amped up now. She had just won the district championship with them, and she was proud of them for never giving up.

They quickly shook hands with the other team, some of them telling her specifically what a nice game she had and season. She was flattered, for this was the only team that treated her like she was one of the guys. They all lined up to receive their individual medals, the athletic director calling their names out one by one. Once they were finished, the big trophy shaped like the state of Michigan with their district on the front was waiting for them. She and Nash went up to grab it, brought it back over to the group, then hoisted it into the air. The crowd they had applauded and cheered, and once they all got the pictures they wanted, they packed up to get going, players heading out with their parents and family members. Samantha's eyes searched the crowd, and eventually she found Dana amongst them, and she waved her down.

"Look at you Ms. District MVP!" She said when she finally made it down to the field, giving her a hug. "Congratulations Sam, you played great."

"Thanks Dana. I'm glad I had the best supporter in the crowd all season. It means a lot that you could come to all of these." She responded as she grabbed the trophy one last time and waved Nash back over. "Hey Nash, think you could take one more picture for me?"

"Sure thing Reed." He answered, taking her phone from her. Samantha looked over at her and ushered her closer, and Dana smiled, knowing that this girl was going to be her biggest heartbreak. They took the picture together and she thanked Nash for it before he left.

"Are you still heading over to George's tonight?" Dana asked as they started to walk out of the stadium.

"Yeah but I figured I'd go home and shower first." She responded as she unlocked her door.

"I'm meeting Mrs. Parker for lunch so I probably won't see you. Just stay safe and make good choices, alright? And I'll see you tomorrow, I'm assuming?" She told her, and even though her cheeks became a rosy red color, she nodded. "I was a teenager once too. Just stay safe, alright?"

"I will. Tell Mrs. Parker I say hello." She chuckled in response as she got into her car to head back to their home in Port Hope and shower. She was still over the moon that she was able to lead the Pirates to their first ever district title, and now she hoped to take them further and get their first regional title later that coming week. But for now, she had a shower to look forward to and a party that would go all night.