The Grand Finale

The sirens grew louder than any cheer I have ever heard before. They played over and over again, amplifying each time in my head long after the ambulance left as my head spun throw the endless possibilities of what was to come. Slowly the world around me began to darken and before I knew it people were giving me sympathetic taps on my back to try reassuring me what just happened was not the end of the world. No, it wasn’t the end of their world, but it was the end of mine.

Everlyn Devlin, the star athlete in the ER an hour before the championship game, was the title of the front page of the school newspaper.

 “Maya, Maya, Maya Hayes, snap out of it.” “Huh” I turned around to spot Elena.

“Girl get it together, coach says we have no choice but to play without Everlyn” Elena goes on “he said you would have to fill her position on the field.”

Thought word he me hard, was I ready for this, could I fill the shoes of the best athlete in the school.

“ I don’t know Elena, I am not sure if I can do it.”

“Well you don’t have a choice, now let’s go coach is waiting for us in the locker room” Elena world begin to slur and my sight begins to blur.

“I am not ready for this I cannot win the game for us, I will be the reason we lose.”

“ Are you crazy it is not on you to win the game it is a team effort and if anyone can fill Evelyn’s shoes it’s you, now let’s go coach is waiting,” Elena said practically dragging me to the locker room now.

When we got to the locker room girls were sitting in different corners comforting each other with muffled cries in the background

“Girls” Coach Davis announced as he walked in “this is going to be a tough match without Everlyn here to set the pace of the game but I have full faith that Maya will be able to take the place of Everlyn in this game and lead our team to victory.”

At that moment I felt both pride and pressure proud my coach believed in me but scared of how I would be preceded if I fail.

“But what’s the game plan,” Sarah asked coach.

“Ok so we’re going to start the game off offensively the first have land to goals and shift to defense for the second half now everyone head out to the field and start your warm up’s the game starts in 30 mins Maya lead the warm up.”

As I was walking everyone out to the field to begin the warm up I couldn’t help but glance up to the bleachers and notice Walter Drummond scout for Stanford university girls team my heart immediately started racing faster then ever before.

“Deep breaths deep breaths” I whispered to myself under my breath I knew I had to keep it together because if the other girls found out they wouldn’t play like themselves and it would throw the whole game off. It was my duty to ensure that no one knew that Walter was here.

After warm ups the referee blew his whistle for captains. I jogged to the middle of the field where I was greeted by the other teams captain and the middle referee. The referee tossed the coin and I called head it was heads indeed I was presentes with the choice to chose which side of the field my team starts on or to have kick off. I chose to kick off mainly because it was dark out, so the sides didn’t matter anymore.

My team scattered across the field getting into position; the whistle was blow; the game had begun.

The first five minutes of the game started off well he had possession in their half we even got a shot off but then the slid tackle Layla are strike in the box instant silence from the hundreds of people in the stadium followed by the referee’s whistle and determination that there is to be a penalty kick for our team.

Layla stepped up to the penalty spot ready to take the shot. She glanced at the stadium in search of support from her friends watching but to Mayas horror noticed Walter. Tweet the whistle was blown, and Layla missed the frame of the goal completely. Layla rushed over, obviously flustered and crying, explaining to everyone on the team that Walter was here.

Mayas worst nightmare came to life. The whole team now knew Walter was here.

The next play of the game began, and everyone was lost fluster and it was just a complete mess people stopped passing and were playing extremely selfishly.

“Pass the ball I’m to your left” I called out to Sarah she lifted her head look dead strait in my eyes and then proceeded to dribble the ball before it got stolen by the other team leading them to a break away and scored their first goal.

The game quickly went from 1-0 to 2-0. The game was completely out of control. I was just waiting for half time to try to regroup. The referee blows his whistle, and we walk off the field down 3-0.

As soon as we entered the locker room I was fed up with how selfish everyone was playing on our team I just could not hold back anymore.

“That’s it,” I shouted. “I am so sick and tired of all this selfishness we need to play as a team not individually.” My harsh words left the room silent, but I could tell everyone was soaking it in.

“Your absolutely right,” said Elena in support of me. “The only way we could possibly make a comeback is if we work together,” she went on to say.

“Exactly now let's get back out there keep our energy high and work together,” I said as the final whistle for the end of half time went off.

The whistle of the second half was blown and our comeback just began. We started off really well we were making simple but well-structured one two passes across the field we even got two shots on frame but seven minutes into the game are third shot breezed through the air between the goalies' hands and banged the back of the net.

The score was now 3-1, but momentum was now high, and we could just feel the win in our hands. We eventually scored our second goal, making it 3-2.

We were on fire and one goal away from getting back in this game. Four minutes left in the game, and we needed one more goal to tie and go into overtime, we can feel the pressure but continue to play well.

We are in there half. I am dribbling and cut the ball past their defender. I am in the box and then my legs get swept and I fall to my knees.

That was my moment, my opportunity to score my chance to win the championship, and I failed. I had lost all hope, there was only 30 seconds left in the game.

To my shock the referee called for another penalty kick for our team. This was my shot, my chance to keep up in this game.

The referee blew his whistle, and my heart was pounding so hard I thought it might break free from my chest. I ran up to kick the ball I Shot it then everything became a complete b lur and i could hear muffled cheering in the background.

“You did it Maya, you did it,” I heard Sarah scream from afar.

I had done it, I had scored, we were still in this game, the referee blew his whistle to mark the end of the game, and we were overjoyed.

When we entered the locker room are coach was frowning. “Look girl,” he said. “We cannot celebrate like we won the game when it is still not over yet, we need to keep our heads in the game for overtime and possibly penalties. The other team has more substitutions then us so they're going to be full of energy that is why you need to rest now and understand this is the most important part of the game we did not come this far to lose in penalties of overtime this is our game and were going to win it no matter what. Now let's get out there and win.” The coach began walking out of the locker room towards the sideline and the entire team followed. We were going to win.

The first half of over time both teams came on to the field with high energy and ready to win. The other team began to feel the pressure and started dribbling more and more and eventually stopped passing all together. I knew this was good for us. This would make them tired and lose the ball easily.

By the second half of the game the other team was completely gassed, and we were still full of energy. We had an advantage over the other team. There were two minutes left in the game, and we were in the box. Sarah makes a nice pass to Elena. Elena shots and score now with a minute left we need to keep the lead and drop to defense.

Now it was getting risky they had entered are half and were proceding towrds the goal they got a shot off and a silence fell over everyone. The ball sorred thrugh the air are goali jumped right on time and mad e the game winning save.

Twee twee the referee blew his whitsle WE WON!