Ninety-seven yards to go for the Spartans, just under eight minutes left in the third quarter, still no sign of Eddie Rake or any of the Spartan coaches. I watched Crenshaw when East Pike had the ball. He kept his right hand in a bucket of ice the entire time, and he kept his helmet on. Handoff left side to Mabry, who doesn't get much. Both defenses are simply sending everybody, which should set up the pass.
Silo: 'Not from the three-yard line, dumbass.' Paul: 'Coffey always wanted to coach.'
Pitch right side, Mabry bobbles the ball, then cuts upfield, got some room wide, and he's out of bounds along the ten.
Couch: 'Just curious,Neely , do you know what you called next?'
Neely: 'Sure, option right. I read the option, faked to Chenault, faked the pitch to Hubcap, cut upfield for eleven yards. The offensive line was chopping people down.'
First and ten Spartans, who break huddle and sprint to the line of scrimmage.This is a different team, folks.
Paul: 'I don't know why Buck was on the radio. Nobody was listening. The entire town was at the game.'
Randy: 'No, you're wrong. Everybody was listening. In the second half we were trying to find out what happened to Coach Rake, so all the Messina fans had their radios stuck to their heads.'
Handoff to Chenault, who plows straight ahead for three or four.He basically just lowered his helmet and followed Silo Mooney, who is being double-teamed.
Silo: 'Just two! I was insulted. The second guy was this little nasty-faced bastard, weighed about one-eighty or so, thought he was bad.Came in the game trash-talking. He'll leave the field in just a minute.'
Pitch to Mabry, wide right again, and he's got some room, up to the thirty and out of bounds. An East Pike youngster is shaken up on the field.
Silo: 'That's him.'
Blanchard: 'What'd you do?'
Silo: 'The play swept right, away from us. I chop-blocked him, got him on the ground,then dropped a knee into his stomach. Squealed like a pig. He lasted for three plays. Never came back.'
Paul: 'They could've flagged us for unnecessary roughness on every play, offense or defense.'
Neely: 'While they dragged him off the field, Chenault tells me that their left tackle is not moving too well. Got something wrong, a twisted ankle maybe, the guy's in pain but won't leave the game. So we ran at him five straight times, same play. Six, seven yards a pop with Marcus low to the ground, just looking for someone to run over. I'd hand the ball off and watch the carnage.'
Silo: 'Turn it up, Nat.'
First and ten on the East Pike thirty-eight. The Spartans are moving the ball but they're sure eating up the clock. Not a single pass so far in the second half. Six minutes to go. Curry in motion left, the snap, option right, the pitch to Mabry, who swings outside to the thirty! The twenty-five! All the way down to the East Pikeeighteen, and
