Thursday Night Lights

"All right, first kickoff on Coach Alsen!" Michael Rhodes heard the call from the head coach and jumped up off the bench. Michael pulled on his red helmet, checking the straps one last time as he ran over to the huddle of ten other players. They were decked in the red and blue colors of Walter Jay Junior High Chiefs. He took a deep breath; the Thursday night lights were bright, and the crowds on both sides of the field were screaming as if this was a varsity game. Even though the Chiefs were going through a loss-prone season, Michael still knew that football would always be his place. Taking a last sip from a water bottle from one of the student managers, he pushued his way into the huddle. Coach Alsen was laying out what he thought the recieving team would bring the ball up the field. He was sketching their antics on a small white-erase board. "Okay, this is going to be all about inside contain. They love making a wedge and busting it up the middle. Be ready for any pitches, handoffs, or lateral passes. Last year's Goldwait 8th grade burned us with a fake to the outside and then a handoff to the middle. So..." Alsen paused and looked around the huddle he found Michael,"Right, Rhodes this is all on you and Saile. Nothing wearing gold and black goes through inside, got it? Ok, good, out on the field."
Mike took his place right next to the kicker, Lyle Kanes, and faced him. The four players behind him were all facing to the middle of the field, as were the five on the other side of the kicker. Jacob Saile was the other inside contain man. Michael nodded to him over the shoulder of the kicker and he nodded back. After figdeting a while with his stand and counting his paces back from the ball, Lyle raised his right hand. When the ref blew his whistle, Lyle brought his hand down, took two steps toward the tee, and booted the ball downfield.
It was a line-drive kick, but it went deep. Michael hadn't even touched a blocker when one their returners caught the ball.