The Comeback Challenge by Matt Christopher Read Free Book Online Page A

the
     left corner of the net.
    It was good!
    The Scorpions had drawn “first blood” and were on the scoreboard, 1-0.
    The fans in the bleachers exploded with cheers. Mark could see his grandparents waving their arms in the air and yelling with
     the rest. But he didn’t see anyone else sitting with them.
    Despite the early goal, it was soon apparent that the Tigers were just warming up. In the next few minutes of play, they were
     all over the Scorpions. Vince called out to his team, “Come on, you guys, look around!” Mark, too, tried to jolt the other
     guys with shouts of encouragement whenever he saw something good happening.
    “Nice trap, Eddie!”
    “Way to go, Mel!”
    But there was no stopping the Tigers from getting on the scoreboard. Midway through the first half, they scored their first
     goal to tie the game at 1-1. Even worse, they were controlling the ball so well, it looked like they were going to go ahead
     any second.Charlie Burns had made three spectacular saves. Each looked tougher than the one before it.
    “Hang in there, Charlie!” Coach Ryan called from the sidelines. “Give him some help, you guys! Dig in!”
    And from the stands came the loud repeated sound of “De-
fense!
De-
fense!
”
    Mark stayed in his own zone, pitching in on defense whenever he could. But he kept himself ready to move the ball toward the
     Tigers’ goal if he got the chance.
    His opening came in the final seconds of the first half. The Scorpions had defended successfully against four goal attempts.
     By now, even the dogged Tigers were playing a little sloppy.
    First, Harvey Kahn got into a snarl with a Tiger forward and caused the ball to squirt within Mel Duffy’s reach. Mel trapped
     it with the inside of his left foot, then booted it with his right over to Jim Shields. Jim zigged it across the field to
     Mark, who was all by himself — not a Tiger in sight.
    The Scorpions’ center forward dribbled the ball straight down the field. But within seconds he began to hear the oncoming
     thud of defensemen bearingdown on him. When they were practically on top of him, Mark pointed and waved to his left — but with his left foot, he booted
     the ball over to Vince on his right. Since all the attention was focused the other way for a split second, Vince had a clear
     shot at the goal. He lined up and kicked the ball forward.
    Goal!
    The Scorpions had practiced that play only once during the previous week. Yet it worked like clock-work. Mark was proud that
     he had been able to carry it off. He looked over at Vince to give him a thumbs-up sign, but Vince had already headed back
     to the forward line.
    “Heckuva play, you guys!” Mark shouted out anyhow. Then he moved into position. At the whistle, he nudged the ball over to
     Johnny Mintz. The ball came right back at him, but there wasn’t enough time left in the half to do much more than let the
     clock run out.
    “Yes!” said Craig, leaping up from the bench as Mark came off the field.
    The Scorpions’ center forward chugged a large drink of water. Then he wiped off his forehead and flopped down in front of
     the coach — but not beforeglancing into the stands. There were his grandparents, smack behind the bench. Just behind them, he saw his father, all smiles,
     leaning over and pointing toward the Scorpions. Mark was about to shift his eyes back to the coach when he spotted someone
     else he knew.
    Off to one side of the stands, huddled up and drinking from a paper coffee cup, was his mother. She was smiling, too, and
     talking to a woman seated next to her. The woman had bright red hair, a lot like Craig’s. Mark guessed that it must be his
     mother.
    Mark’s heart sank. Just what I don’t need, he thought, Mom and Dad at the same game. At least they’re not seated together.
     Still, they’re within shouting distance. Oh, gosh, I hope that doesn’t start up! Everyone will know in a minute who they are
     and that I’m —
    “Mark, are you still with