Halfback Attack (7 page)

Then Jim shot a long pass to his right end; the player raced all the way for a TD; Mert bucked from the two-yard line for
the extra point.

The Sandpipers groaned.

With two minutes left in the third quarter, Dick took the snap from center Stookie Freese and shot a quick pass to Freddie
just over the line of scrimmage. Freddie slipped past a linebacker, dodged Jim Small, and then raced hard down the field.
Mert was after him. But Freddie kept ahead of Mert all the way.

He didn’t slow down till he crossed the goal line.

Mert puffed behind him. “Boy! Nice run, Freddie! Even if you are my cousin!”

Freddie turned briefly and saw Mert smiling. For a second he grinned back.

“I’m just remembering that Halloween party, that’s all,” said Freddie, and trotted away.

Dennis tried for the extra point. He didn’t make it.

Score: Cardinals 14, Sandpipers 6.

Once again the Cardinals had the ball and began to threaten. From their thirty, they marched to the Sandpipers’ eighteen.
Then Mert plunged through left tackle and Freddie smeared him.

Like a slippery bean the ball squirted out of Mert’s hands! Players in red and yellow scrambled madly for it.

Then — Sandpipers’ ball!

Dick threw a lateral to Bucky, and Bucky galloped for a first down. A short pass to Freddie gave them eight more yards. Then,
for a moment, the Sandpipers were stopped.

Dick called time.

They rested, wet their dry throats with water a boy fetched them in a bucket, then started again.

They tried two plays and squeezed out another first down just before the third quarter ended.

The teams exchanged goals. The ball was on the Sandpipers’ thirty-seven.

“Double reverse,” said Dick in the huddle. “Bucky to Freddie.”

It worked! Freddie raced around left end for twenty-six yards before he was brought down.

Dick tried a long pass to Joey. It was knocked down. He tried again. The ball sailed out of bounds. Incomplete.

“They won’t expect a third pass,” said Dick. “A short one to Bucky. Come on. We’ve got to keep going!”

He took the snap from center, stepped back, and tossed a quick pass to Bucky. The left halfback sprinted for eleven yards.

First down, and six to go for a touchdown.

On the next play, the Sandpipers lost five yards on an offside penalty.

Then, as if he had sprouted wings on his feet, Dennis caught a lateral from Dick and ran the eleven yards for a touchdown.

Dick bucked for the extra point. The Cardinals stopped him.

Score: Cardinals 14, Sandpipers 12.

A moment after the Cardinals returned the kickoff, the referee called time and held up four fingers.

“Four minutes left to play!” said Dick to his team. “Let’s get back that ball!”

The Cardinals were stubborn. They didn’t try any passes in their first few plays. They knew that an interception could give
the Sandpipers a good chance to go for a touchdown.

They moved the ball to the Sandpipers’ thirty-eight, then to the thirty. Slowly, with strong moves, they pushed forward to
the twenty-four. There the
Sandpipers held as if each player were glued to the next. They were like a yellow brick wall.

With seven yards to go and fourth down, the Cardinals went into punt formation. The Sandpipers fanned out, Dick playing just
inside the end zone.

But Mert fooled them! He didn’t kick.

Instead, he heaved a long pass to his left end, who was running toward the sideline. The ball was high, spiraling beautifully.

Then something happened. A pair of hands snatched the ball out of the air, inches away from the end’s hands….

It was Freddie!

Freddie raced along the sideline. Behind him came the end from whom Freddie had practically stolen the ball. Harder and harder
Freddie ran. The smudged white stripes slipped underneath him. Then, on the ten, he was hit. The runner had finally caught
up with him.

The referee brought the ball in to the in-bounds line, about thirteen yards from the sideline.

“First, and goal to go!” he cried.

“How many more minutes?” asked Dennis.

“Minutes?” Dick glanced at the referee, then back again. “Forty seconds! Holy catfish! We’ll have a chance for only two plays.”

“Let’s get the ball closer to the middle of the field,” suggested Dennis. “Then let me try a field goal.”

All eyes swung to him, then back to the captain.

“Okay!” said Dick. “I’ll hand off to Freddie. Shoot for the left, Freddie, then charge in! Hurry! We don’t have much time!”

Dick snapped signals. Freddie took the hand-off, made a left-end sweep, and was tackled. He gained only a yard, but now the
ball was near the center of the field, and nine yards from the goal line. Five yards behind the goal line loomed the goalposts.

“Dennis,” said Dick in the huddle, “you’ll have to kick that ball at least twenty yards in the air to get it over those crossbars!”

“I know,” said Dennis, rubbing his hands on his muddy pants.

They broke out of the huddle. Dick knelt about six yards behind Stookie. He caught the snap and held the ball at a slant for
Dennis to kick.

Dennis kicked it squarely. The ball sailed up and over between the uprights. Even before it hit the ground, the whistle shrilled
and the game was over.

The Sandpipers had won, 15–14!

Never had the Sandpipers rejoiced as they did then. There were lots of shouts and laughter, and even some happy tears.

“Let me shake your hand, Cousin,” Mert said to Freddie, smiling. “You played a wonderful game."

“Thanks,” said Freddie “You did, too, Mert.”

“Say, what did you mean when you said something to me about a Halloween party? I don’t know anything about any Halloween party!”

Freddie stared at him. “You mean you weren’t the guy who lifted my mask in front of everybody that night?”

Someone burst out laughing at Freddie’s elbow. “Not him, Freddie!” said Dick Connors. “That was Art Neeley. You mean you didn’t
know?”

Freddie blushed. “No. All the time I thought it was Mert. Gosh — I’m sorry, Cousin. Can you forgive me?”

“Seeing that it’s you, I suppose so!” Mert said, laughing.

Freddie laughed, too. Then he wondered: Would he have played so well if he hadn’t suspected all the time that it was Mert?
But he was glad, now, that it wasn’t.

“How about coming over for supper tonight?” Freddie asked. “Mom won’t mind.”

Mert smiled broadly. “It’s a deal!” he said.

Baseball Flyhawk	Dirt Bike Runaway
Baseball Pals	Dive Right In
Baseball Turnaround	Double Play at Short
The Basket Counts	Face-Off
Body Check	Fairway Phenom
Catch That Pass!	Football Fugitive
Catcher with a Glass Arm	Football Nightmare
Catching Waves	The Fox Steals Home