#16

"That was THE Goal!"

Click clack, click clack-

Our cleats sounded through the night on the concrete out side our locker rooms.

Click clack, click clack-

This was it. If we won this game the Hawks team would go to nationals.
It was so close but so far away.

click clack, click clack-

We were finally lined up under the bleachers in the middle, it was where the football team usually ran out, but this high school was letting us use their field for the game, since we're a city team and don't have a field of our own. They also let us use their extra locker room as our own.

The team of my 15 other best friends stood in a line with me at the mouth of the opening. Our legs spread apart so all of our cleats were touching- and our arms were locked together.

Click, Clack- Click, Clack-

Coach nelt's cleats sounded as he walked up behind us.
He took a deep breath. "The only way we will get as far as we can, is with our cleats lined up together- our arms joined, and our goal in front of us." 

"Hawks now, Hawks forever." We replied in unison.

Click, clack, click clack, click clack-

We all walked out on the field still holding onto each other. The crowd screamed and cheered- all of our family and friends here to see our victory.

We separated and took our spots on the field and the buzzer sounded.

For an hour and 20 minutes we played harder than we have ever played before- goal after goal happened for both teams.

The last 10 minutes were the hardest- 3 of our players had been taken out with injuries. I watched As another player for us was taken off the field our captain, Kaleigh, came up to me, "this other team plays dirty."
I nodded in reply and wiped the sweat from my forehead. Thank God soccer was during cold weather, or this game would be even more miserable.

And the chess game continued, no more girls were hurt- it seemed every 2 minutes the announcer was calling a goal for each team, and the crowd screamed louder every time.

Me and what was left of my sisters pounded up and down the field, calling out orders and helping each other as much as possible; we shook girls skillfully and passed to one another like our lives depended on it.

Our left fielder, KR, passed the ball to me and gave me the "own it bitch" look;
I smiled at her as I  turned the ball and assessed what was in front of me: my mind worked 90 to nothing in a few seconds.

Two Defenders in front of me not pushing towards me. Good.
Girl coming from my right and left.

And in a flash I reacted- I flicked the ball backwards over my head and stepped backwards so the two girls collided with each other, I ran back so the still coming down ball was in the position for me to head it forward over the two girls.

The crowd screamed and stomped as
Rosa, #3, ran to my headed ball and ran like the wind down half field- shot- and scored. The announcers voice rang out and the ground vibrates with the stomps of the fans in the stands.

I did a slow turn to take it all in- this is my life. And it's a damn good one. I thought to my self.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was 20 seconds left in the game, the score was 25-25. Our coach called all of us over and then I had the chance to asses all of our damaged bodies- almost all of us had swollen faces and runny noses  from the freezing cold wind wiping us. A few of us had busted lips, blacked eyes, and bloody noses. Or all three.

We put our arms around each other for support around coach nelt.
He slowly turned and looked each of us in the face. His warm breath made a cloud in the air as he let out a slow breath.
"This is the goal."

And the whistle blew.

Me, KR, rosa, and my best friend- rayne- all took the field with some other players.
The ball was thrown in and it all happened in a flash.

The ball was passed back and forth in a zig zag pattern all the way down the half field. I ran to the ball as it was pushed away from KR and the MUCH larger girl from the other team was on me like a ton of bricks. She pushed her elbow into my side but speed was my best asset. I slid on my knees to the ball and stood up just as I kicked it.

And it felt like I was alone... I couldn't see any of my teams black jerseys among the opposing white jerseys... Their defense was keeping them from the center of the field.

The whole world went into slow motion... Like I was the last person in the world even though my team members were 10 feet away struggling to assist me.

"Run Gin, run!" , I heard KR yell. And I snapped back into and I ran. I dribbled in And out of all the white jerseys, Elbows hit my face repeatedly- the cold air burned my lungs- but I kept on. And just like that I was in shooting range.

I gave one final shove to get the girl off of me, her massive weight falling on my shin as a propelled my foot into the ball.

I hit the ground and waited for the familiar sound of the net swooshing it the smack of the goalies glove catching the ball.

the whole place was quiet.

Swish....

"Gin! That was the goal!" I heard coach nelt scream. And the whole place lit up. I looked up from my crouched position on the ground- and I saw the goalie standing empty handed with my ball behind her.

My team flooded me in a series of hugs and screams of delight.

We were going to nationals."