“Steve, I want you to use three receivers and keep everyone else in to block. We’re just 95 yards from victory. Now go get it!” yelled Coach Watkins to Steve and the other players.
Steve quickly explained the play and calmly walked his team to the line of scrimmage and looked over the defense. Billy snapped the ball and Steve dropped three steps and looked right. His line held the defenders at bay so Steve had time to turn and throw a pass to the left side. Derek Johnson was racing deep down the left side when he suddenly turned and broke for the sideline. As soon as he made his turn, the football was in his chest and he ran out of bounds for a 25 yard gain. The crowd cheered the play but quickly turned quiet as Sparta lined up again. This time, Steve looked right, looked left and then rifled a pass back to the right. Jeff Wander had started deep then faked toward the center of the field and then turned as the football hit his chest. His momentum carried him out of bounds at the 45 yard line of Windsor. With just over a minute left, Steve once again stood over center and called the signals.
This time Steve looked For Derek Johnson, but two defenders were covering him. Jeff Wander had become tangled with a Windsor safety and the two went down in a keep. As the protection broke down, Steve swung the ball out to his running back, Les Turner. Les ran across the width of the field to elude tacklers and then headed down the far sideline. He was shoved out of bounds at the 25 yard line with four seconds remaining in the game.
Sparta’s field goal kicker was their weakness. He was unlikely to make anything over 25 yards and this attempt would have been around 45 yards. Sparta was left with only one option. They had to go for the touchdown.
Steve quickly called the play and strode to the line. Once again Billy snapped the ball and Steve dropped three steps and looked downfield. Everyone knew it would be the last play of the game and Sparta had to put the ball in the end zone. Windsor had six men play back to prevent a completed pass in the end zone. As Steve scanned the field, he saw the middle linebacker knock a blocker down and head for him. As he prepared to try to duck the rush, Billy Marsh suddenly came from the left side and delivered a block on the linebacker that jarred him to the ground.
Suddenly Steve saw Tyler Smith drift to the left side of the back of the end zone. Two defenders were sprinting toward him when Steve made his decision. He could get the ball to Tyler if he threw it hard enough. Steve pulled back the ball and fired it as hard as he could to Tyler Smith, who was standing in the back corner of the end zone, about 40 yards away.
From that moment forward, when someone spoke of “The Pass” in Sparta, they were referring to the 40 yard bullet Steve Hammer drilled into Tyler Smith’s stomach. When someone referred to “The Catch”, it was Tyler Smith wrapping his arms around the football in his stomach and falling backward in the corner of the end zone. When they spoke of “The Drive” they were referring to the four play, 95 yard drive, that Sparta put together in a minute and twenty seconds against the state’s top ranked defense to win the state title.
There was a stunned silence for a few seconds. Then the officials held up their arms to indicate a touchdown. Bedlam ensued. Fans screamed, whistled, and yelled as they streamed onto the playing field.
Gwen had been watching the final drive with her family and Laura, and Lisa’s friends. “God, is he cool or what?” asked one of Lisa’s friends. “He acts like it’s a day at the beach. That’s some boyfriend your sister has there. He’s a way better player than our team’s quarterback, and he’s 23 years old!”
When Tyler Smith clutched the football to his stomach and fell to the ground in the end zone, Gwen was on her feet with every other Sparta fan, momentarily too stunned to speak.
“We won! We’re state champs! What a pass that was. I hardly saw it; it went so fast. How did Tyler ever catch it?” yelled Kate.
“Come on, Gwen. Your boyfriend needs some attention I can take care of the medical stuff but you’re the only one that takes care of the rest. Let’s go tend to our star!” urged Laura.
They found Steve surrounded by players and fans that reluctantly parted for his girl friend and the lady doctor. Laura was surprised at how red the front of Steve’s jersey was. She quickly grabbed his hand to lead him from the crowd. Before he took a step, Steve reached down and took Gwen’s hand in his. Then he followed Laura to the locker room.
“They’ll be celebrating for quite a while, so we should be able to get Steve cleaned up and re-bandaged without many distractions,” asserted Laura as she sat Steve down on the bench in front of the lockers and began peeling his bloody jersey over his head.
Gwen gasped when she saw how much blood had soaked into his bandages. “It isn’t as bad as it looks. Blood always looks magnified. He’ll be fine. We need to cut these old bandages off and get him cleaned up.”
Laura pulled out her scissors and began cutting the bloody wrappings as players and fans began entering the locker room laughing and celebrating. As soon as they saw Steve, they went quiet. Laura ignored the onlookers and worked on removing the dressing with Gwen’s help.
Gwen heard the telltale sound of high heels. She turned in time to see Amber O’Leary, with a concerned look on her face, striding directly toward Steve. With no conscious thought, Gwen stood up and purposely stepped between the redhead and Steve. Amber O’Leary came to a sudden stop as she looked Gwen over from head to toe.
“So, it’s the incredible Gwen Anderson herself,” began Amber as she raised her eyebrows, and smiled slightly. “Also known as ‘The Lady in Red’, and the ‘Heroine of the Emerson River Rescue’. The same girl that’s trying to raise enough money to expand a hospital; and all of this as a senior in high school. It appears that you’re trying to keep the daughter of the next governor of this state away from Steve Hammer. It even looks like you’re ready to fight, if necessary. All of this for that bloody guy sitting behind you, Ms. Anderson? Or may I call you Gwen?”
A couple of the onlookers gasped at Amber’s declaration and Gwen’s defiant reaction to her presence. Other than that, there was total silence in the locker room. Gwen raised her chin and took a small step closer to the redhead. The two women were about the same height and build. They stood chin to chin with Gwen’s chest now rising and falling rapidly, and her hands clenched as she awaited her adversary’s next move.
Steve had been sitting still, eyes closed and relaxing as much as possible as Laura and Gwen worked on removing his bandages. He never realized that Amber O’Leary was in the room until he heard her speak to Gwen. His eyes popped open and he began to rise until Laura placed her hand on his chest and gently pushed him back. He saw Gwen step in front of Amber in an obvious attempt to keep her away from him. What a time and place for Gwen and Amber to meet!
“You’re an amazing woman, Gwen,” laughed Amber as she stepped forward and wrapped Gwen in a tight embrace. Steve felt some relief that Amber was working to defuse the situation, but wondered if it would be good for him in the long term. How would Gwen react to Amber’s stories of their meeting over a year ago?
“You must realize that I can’t steal that guy from you,” whispered Amber into Gwen’s ear. “I already have a great guy and he’ll probably propose to me at Christmas. I want to be your best friend, or at least one of them. Steve is an amazing guy, but you’re perfect for him. You’re even willing to fight for the guy! I really like that.”
As Gwen digested Amber’s words, her arms came up to return the embrace. “I’m sorry if I acted a bit possessive, but you’re so beautiful and I saw you have dinner with him at Dominick’s a few weeks ago. I hate to admit it, but I was really jealous. You’re so beautiful!”
Steve was close enough to hear the two women’s conversation. Gwen had seen him with Amber? That was news. Small wonder Gwen had been so aloof the past few weeks! Thinking about it, he was lucky she still cared enough to drag his ass out of the river. She thought he was seeing Amber for a romantic date! Amber was at least 24 and wouldn’t be interested in a kid like him. How could Gwen even think he and Amber would be involved in any way?
“Gwen, I could use a little help here,” called Laura. “Steve really needs to take a shower before we bandage him again. Let’s get this off him and get out of the locker room so these kids can shower. The testosterone is getting pretty pungent in here.”
Gwen quickly returned to Laura’s side and helped her remove the bloody bandages from Steve’s torso, as Laura spoke to Steve. “Take a nice long shower and get some pants on. After everyone’s done, call Gwen. We’ll come back in and wrap you up one last time before I stitch you up tomorrow at the hospital.”
Coach Watkins cleared his throat to speak. “I know it’s a bit unusual to have so many people in the locker room, especially females. But this is an unusual situation. We’re the state champions! The next governor of our great state is here, along with his wife and daughter. Our local reporter, Amber Stahl is here, as is Dr. Laura Masters. Many of the players’ parents are here, and proudly so.
“As you may, or may not know, after every victory, it’s been our tradition to award the game ball to the person the team felt contributed the most to our victory. During the regular season, a player could only win the honor once. For the title game today, all bets are off and everyone has been considered.