One little kick

The following was written by reader and member of the Haverford Soccer Club U-13 team, Jared Franks.

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I dove as a last ditch effort - my one hope of surviving the shot. I saw it go by as dirt from the ground shot up into the air. The last I saw were people celebrating and then everything blurred. It was the game that I had been preparing for all season, the championship game.

Everyone was watching as we took the field. The game began in a flash. They had the ball in our zone before we were ready and luckily they didn’t have a chance due to our mighty defense. The game continued at a frantic pace. Each team making runs with the ball toward the other team’s goal, taking shot after shot. I made many solid saves and did very well but they ended up scoring just before the end of the first half. We were up by one goal at that point and we still had the lead going into half time. Our coach talked to us at the break and said that we couldn’t let up because this team had a history of many come-from-behind victories and we needed to keep our guard up.

The second half didn’t start as fast as the first had because both teams knew that they didn’t have to play as hard. The game was close. Everyone on the field and sidelines knew that it would only take one mistake to change the game entirely. Things became serious when the other team scored and tied the game. Each team’s defense held up through the end of the half and the game ended in a tie.

After a tiring game, everyone had to prepare themselves for overtime. Overtime had now elevated spirits and team anxiety to a higher level. Every second counted and the game could be over at any moment. Shockingly, after two overtimes, the game was still a tie. Everyone knew what was next…. a shootout. No team had ever gone to a shootout so it was either team’s game.

It started out with a round of fives shots each. No one on either team had scored so we went to a second round of five shots each. I blocked every shot and it came down to the final two shots, one by each team. Our team scored on the other team’s goalie which meant that saving this last shot would win the game for us. All I had to do was save this shot from entering the goal. They took the shot and I dove to the ground, dirt flying up in my face as I landed. Everyone gasped as I stood up and I knew by the look on their faces that it had scored. It was now one to one at the end of the second shootout.

There we were, now forced into a sudden death shootout as the only answer. Any shot scored would win the game. It was relentless, shot after shot I had to block. I could focus on nothing but the ball. The emotions were high for both teams. I had blocked all the shots, one after another, to this point. It was down to a teammate, a defenseman who usually does take many shots, but he made this one count. He took the shot and he scored!

This game will go down in my mind as the greatest game that I have ever played and will ever play. I will remember this game forever and will always look back on it with great memories. To this day our team has not won another championship but not for lack of trying. Of course we have high hopes to win this year. This year the championship game is on Sunday. I am ready.