Free Go for the Goal! by Fred Bowen

referee talked. “Are we playing overtime?”
    “I don’t know,” Josh said. “Maybe it’s a tie.”
    “No way,” Evan said, shaking his head. “This is a big tournament.”
    Coach came back to the team. She was smiling. “Penalty kicks,” she announced. “Best of five kicks.”
    “Who’s gonna take the kicks?” Josh asked above the noise.
    Coach studied her clipboard for a moment. “Okay, let’s have …
    Victor.
    Aidan.
    Kadir.
    Josh.
    And Evan.”
    Coach pressed into the circle of five players moving nervously about, getting ready for their penalty kicks. “Pick a spot,” she instructed. “Don’t look at the keeper. Just pick a spot and let it go.”
    All the players on the field got behind the penalty line.
    The United goalkeeper and Vipers first shooter looked lonely as the shooter set the ball on a spot ten yards in front of the goal and got ready to kick.
    It’s a big net. It’s an easy shot,
Josh thought, trying to psych himself up for his turn.
Of course, that’s why everybody expects you to make it!
    “Hey,” Evan said, getting the attention of all the United players. “Hook ‘em.”
    Without a word, the United players locked elbows.
    The Vipers shooter drove the ball into the corner.
    1–0.
    Victor did the same.
    1–1.
    The next four kicks were all good. The score was 3–3.
    The Vipers were up again. This time Patrick, the United goalkeeper, guessed right. He dove straight out to the left and knocked the Vipers shot away.
    It was still 3–3 and Josh had a chance to put the United in the lead.
    Josh placed the ball down on the spot. He stepped back slowly, counting his steps and trying to breathe deeply.
    His mind was racing.
Don’t aim too high. Don’t look at the keeper. Just hit it solid.
    Josh took one last deep breath. He stepped forward, keeping his head down. He felt a tingling sensation streak through his body as his right foot hit the ball—solidly. He looked up and saw the ball leap into the back of the net.
    The United were ahead, 4–3.
    But not for long. Abu coolly tied the score again with a low blast that grazed the inside of the post.
    4–4.
    It was all up to Evan. Standing back with teammates, Josh locked arms with Kadir and Aidan. “Come on, Evan,” he whispered under his breath.
    Josh was almost afraid to look, but he had to. He saw Evan drive forward and the Vipers goalkeeper leap, anticipating the direction of Evan’s shot. At the last instant, Evan hooked the ball in the other direction, bouncing it into the other side of the goal.
    Evan turned to his teammates and raised his arms high above his head in the shape of a V for Victory: 5–4 in penalty kicks!
    In a flash, the players ran together. Evan, Josh, and Aidan were at the center of the happy United players.
    The tournament-champion United.
    The six-wins-in-a-row United.
    The new United.

Chapter 17
    T here he is,” Josh said, pointing to the cabin near the entrance of High-Top Park. “Come on.”
    Josh and Aidan waved goodbye to Josh’s father and walked quickly across the parking lot toward the cabin. Evan greeted his teammates with tight handgrips and quick shoulder bumps.
    “That guy Berkeley is here again today,” Evan said. “Let’s get going. We got a lot of climbing to do.”
    Berkeley smiled when he saw the three boys in their United jerseys. “Hey, it’s the soccer guys. How’s the team doing?”
    “A lot better,” Josh said. “We’ve won six games in a row.”
    “We even won a tournament over the Columbus Day weekend,” Evan added.
    “Evan scored the game winner,” Aidan said, trying to lift his teammate’s arm in triumph. “We won on penalty kicks.”
    “Whoa … sounds like you guys are doing a lot better than the last time I saw you,” Berkeley said. “Maybe that climbing session did the trick.”
    “And all the team-building stuff Josh started,” Aidan added.
    “Hey, what about me?” Evan protested. “I came up with the balloon game. I thought that was