Page 99 of Scored

After the extra point, the score was now 21–3.

Houston responded with a quick touchdown. It was a Hail Mary pass. Their play only took two minutes off the clock. Our offense was back out with five minutes to play in the third quarter.

The next two drives were scoreless.

Dennison led the charge at the beginning of the fourth quarter, with more short plays. The Coopers’ offense was exhausted, as was the Texans’ defense. We were stopped during a third down at Houston’s forty-two-yard line.

Coach Tilson sent Holt out onto the field.

The field goal attempt would be fifty-nine yards.

Holt had hit from that far before.

Statistically, the chance of hitting the field goal was around fifty-five to sixty percent.

The snap and placement.

The ball sailed through the air, hitting the inside of the right upright and bounced through the goal posts. It wasn’t pretty, but that didn’t matter. The kick was good. Along the sideline, the team jumped up and down. The Coopers were now ahead 23–10.

Our defense held the Texans to two first downs.

Pratt turned to me. “You’re going in, Graham.”

“Yes, Coach.”

In the huddle, I heard the play in my ears. “We have four minutes left,” I shouted. “Run the clock.”

The players nodded.

We lined up.

I called the play and set the cadence, “Regular Ace, Z-motion, Ride 36 Power. Set. Hut!”

Spencer snapped the ball. I handed it off to Dijon Ortiz for a gain of three yards. Six plays later, our offense was on Houston’s thirty-one-yard line. We were at second and three when the two-minute warning sounded.

Time-out.

On the sideline, I greedily gulped the water as it was squirted in my mouth.

Coach Pratt slapped my shoulder pads. “Great job, Graham. Dennison is back in.”

I nodded and removed my helmet.

When the final buzzer rang, Lexington won 30–17. Dennison took my run from the thirty-one-yard line for another touchdown.

Fireworks exploded.

The Big Hurt announced, “The Lexington Coopers are the AFC Champions.”

The crowd screamed.

Despite the game being over, the fans remained in their seats. It was time for the presentation of the Lamar Hunt Trophy.

CHAPTER 40

Vee

“You were right, Dad. This team is Super Bowl-bound,” I whispered as our team celebrated. Soon they were out on the field.