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The quarter ended with a draw.
The second quarter I was back on the field and we scored again in the first minute or two. The crowd went absolutely wild. They were all on their feet, shouting and chanting.
Neither side scored again until the third quarter, when the Kookaburras snuck one past us.
That was the worst. None of us wanted to feel like we hadn't done enough.
I knew what the coach would say, 'Let it go, focus on the game ahead, not the game behind you.'
That was good advice, so I took it. In the fourth quarter I grabbed the ball and bolted like I was trying to outrun a fire. I swerved around arms and bodies like they weren't there. With the screams of the crowd in my ears I ran until I was slammed hard into the turf, a foot from the touchdown line.
I swore to myself, but when we evened the score a minute later, I was grinning.
I glanced at the clock. If we were going to take this game, we'd have to do it quickly. Only two minutes remained.
I trotted off the field, only to have the coach wave me back on when we regained possession of the ball.
I barely got into place before the other wide receiver caught the ball and started away.
He made it two steps before he was tackled and passed the ball on. Another two steps and the Kookaburras tackled again.
They weren't going to let us win without a fight, that was for sure. That made my blood run even faster. I wanted this win so badly I could taste it. It mingled with the taste of blood and dirt in my mouth. I couldn't tell the sound of the crowd from the roar in my ears.
"Rapids. Rapids. Rapids." The crowd was behind us, willing us to victory.
I glanced at the clock. thirty seconds to go. The ball was ours. Every defensive player stood like an iron gate between us and the line.
We gritted our teeth, at least I did as best I could around a mouthguard.
Like a battering ram, we forced our way through the defensive line and slammed the ball down for a touchdown in the dying seconds of the game.
The crowd went nuts.
"Rapids win!"The voice over the loud speaker sounded as triumphant as I felt.
I pumped a fist in the air and drank in the cheers from the thousands of fans who had flocked to the stadium to watch their football gods claim victory over their enemy.
And what a sweet fucking victory it was.
Only when we left the field, and the adrenaline started to fade, did I let myself think about Ashley and my aches and pains. Reality crashed in a little, but it was held back somewhat by my grinning team mates.
"Hell yeah, I told you those chickens were going down," Bam said.
"When did you say that?" Hawk held his helmet under his arm.
"Just before we scored that last touchdown," Bam said. "I said it to myself. I said, 'Bam, we're gonna win this for sure. The Kookaburras will wish they stayed in their gumtree’."
I laughed along with everyone else.
"Good game." Hawk patted my shoulder before he headed for the shower.
"You too," I said. We'd have a few hard games between us and the Down Under Bowl, but we were that much closer now.
"How about my game, Hawk?" Bam asked as he followed the quarterback.
I shook my head and laughed.
"He'll never change," Ollie remarked.
