Every handoff drew a furious attack from all eleven defenders. Every short pass ended with the receiver crumpled on the ground. There was no time for long passes; Silo could not be contained. On fourth and two from the Messina twenty-eight, East Pike foolishly went for the first down. The quarterback faked a pitch to the left, bootlegged to the right, looking for the tight end. The tight end, however, had been mauled at the line by Donnie Utley, whose twin was blitzing like a mad dog. Ronnie caught the quarterback from behind, stripped the ball like he'd been taught, flung him to the ground, and the Spartans, trailing 31-21, were in business with five thirty-five to go in the game.
There's something wrong withNeely's right hand, not a single pass attempt in the second half. When the defense is on the field he keeps it buried in an ice bucket. East Pike has it figured out—they're in man coverage on the wideouts, everybody else is packed along the line of scrimmage.
Jaeger: 'It was broken, wasn't it?'
Paul: 'Yes, it was broken.'
Neely just nodded.
Jaeger: 'How'd you break it,Neely ?'
Silo: 'A locker-room incident.'
Neely was silent.
First and ten from the Spartan thirty-nine, Curry wide right, motion left, pitch right side to Marcus Mabry, who gets four, maybe five very tough yards. Devon Bond is all over the field.Must be a linebacker's dream, not worrying about pass coverage, just stalking the football. Spartans huddle quickly, sprint to the line, they can hear the clock.Quick snap, dive to Chenault, right behind Silo Mooney, who is just slaughtering people in the middle of field.
Silo: 'I like that—slaughtering.'
Donnie: 'That was putting it mildly. Frank missed a block on a sweep, and Silo punched him in the huddle.'
Neely: 'He didn't punch him. He slapped him. The referee started to throw a flag, but he wasn't sure if you could be penalized for roughing up your own teammates.'
Silo: 'He shouldn't have missed the block.'
Third and one at the forty-eight, four-twenty to go in the game, Spartans are back at the line before East Pike is set, quick snap, Neely rolling right, a keeper, across the fifty to the forty-five and out of bounds. First down and the clock will stop. The Spartans need two touchdowns. They'll have to start using the sidelines.
Silo: 'Go for it, Buck, why don't you just call the plays?'
Donnie: 'I'm sure he knew them.'
Randy: 'Hell, everybody knew them. They didn't change in over thirty years.'
Couch: 'We ran the same plays you guys were running against East Pike.'
Mabry off tackle again, for four yards, hit hard by Devon Bond and the safety, Armondo Butler, a real headhunter. They have no fear of the pass, so they're really loading up against the run. Double tight end set, Chenault in motion right, option left, pitch to Mabry, who spins forward, keeps chugging, somehow picks up three. It'll be third and three now, another big play, but they're all big now. Clock's counting,under four minutes to play.Ball at the thirty-eight. Curry sprints from the huddle, wide left, split backfield, Neely drops back into the shotgun, the snap, he rolls right, looking, looking, there's pressure, and off he goes to the far side, and he's nailed by Devon Bond. A really nasty helmet to helmet collision, andNeely is slow getting up.
