Free Top Wing by Matt Christopher Page B

blinded Dana for a minute, but then he saw
     the ball traveling just beyond him.
    “Way to go, Jazz! Way to go, Pete!” he shouted as he ran after it. In the distance, he could hear the Anchors’ cheerleaders.
     They were calling for a double locomotive for Jazz and Pete.
    Jack Nguyen got to the ball before Dana. He stopped it, dribbled forward, then passed it over to Lance. It traveled a few
     more yards toward the goal, then Lance booted it over to Abe.
    The Rams targeted the Anchors’ left wing. Two tacklers moved in on him from across the field. Abe saw the coming onslaught.
     He passed the ball cross-field to Benton.
    Dana was just a few feet in front of him. A pack of Rams closed in on Benton now. He had to get rid of the ball or lose it
     to one of the enemy. So he passed it to Steve.
    Just like Abe, he could have passed it to me, Dana realized. As he watched Steve go after the ball, a new idea crossed his
     mind. I bet the Rams have figured it out. They know I’m not going to get the ball. That’s why I’m not being covered!
    Steve must have made the same discovery. He flicked the ball over to Dana, who was closer to the goal — and open.
    Dana caught the ball with his knees. He let it drop in front of him, then came at it from an angle and booted it to the left
     side of the goalie.
    Score!
    The Anchors were finally on the scoreboard, one goal behind the Rams.
    Dana felt ten feet tall. He leapt into the air for joy.
    “Nice shot, Dana,” said Steve, slapping him on the back. A few teammates waved in his direction. Most of them just looked
     at the scoreboard and cheered.
    The goal seemed to have awakened the Rams’ defense. They dug in and worked hard to keep the Anchors from scoring another.
    Most of Dana’s time was spent traveling back and forth across the center line. He stayed alert, waiting for an opportunity
     to come his way. Once he got a chance to take the ball away from a Rams forward in his territory. But a penalty was called
     on the other side of the field. The Rams kept the ball in their control.
    They took it all the way to the Anchors’ goal area. It looked as though they were set for an easy goal. Louie Ladd was in
     the clear and kicked the ball toward the far right side of the net. Jazz was way over to the left. There was no way he could
     stop it.
    But out of nowhere, Tucker leapt in front of the ball. It walloped him on the side of the head andsent him reeling. The ball bounced high up into the air, then out of bounds.
    “Great save, Tucker!” Dana called to him. “That’s using your head!”
    There was no reaction from Tucker. He was obviously dazed.
    The Anchors’ defense was clearly starting to tire. The Rams held on to the ball until they were back in scoring position.
     All three Rams forwards were in the clear when Sam Mikula, their left wing, took his shot. He feinted Jazz to one side, then
     booted the ball to the other.
    The black-and-white ball sailed across the goal line and into the net.
    The scoreboard now read: Rams 3, Anchors 1.
    “Come on, you guys,” shouted Coach Kingsley. “You can do it! Plenty of time!”
    But the clock showed that less than ten minutes remained in the game.
    Then, once again, Dana got another opportunity to help the team. He got a pass from Steve, who was running alongside him.
     They were halfway between the center line and the penalty area. On their left, a Rams fullback was approaching, hoping for
     an interception.Way to the left, Abe Strom was also running down toward the goal.
    As the Rams tackler approached him, Dana passed the ball over to Steve. The tackler shifted direction. Steve flicked the ball
     back to Dana.
    Dana dribbled it a few yards, then half-turned and booted it over to Abe, who was now all by himself.
    But the kick was too strong and a little too far to one side. It bypassed Abe and bounced out of bounds.
    Instead of setting up a goal, he had blown the Anchors’ chances.
    Dana could feel the chill blowing toward