One More Try: The Aaron Street Story

[TheOnlyIThinkJake]

It was the day, our final varsity game of the season. We played Wellstown, who were our biggest rivals. We lost only two games on the season, but our division was always competitive.

Wellstown managed to go the whole season undefeated. They were a powerhouse, who nobody wanted to play. Their senior quarterback Brady Thomas had already committed to Alabama.

Pre-Game

"This is our season!" Coach Patterson exclaimed.

"We need perfect execution from everyone. We can win this, and if we execute like I know we can, we will win this." Coach Patterson said.

"Now get out there, and extend our season!" Coach Patterson yelled.

Game Time

We received after Wellstown deferred. Our returner, got to the forty before being brought down.

Teddy Fritz tossed it to Chris Peterson and Chris got through the whole. Not only that, but he got in the end zone.

We were up seven to nothing.

Half Time

The score was all tied up fourteen to fourteen.

Coach Patterson gave one of the best speeches ever.

Fourth Quarter

Tied up twenty-one to twenty-one.

We had a couple possessions, they had a couple possessions.

No one scored.

Overtime!

We won the coin toss and elected to receive.

First play: Play Action pass deep to Kobe Anderson.

It was picked off.

Run back to the thirty yard line.

They kicked a field goal.

We lost.

No playoffs.

"We still had a great season." Coach Patterson said.

"We'll meet next week for the end of the season." Coach Patterson said.

Everyone stayed after and everyone was upset.

A terrible ending to the season, we would miss out on the playoffs. In a year when we were expected to win it all.

[TheOnlyIThinkJake]

Washington Wildcats
Coach: Blake Patterson
Record: 10-2
MVP: Chris Peterson

Teddy Fritz struggled once more after the KingsWood game, when we played Dixonville. After that he turned things around and became the old Teddy again. He is committed to University Of Oklahoma. He finished the season rated as the tenth best quarterback in the State.

Timmy Weston will be a senior next year, and it will likely be me and him fighting for starting quarterback. Tyler Reaves, the sophomore wildcat quarterback, suffered a concussion and never returned. His position was switched from quarterback to cornerback during the offseason.

Star running back Chris Peterson had a phenomenal season and will look to have another one next year, he's currently listed as the third best running back in the state of Ohio. Senior power running back Frederick Freight went to Texas A&M for mechanical engineering. He tried out for the football team and got a spot on the scout team. Sophomore running back Cameron Graham looks to have a fierce position battle with Johnny Patterson next year. Johnny Patterson also never returned to the football field in a game this year.

Fullback Laron Timmons still has a year left, and is getting a lot of interest for his wrestling ability.

At wide receiver Kobe Anderson and David Pendleton both are returning after two great seasons, as they were both named to the all-star team. A couple wide receivers graduated, but none were really big players. Brandon Striker looks to be a shoo-in for junior varsity next year.

Senior tight end Jamaal Hall who emerged as a great pass catching threat, and was already a great basketball player, committed to Ohio State, hoping to play both sports.

All of the starters on the offensive line left for college. Next year will be a hard year with a bunch of new starting offensive lineman, with almost no varsity experience.

All three defensive lineman starters graduated, one of whom will be playing college football at the University of Michigan.

The two starting outside linebackers stayed, both having okay seasons last year, and our starting middle line backer stays, but two of his backups left. Which opens up a hole for Jimmy King.

Cornerback will be great for another year, as both Chase Stevens and Blake White are returning, and they'll add Tyler Reaves next year.

Safety will be okay, one is leaving, one is staying.

Special Teams, kicker and punter, are both staying.

(If anything else changes, I'll say so)

Coach Smith had taken the job at Mandeville to be their offensive coordinator. He would be moving at the end of the school year, which made a big question: Where was I gonna live?

The group of upperclassmen friends I had made, Teddy Fritz, Chase Stevens, and Kobe Anderson, took a huge hit as Teddy was going to be going off to college soon.

Me and Madison were doing great, we were closer than we had ever been before. But she would be leaving soon...

Alexis, the other girl, had started going out with the backup quarterback from Wellstown. Their backup was projected to start next year, with Brady Thomas leaving.

Riley had been working hard to make everything up to me. He had started to take college classes too.

Cole Samples and I became great friends, he became a great part of the friendship between me, Brandon Striker, Jimmy King, and Johnny Patterson.

Darren, the criminal who kidnapped me, was sent to jail for five years. They couldn't prove that he played a part in the murder of... my mom.

This was an attempt to end up the first football season. Finish some storylines, make some new ones.

If you have any questions about the first football season, feel free to ask.

[TheOnlyIThinkJake]

January 1, 2010

The day had come, it was time for Madison to leave for Prescott Academy. We had spent New Year's Eve together at her house, and I had a hell of a time.

"You feel like sh*t, don't you?" Coach Smith asks as I walk through the door."

"Yeah."

"Well you shouldn't. Madison hasn't left yet, she will, but not yet. Cherish this time with her, no regrets. That being said don't do anything stupid."

"You know, you're right."

It was then that I knew what I had to do, I had to do exactly what Coach Smith told me to. Cherish my last time with Madison.

"Madison!"

"Aaron. What are you doing here?"

"I want to make the most of my last time with you."

"And how do you suppose to do that?"

"Uhh?"

I hadn't even thought of how to spend our last day together. I was thinking but, I got caught staring into her light blue eyes. They had always been one of my favorite things about her appearance. Maybe it was because she was leaving soon, but she had never appeared more beautiful.

"Let's just go for a walk." I finally say after a couple of seconds went by.

We walked for a long time together in silence.

"Look!" Madison shouted pointing towards a basketball laying right next to the basketball courts at the school.

Basketball was one of the sports Madison played, along with soccer and then she ran track.

"Let's play." I say accepting her challenge.

I had shot a basketball around before, but never played it wasn't my forte. And I was pretty short compared to most of the basketball players.

We shot and then played one on one. She beat me, I said that I let her, but she beat me fair and square.

We sat on the bench for a while longer making out, I thought it was getting darker and thought we should leave, but I didn't want this to ever end.

"I should go, my parents will start worrying soon."

"I'll walk you home."

We walked to her house in silence.

"Well, goodnight." She said.

"I... I love you." I said.

"I love you too." She said.

I kissed her goodnight, maybe for the last time.

[TheOnlyIThinkJake]

February 26, 2010

"Yo Aaron, have you seen this?"

"What is it?"

"Damien Michaels Jr. is leaving Philadelphia, due to gang violence."

"What does this have to do with anything?"

"He has family ties in Washington, Ohio."

"Sh*t, there's more to this than gang violence."

"I completely agree, he's a senior. You don't wait that long to move."

"Coach Patterson tampered, didn't he?"

"I wouldn't go that far, maybe there isn't anything to it."

"I've got to know, I've got to know."

Okay, let me explain who Damien Michaels Jr. is. He's the number one quarterback in the country, scouts are saying that he's the best quarterback prospect in quite some time.

That previous conversation was between me and Brandon Striker, he had read an article in sports illustrated about it.

I ran over to coach's house feeling anger and frustration.

He was out sitting on his front porch when I finally got there.

"Aaron, what are you doing here?"

"Damien Michaels Jr.?"

"Sh*t." He mumbled under his breath. "How do you know about that?"

"Sports Illustrated."

"There was no tampering involved."

"What happened to the fact that you believed in Timmy Weston, and I?"

"I still do, but he's Damien Michaels Jr.!"

"Whatever coach."

"You're gonna be his guide."

I had already turned my back and started to walk away, "What!"

"You're gonna show him around Washington, help him get settled in."

[TheOnlyIThinkJake]

July 23, 2010

Riley had been taking college classes for almost a year, he had been studying Architecture. He got as far as he could online, and was going to Youngstown State University. He had also really changed, he was a better person, by far.

"See you bro." Riley said as he left Washington.

"Good luck!" I called out after him.

**********

"I got the house." Coach Smith said as he walked in the front door.

"That's great." I said, knowing that he would leave soon. He had already sold the house for a future date.

"Which brings up a question, where are you going to live?"

"I, I don't know."

"Your brother?"

"Left for college."

"Aunt and Uncle?"

"Rejected the form I sent them about custody."

"You see the problem here, right?"

"Where, where am I able to f*cking go! It seems everyone leaves me anyway!"

**********

"Hey. I'm Damien Michaels Jr."

"Hi, I'm Aaron. Aaron Street. I'll show you around the beautiful town of Washington." I spoke, letting a bit of sarcasm slip out.

Damien looked at me with suspicion, "Okay. Can we start tomorrow, the car trip was long as hell."

"Sure."

[TheOnlyIThinkJake]

August 2, 2010

"Three step drop." Coach Patterson called out. We were at the beginning of the preseason, and it was not fun. Damien Michaels Jr., Timmy Weston, and I had been throwing the football for about two hours.

"Come on coach." Timmy Weston spoke out, it was what the three of us had been thinking for so long.

"One more throw, make it good." Coach Patterson said. He wasn't the same coach as last year, he was already pushing us more than he had last year, and it was only the first day of preseason.

We did the last throw and all left, I had to take most of the rest of the day to show Damien Michaels Jr. around the school grounds. Coach Patterson had made me his personal tour guide, and today he made me show him around the school grounds. The school itself, the fields, and everything else.

"Who's that?" Damien said pointing towards the field hockey field. It's how most of the tour days went, he asked about people and who they were, particularly girls.

"You're gonna have to be a bit more specific." I said back, looking at about forty girls down on the field.

"Practice jersey is 17." Damien said keeping his eyes locked on her.

I scanned the field looking for a number seventeen. "That's Alexis, don't go anywhere near her. She's crazy, and she has a boyfriend, from Wellstown."

"Thanks for the tip man." Damien said. We exchanged a fist bump and walked on.

"Thanks for the tour man." Damien said.

"No problem." I said back, as much as I wanted to hate him, I liked him. He was a cool guy, despite likely stealing the position I wanted so much.

[TheOnlyIThinkJake]

August 6, 2010

The first week of practice was almost over, everyone was tired and we all so awaited the end. Coach Patterson was pushing everyone harder than ever, we already had four people quit. In the huddle or at the water you would hear the complaints and jabs at Coach Patterson. Even Johnny, his son, would make the occasional jab.

"Okay boys, we're gonna scrimmage. Two teams, one quarterbacked by Damien Michaels Jr. and the other one by Aaron Street." Coach Patterson called out, sorting all of the other players into two teams. They were pretty evenly split.

"What about me coach?" Timmy Weston, our senior quarterback asked.

Coach Patterson gave him a look of disgust, "You can take a seat on the bench."

Timmy Weston glared back at the Coach. "Nah, I don't need this." And he left, he just got in his car and left.

"Holy sh*t." Brandon said quietly to me.

There was a bizarre moment of silence where Coach Patterson didn't talk, and all of the players were still shocked at what had happened just moments ago.

"Let's get this scrimmage started." Coach Patterson said finally breaking the awkward silence that had consumed the field.

We scrimmaged, Coach Patterson called the offensive plays and the defense had to call it's own plays. We were going to scrimmage until the end of practice, but that plan didn't pan out.

"32 Right Counter." I overheard Damien say to the huddle, I was playing free safety. We got ourselves in a good run stopping formation.

Damien got the ball in his hands, but he never handed the ball off. He took off running with it on the bootleg, he went all the way to the endzone.

"Good play Damien." Coach Patterson called out.

"What the f*ck, man?" Cameron Graham, our second string running back, said to him in the endzone. "That wasn't the play."

"Get out of here." Damien said, pushing Cameron away.

"F*ck you man." Cameron said pushing Damien down to the ground.

Coach Patterson stared in awe of the events that had just transpired. "Get off my field Cameron."

"Gladly." Cameron said walking away.

I turned to Brandon, "What the hell is going on?"

[TheOnlyIThinkJake]

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