Top Wing by Matt Christopher Read Free Book Online

good. There
     wasn’t even much of a chance that the ball would make it all the way to the goal area.
    Benton should have seen that, Dana thought. He just doesn’t want me to have a shot. The anger rose up in him like lava in
     a volcano.
    Noonie Mills caught the ball easily and tossed it over to a Grizzlies fullback. The action now moved down toward the Anchors’
     goal.
    Reversing direction, Dana ran after Benton.
    “You bug me, you know that?” Dana shouted at him. “You have it in for me for no good reason!”
    “You messed up! You should have —,” Benton began. Before he could finish, a coughing spell cut him off.
    “You’re a real blockhead, Benton!” Dana shoutedback. “You don’t even know what you’re talking about!”
    “Knock it off!” Steve’s loud voice boomed. “Knock it off, or I’ll ask the coach to bench the two of you!”
    Dana saw the stern look on Steve’s face. He knew he meant every word of it. Friend or not, the Anchor captain didn’t make
     idle threats, not when the game was at stake.
    Dana tried to put his mind back on the game. He had his eye on a fight for the ball between Lance and a Grizzlies tackler
     when Abe sidled up next to him.
    “What are you yelling about? Someone else got a shot for a change?” he said, sneering at Dana.
    Then he ran off to his own side of the field.
    Dana was shocked.
    What was going on? Had Benton told everyone on the team that he was responsible for the fire? Was the whole team on his case?
    What was that going to do to their chance of winning this game — or any game, for that matter?
    Even if only some of the guys got all hung up, they’d mess up the whole team. The Grizzlies could score a dozen goals they
     didn’t deserve, just because the Anchors were all bent out of shape.
    He had to straighten Benton out. But first there was a game to play.
    Down at the other end of the field, Mike, Tucker, and Pete were fighting for the ball with two Grizzlies forwards. From between
     their legs, the ball squirted out and bounced onto the open field.
    Jonathan Bell, the Grizzlies’ right halfback, sprinted after it. He gave it a kick that sent it rocketing toward the right
     side of the goal.
    Jazz made a flying leap for it. He was within inches when the ball sizzled by and into the net for another Grizzlies score.
    Dana’s heart sank. Midway through the first half and the Anchors were in deep trouble.
    Things didn’t change much during the remainder of the half. The two teams seemed to shuffle back and forth, with both defenses
     digging in. There was a lot of motion, a few penalties, and a couple of goal attempts. But there was no scoring. When the
     half ended, the scoreboard still read Grizzlies 2, Anchors 0.
    During the halftime break, Coach Kingsley tried to pump some spirit into the Anchors.
    “What’s with you guys today?” he asked. “I knowyou’re capable of much more! You look like you’re playing with blinders on!”
    There was a lot of foot scuffling. Most of the players stared down at their cleats.
    “Some of you haven’t noticed that that’s a soccer field you’re playing on, not a bowling alley. You’re not out there on your
     own. So start looking around and pass the ball. Got that?”
    “Right, Coach!”
    “Got it!”
    No one could disagree. They just weren’t playing like a team.
    The coach gazed around, then settled his eyes on some of the players near the back of the huddle.
    After a few awkward moments, he cleared his throat and laid out a plan of attack.
    “Now, listen, and listen good,” the coach said firmly. “We’ve had a half dozen chances of shooting for a goal, but you blew
     it every time. I know there isn’t time to set up a lot of fancy plays, but you have to have some discipline. Remember, when
     you’re bringing the ball downfield, stay in your positions and try to get the ball to one of the wings. One or the other,
     not always the same one. And wings, you finda way to get yourself into