Long Arm Quarterback

by Matt Christopher

  Cap fumbled for an answer. “It's not that I don't want—”

  “I've been your biggest fan all along,” Candy interrupted. “I keep telling you that you should be the starter and not Jimmy. You didn't mind hearing those opinions. Only when I have something to say that isn't a compliment, you want me to keep my mouth shut.”

  “Yeah. I mean … well, no … oh, I don't know what I'm saying. I shouldn't have gone off that way before. I was out of line. Guess I'm nervous about whether I'll get to start or not and I got touchy.”

  “I'll say you did,” Candy said, but her look got milder. “I'm always on your side, and you ought to know that.”

  “Yeah, I know you are.” Cap spread out his hands. “I won't let it happen any more, all right?”

  “You better not,” Candy said, scowling. Then she broke into a sunny smile. “Okay, apology accepted.”

  They heard the sound of an engine as someone drove up in front of their house.

  “Must be Mr. Cash,” Candy said.

  “I wonder what he wants to say to Grandpa,” said Cap. The window that opened on to the front porch was ajar.

  “We shouldn't eavesdrop,” Candy warned. “That isn't nice.”

  “Oh, no, that wouldn't be right,” Cap agreed. “But if we sort of stayed real quiet, and accidentally heard something…”

  “Accidentally, right,” said Candy. “Can't blame us for an accident.” The two sat where they were, not making a sound.

  They heard a door slam and then their grandpa's voice. “Sable, come on up and sit.”

  A moment later, Tully spoke again. “What's on your mind?”

  “You know what's on my mind,” Sable Cash answered. “Who are you going to start at quarterback?”

  “Not that it's really your business, but right now I'm leaning toward starting Cap.”

  Silently, Candy turned and gave her brother a thumbs-up sign.

  They could clearly hear Sable's snort of anger.

  “Now why am I not surprised that you picked your grandson over Jimmy”

  Tully's voice got very quiet, which Cap knew was a sure sign that he was really angry.

  “You saying I chose him because he's family? You think that's the kind of man I am?”

  Sable came right back, also sounding hot. “Are you saying you think your grandson is a better quarterback than Jimmy?”

  “Jimmy is a good athlete, but Cap's better on defense and—”

  “Jimmy can move the ball! He'd never throw those long passes over everybody's head! And he'll get better on defense!”

  A scrape of wood on wood told Cap that Tully had gotten up out of his chair.

  “And Cap will learn to control his passing. He can throw short too!”

  “Not with you coaching this team, he won't!” Now Sable had stood up. Cap and Candy exchanged a worried look. Was this going to get out of hand?

  “If you don't like the way I'm coaching this team,” Tully snapped, “you don't have to hang around anymore! It's bad enough the way you make the boys uncomfortable, sniping at me and taking shots at Cap. If you want to help me out anymore, you better put a lid on that!”

  “Wadell, you haven't changed one bit since we were kids!” Sable was almost yelling now. “You thought you were hot stuff then and you still do! And I was a better quarterback than you any day of the week!”

  Tully laughed. “That still sticks in your throat, doesn't it? That we won the championship and you didn't. Like I said, Cash, if you want to work with this team—”

  “Oh, you bet I do! Somebody's got to teach 'em some sense, and it won't be you!”

  “Then remember what I say!” Tully cut the other man off with a roar. “Concentrate on being a coach, and don't hassle the kids or me! Cap is going to start the first game and the subject is closed!”

  Sable's voice was headed away from the house and back to his truck. “You're as stubborn as you are wrong-headed, Wadell! All right, let your grandson start. But I won't be responsible for what happens!”

  “That's right, Cash, you won't!”

  Cap and Candy heard the door of Sable's pickup slam and the engine roar to life.

  A moment later, as Sable drove off with a squeal of tires, Tully stomped into the dining room to find Cap and Candy staring at him.

  “Been listening in, have you?” he demanded.

  “Us?” Candy asked, her eyes wide. “We were just sitting here talking.”

  “We did hear something, Grandpa,” Cap added, “but it was kind of hard not to.”

  Tully was angry, but Cap saw that he wasn't angry at them.

  “I guess you heard me say that I'm going to start you in the game against Sandville.”

  Cap nodded.

  “And I hope you know that it's not because you're my grandson. It's because I think you're a little bit better than Jimmy, all things considered.”

  “He sure is,” Candy agreed.

  “I'll do the best I can,” said Cap. “And… thanks.”

  “You give it everything you have and that'll be all the thanks I need.” Tully paused for a moment. “You know, Sable played for Sandville. Maybe that's why he really wanted Jimmy to start that game, I don't know. But if he gives you any trouble, just remember that it's not you he's mad at. It's me.”

  “I wish he'd get over it,” Cap said.

  “Well, you just concentrate on doing your job. I'll handle Sable. If we win this game, that'll shut him up.”

  Cap put a smile on his face, but to himself he thought, What if we lose?

  11

  On the Friday afternoon of the game, the Sandville 'Cudas showed up in a yellow school bus leading a fleet of cars and trucks full of fans. The bleachers were almost half full of Cowpen fans, including Candy, Bobby Jo, and Gabe Muñoz, along with friends and family of the other Panthers.

  The Cudas got off their bus, already in their black-and-maroon uniforms. From where the Panthers were warming up, Cap took a look at his opponents. Sandville had thirteen players. His mouth felt dry. The 'Cudas ran out to the other end of the field and began doing calisthenics: jumping jacks, sit-ups, and so on. They looked … ready.

  “They don't look so great,” said Jimmy Cash, coming up behind Cap. “We can beat these guys.”

  A few days before, when Tully had told the team that Cap would start, Jimmy had made a point of coming over and shaking his hand.

  “Good luck. And I just want you to know, I don't believe your grandpa played favorites—whatever Gramps says.”

  Cap had been grateful to Jimmy. During the practices before the game, Tully and Sable had not spoken to each other except when it was necessary. Sable continued to help players and make suggestions, and Tully let him, knowing that Sable's advice was useful.

  The referee for the game was a high school gym teacher from Ausburg, in a real ref's outfit with black-and-white-striped shirt and bright yellow flag to throw for penalties. A real ref, a real crowd … a real game. It was what Cap had wanted to play for years, almost since he could walk.

  He felt weird, and couldn't tell whether he was excited, or nervous, or just plain scared. All those people in the bleachers … when he'd put on the blue-and-gold uniform, it felt funny. He had walked past a mirror and was startled at what he looked like.

  He looked like a football player.

  Sandville won the coin toss and chose to receive. Hoot kicked off for the Panthers. His kick was short, but it took a bounce that the 'Cudas had trouble picking up. They wound up starting from their twenty-yard line. On their first series, they hit a short pass for six yards, but Ben and Mick stopped a run up the middle for a loss. Ben rushed the passer on third and eight and forced him to release the ball too quickly. The pass was incomplete and Sandville had to punt. The Cowpen fans cheered.

  Hoot fielded the punt at the Cowpen nineteen, got a good block from Fritz, and ran it back to the thirty. The Panthers huddled and Cap called for a pass over the middle to Mick.

  The blockers gave Cap time to set u
p, but his pass was a bullet and bounced off Mick's fingers, incomplete. On second down, Cap faked a long pass to Sam and shoveled an underhand throw to Ben, who plunged into the line, caught the 'Cudas by surprise, and gained nine yards. Cowpen third and six.

  Cap called for another pass, sending Sam deep and Mick over the middle. He dropped back, saw that Sam had beaten his defender by two whole steps, and fired a long pass—too long. It sailed over Sam's head.

  Cap had to punt. He noticed Sable Cash saying something to Tully, who shook his head and looked annoyed.

  Cap's punt was high and forced the 'Cuda receiver back to his seven-yard line. Mick and Hoot dropped him just as he caught the ball.

  This time the 'Cudas managed to gain some yards, but their drive was stopped at midfield when Cap picked off a pass. Cowpen had the ball on their thirty-five.

  Tully sent in Vince to give Hoot a rest. Cap tossed a pitchout to Vince then blocked a 'Cuda defender. Behind Fritz's block, Vince got loose for ten yards. But another running play was stopped for no gain, and Cap's third-down pass, intended for Sam, was overthrown again.

  The game was scoreless until the middle of the second quarter, when the 'Cudas tried a trick play. They completed a short pass to an end, and as the Panthers converged to bring him down, the end flipped the ball back to a trailing runner, who outran everyone into the end zone.

  A placekick after the touchdown was perfect, and Sandville led, 8-0.

  With three minutes left in the first half, Tully sent Jimmy in for Cap.

  “About time,” growled Sable. Cap figured Sable hadn't meant for him to hear, but he had. But he remembered what Tully had said and tried to concentrate on the game, shouting encouragement to Jimmy and his teammates.

  Jimmy started off with an end-around, pitching to Sam as he circled around from his right-end position before racing downfield behind blocks from Ben, Steve, and Jimmy himself. Before the 'Cudas could run Sam down, he had gained twenty-four yards, and the ball was on the Sandville twenty-one. Two short passes brought them to the seven-yard line, and the Cowpen fans were all standing and yelling. On first and goal, Jimmy flipped the ball back to Fritz, but Fritz didn't run; he stepped back and threw into the end zone, where Sam pulled it in for six points.

  Hoot kicked it through the uprights and the game was tied at eight apiece when the first half ended.

  The teams headed for the gym locker rooms for the fifteen-minute halftime break. Most of the Panthers were excited and chattering to one another, although Cap had to force himself to join in. He slapped Jimmy on the back.

  “Good job! You got us back in the game!” Jimmy smiled happily.

  Hoot came over to Cap and spoke quietly. “You were a little nervous, that's all. You'll get 'em in the second half.”

  Cap hoped that he would have the chance to show what he could do in the second half but wondered if he would.

  “All right, attention over here,” Tully called out, and the Panthers settled down. “You did all right out there, and we can beat these guys if we play our game and keep our heads.”

  He tapped his clipboard. “Jimmy, good job mixing up the plays just then. You unsettled their defense. You'll start the second half. The other starters will be Ben, Hoot, Mick, Fritz, and Sam.”

  Cap hoped his disappointment didn't show, but he had to admit that he deserved to stay on the bench. He had done a pretty bad job.

  Tully and Sable each gave short pep talks, telling the Panthers to stay alert on defense and to remember the trick play that had got the 'Cudas their touchdown.

  “It's important to see everything,” Sable pointed out. “You see a running back trailing a receiver after a pass, think about what he's doing there. Don't commit to a tackle too soon!”

  “Okay, we receive to start the second half,” Tully said. “Let's get some more points on the board. Jimmy, the shovel pass to Ben might work again, so look for a place to use it. The main thing is to give it your best shot. Okay, Panthers. Ready to play ball?”

  “Yeah!” they shouted and ran out of the locker room, fired up.

  Hoot took the opening kickoff, and with the help of a few good blocks and one fine cutback, got all the way to the Panther thirty-eight before the 'Cudas stopped him. Jimmy gained six yards on a short pass to Mick and five more on a lateral to Fritz, who cut upfield and plowed over two tacklers. With third and four from the 'Cuda thirty-one, he tried a pass to Sam going deep, but his throw was high and short and a 'Cuda defender intercepted it.

  Sandville struck quickly, gaining fifteen yards on a pass when Jimmy couldn't stay with his receiver. It was clear to Cap, watching from the sidelines, that the 'Cuda quarterback figured that Jimmy was a weak defensive link. He threw another pass good for twelve yards, once again taking advantage of Jimmy's not being able to cover his man tightly enough.

  Sandville was now at midfield. Tully sent Vince in to replace Mick and to give Jimmy a message: Don't react too quickly when a receiver seems to be making a move; watch out for fakes.

  Sandville tried the flea-flicker, the trick play that had gotten them their touchdown, but this time Hoot saw the running back trailing the receiver and hit him as soon as he caught the lateral, stopping the play for a gain of only five.

  Jimmy got burned on another pass play, good for twenty yards, and Sandville was at the Cowpen fifteen.

  On the sidelines, Cap tried to catch Tully's eye. He knew he'd do a better job than Jimmy on defense. But Tully didn't send him in. On the next play, the Sandville quarterback pitched it to another back—who threw it into the end zone where a receiver was waiting, all alone.

  Jimmy had charged in too quickly, expecting a running play.

  On the extra-point try, the snap was off target. The holder, a running back, picked it up and, dodging two tacklers, took it in. Sandville led, 15-8.

  12

  Cap wanted desperately to get back into the game, but Tully stayed with Jimmy. Jimmy showed that he could move the team and didn't attempt any more long passes. Mixing up short passes over the middle and sideline patterns, with a few runs, he marched the Panthers down the field to the 'Cuda ten-yard line. But a pass on third and four was knocked down, incomplete. Tully signaled for a time-out, and Cap listened as Jimmy talked to Tully and Sable.

  “I'll get a first down,” Jimmy insisted.

  “Let him give it a shot,” advised Sable.

  But Tully shook his head. “We're within Hoot's field-goal range. Let's get four points.”

  Despite Sable's objections, Tully ordered the field-goal attempt. Hoot's kick was straight and long enough, and the Panthers trailed by only 15-12.

  As Cowpen prepared to kick off, Cap tapped Tully's shoulder. “Uh … am I going to get another chance?”

  Tully turned and said, “You'll get back in, don't worry.”

  Hoot kicked it deep, but the 'Cuda blockers opened a hole in the middle, and the return man almost broke the runback for a touchdown. Hoot, the kicker, was the last man with a chance to bring him down. He barely did it, making a shoetop tackle, at the Panther twenty.

  Tully sent Cap in to play defense, bringing Jimmy to the sidelines. On first down, the 'Cudas tried a short-pass play to a runner coming out of the back-field. Cap reacted quickly and lunged in front of the receiver, getting a hand on the ball and deflecting it. Second down. The Sandville quarterback pitched out to a runner, who threw a short pass to the center. Hoot read the play and slammed into the center just as the ball reached him, stopping him for a gain of just one yard and making it third and fourteen.

  In the Panther defensive huddle, Cap said, “They're going to have to throw for the first down. Let's try to pressure the quarterback.”

  The Panthers lined up two rushers, one on either side of the center, and they charged into the backfield just as the ball was snapped. The 'Cuda passer, seeing Ben and Fritz thundering down on him, threw a hasty pass that wasn't close to anybody. They called time with a fourth down and long yardage to get.

  In came their
placekicker. “Think he can kick it that far?” Sam asked Cap.

  “Maybe it's a fake,” Cap replied. “Watch out.”

  It wasn't a fake, and the kick was good. Sandville had built its lead back up to 19-12.

  Cap was disappointed when Tully sent Jimmy back out to run the offense. A voice from the bleachers yelled out, “Keep Cap in there!” It sounded to Cap like his sister, but he wasn't sure.

  Sable walked over to Tully and said, “You did the right thing, bringing Jimmy in. He'll get us the lead back, you watch.”

  Tully didn't answer.

  The 'Cuda kickoff was deep into the end zone for a touchback, and Cowpen took over at their twenty. Jimmy surprised the Sandville defense with a reverse, on which he pitched to Fritz running toward right end. Fritz handed off to Sam coming around to the left. The 'Cudas, caught by surprise, didn't recover and catch Sam until he had gained twenty-five yards, getting into Sandville territory.

  The Cowpen fans yelled encouragement. Sable flashed a grin at Tully. “What'd I tell you?”

  Jimmy then fired a quick pass to Mick, who picked up ten yards before being brought down at the twenty-five. After an incomplete pass, it was third and five. Jimmy dropped back to throw, but this time the 'Cudas had his receivers covered. There were no defenders on the line, and Jimmy cradled the ball and began to run.

  The ref tossed his yellow flag and blew his whistle, stopping play.

  “Running play without a clear pass, that'll cost you five yards and the down.”

  Jimmy's embarrassment could be seen from the sidelines. Cap felt bad for him. Tully beckoned Cap over.

  “We're out of field-goal range, so go in and punt. Angle it for the sidelines. Let's try to pin 'em back against their goal line.”

  Cap ran in, and Jimmy, seeing him, started out. As they met, Cap said, “It could've been me who forgot that rule, just as easy as you. We're still new at this game.”

  Jimmy smiled at Cap. “Thanks.”

  Cap took Ben's snap and aimed his kick at the sidelines. The ball sailed out of bounds, and the ref ruled that it had gone out at the Sandville ten. Cap looked over to Tully, who nodded and gave him a thumbs-up sign. He also kept Cap in the game. Before Sandville could run a play, the ref signaled the end of the third quarter.