Memoir

 The Game of all Games Daren Pryor English 103-37 September 16, 2010 “ Pryor, you’re in!” coach said as I watched our senior star fullback being carried off of the field on a stretcher after his leg got broken during the previous play. “You’re in at fullback son you better knowing your playbook!”Coach said as I started to make my way to him. “Yes coach, I do coach” I said as I made my way on to the field. **It was the 5th football game of the varsity regular season and I had never even played a down before and here I was about to try to replace a school legend on the field. I was so nervous. It was just at the end of the third quarter when I went in and it wasn’t much longer afterword that my first opportunity to run the ball and show everyone that I was a worthy replacement for our star. The play was called the 54 trap, it just meant that I run up the middle and bulldoze my way through as many people as I can. It seemed easy enough and before I knew it the quarterback broke the huddle and we got into our positions. We were playing our rival school for the lead in our conference because we were both undefeated, but only one team would walk out of here keeping that spotless record and I wasn’t going to let the injury be the reason why it wouldn’t be us. They had a very stout defense with a very big front line that basically snarled at the thought of a freshman starting during a very important varsity game for the first time. I wanted nothing more than ** **to knock those smirks right of their faces. ** **Ok ** **now it’s time ****. **The quarterback takes his place under center and gets ready to snap the ball. I get into a three point stance about 5 yards behind him. **This was nerve racking I was just about to take my first carry of my high school career. ** **Suddenly I hear the words coming from the quarter back “DOWN!, READY!,…GO!” the ball was snapped and I took off like a rocket and grabbed the ball. I had mixed feelings of excitement, worry, and uncertainty as I took the ball out of the quarterback’s hands and tucked it between my two arms like I was holding a baby. I went through the first hole which was about as wide as a football and boom first contact with the other team. I somehow found a way to shed that tackle and kept going. I ran as fast as I could wondering when I was going to be chased down and taken to the ground, I didn’t let that stop me though I just kept going and as soon as the play had started and I played my first down as a high school player I had scored the first touchdown of my career. A 20 yard run for the score. I was so excited and that’s when I and the rest of the team knew that our team would be just fine. After I scored I was so excited. As I went back to the sidelines to join my teammates I was greeted with a barrage of high fives, good jobs, and the ever so common slap on the butt with a few words of encouragement at the end. Now it was the defenses turn to hold the lead for the rest of the game because there were only two minutes left. It was one of those time frames where you have butterflies in your stomach and it feels like an eternity. All of us on the sidelines were so nervous about this because we wanted to win this game so bad. Losing would just be a big slap in the face and was not an option to us. I watched intently as our defense held strong for the rest of the game and that was it. We had won. The whole team rushed the field and jumped around and the next thing I knew I was being hoisted up on the other guys shoulders and all I see is a big group of people around me. They had carried me into the locker room like royalty or something like that. It was the happiest I had ever been in my life up until then. After the game we were in the locker room and coach gave a short speech. “You boys did a great time tonight against a great team and I couldn’t be prouder, but don’t let it get to your heads we have another challenge ahead of us next week. Now go home and get some rest we have film tomorrow at seven in the morning and I don’t want you guys falling asleep I want you focused. Oh and one more thing tonight’s game ball goes to our new fullback who scored the winning touchdown of the game. Daren, good job tonight kid you made me proud” after he spoke he gave me the ball and we broke down and did our nightly prayer and then everyone went their separate ways to go get some rest so we could come back the next morning and watch film on the next team and I knew that this week in practice I needed to work really hard and challenge myself to get as good as I possibly get before the game because we had another game against a bigger school that we have never played before so I didn’t know what to expect so I just had to prepare for everything. On my way home that night as my parents were telling me what a good job I did I just couldn’t stop thinking about how much fun I had had that night. It made me realize that I was appreciated and that my hard work did mean something to those guys and my coaches and I wasn’t just another freshman to them. They trusted me to help them win that game and that was special. It was a moment I will never forget and will always be on my top ten happiest times in my life. **