Free Double Fake by Rich Wallace

with Danielle and Jessie at the wings and Johnny at center. The girls were looking across at Calvin with twin expressions of amusement.
    “You’re the best player on the field,” Zero said quietly as they walked out for the second half. “Remember that.”
    Calvin frowned. He didn’t think that was true, but even if it was, Bauer Electric had three great players on the front line.
    The Bauer Electric strategy was clear right from the kickoff—pound that ball toward the Little Italy goal, run like crazy, and keep continual pressure with passes and shots.
    Little Italy staved off the bombardment for several minutes, finally getting some breathing room when Julie cleared the ball with a booming kick and Angel chased it down. Jessie and Danielle put on a burst of speed to catch him as a Bauer Electric defender met him from the other side. The ball was booted out of bounds.
    “Throw in, orange,” called the referee. Angel grabbed the ball at the sideline and looked around.
    “Here,” shouted Calvin, who was open in the backfield. Angel made the throw and Calvin scanned the field.
    All of the Bauer Electric players had hustled back on defense, so that end of the field was crowded. They were obviously ready to run—getting everybody up when they had the ball, then everybody back on defense.
    “Gotta pick ’em apart!” Calvin yelled, making a short pass to Zero. He ran across the center line, searching for an open space.
    The Bauer Electric defense seemed impenetrable. It would take all the skill Calvin’s teammates had just to get down near the goal. And as soon as Danielle, Jessie, or Johnny got the ball, the pressure was on again.
    Here was Jessie, dribbling along the sideline, looking ahead to where two other black shirts were drifting in toward the goal. Calvin darted over to slow her down. She threw in a series of familiar moves.
    Watch the ball, Calvin remembered. He moved closer and nudged the ball out of Jessie’s grasp, kicking it out of bounds.
    Jessie turned her head as Calvin backed away. “Lucky,” she said with a grin.
    Calvin shook his head. “No,” he said, not smiling. “I’m on to you.”
    Jessie threw the ball in to Danielle, who had sneaked down the sideline, about ten yards in from the corner flag. She had an open path to the goal, and Zero and Julie came rushing over to slow her down.
    Calvin’s instinct was to stop Danielle, but he knew better than to have three defenders on one player. Stick with Jessie, he told himself.
    Danielle stopped short, pushed the ball to her left with the outside of her foot, and darted past Zero, who stumbled toward the end line. Zero caught his balance and lunged back toward Danielle, colliding instead with Julie, who’d been tricked by another move.
    Peter, in as goaltender for Little Italy, rushed over to the post, trying to cut off Danielle’s angle. But she was moving fast, and Calvin saw that she would probably get off a shot. He took three quick steps toward her. He’d get to the ball before she could shoot.
    But Danielle didn’t shoot. She deftly brought her right foot to the top of the ball, pulling it away from Calvin’s charge, and slid it across the goal mouth ahead of her sister.
    It was no contest. Jessie took the pass and drove it into the wide-open goal. Peter hadn’t even had a chance to move away from the post.
    Calvin smacked his fist into his palm. He’d left Jessie alone. Peter would have made that save if Danielle had taken the shot. “My fault,” he said.
    Peter let out his breath and looked at the sky. “Mine, too,” he said. “Get it back. Tie this thing up.”
    Calvin looked at the bleachers, then ahead to his opponents. Jessie had a huge grin and was slapping hands with her cousin. Calvin had to take over now.
    “How much time?” he asked the official.
    “Almost four minutes.”
    Enough time to at least tie the game and send it into overtime. Calvin took a deep breath. Make the plays, run like a cheetah. Utilize his