Senior Students' Writing 2001

Ryan Cleland

Priebe

01-02-01

The Game

Chris awoke around six thirty the morning of the

Sunset

Bowl. He was well rested for the most important game

of his

life. He took a long shower with thoughts of the game

going

through his head. Chris sat down for breakfast at

approximately seven o'clock. He ate his wheaties and

orange

juice as he read the morning paper. After breakfast

Chris

did yoga to get him physically and mentally ready for

the

contest.

Chris left his house at eight o'clock to head towards

the stadium. Welcome to the Jungle blared out of the

speakers in his Blazer. The car he uses is a blacked

out

'97 chevy blazer. It sported all leather interior

with two

televisions and a huge sound system. The traffic was

pretty

clear so it only took him twenty minutes to get to the

stadium. He cleared his way through security and

walked out

on to the field.

There was nothing better in life than to walk out on

to

an open field before a big game and breath in the

fresh air.

Chris always liked to be early to meander around the

stadium

taking in every perspective of the field. The grass,

the

benches, the yard markers, the stands, all these

things

mesmerized him. The quietness and emptiness of the

stands

gave him a feeling of power and greatness. It was a

moment

that would stick with him for the rest of his life.

Chris

left the field and headed to the locker room.

By now all the other players began to file in and get

ready for the game. Chris dressed in silence, making

sure

each piece of equipment was put on right. He wanted

to be

as mellow as possible getting himself ready. He sat

in his

locker reading over his cheat sheet and making sure he

knew

every possible play the other team was going to run.

He had

to make sure he knew what man he had to key on when

they

passed the ball. After looking over the sheet he

moved to

an open space and started stretching. He did each

stretch

slowly and correctly.

Chris started to feel the tension building. He

started

to move around and get himself pumped up for the game.

He

was in a zone. The intensity started to build in him.

He

was ready to butt heads with the opponents. It was

now time

to head to the field. Chris and his teammates touched

their

sign on the way out to the field before every game.

It was

their good luck charm. They made a lot of noise on

their

way to the field, they would bang on the walls and

yell.

They walked around slapping each others shoulder pads

and

getting psyched up.

The time had come for them to go out on to the field.

The announcers voice boomed on the loud speaker,

"Ladies and

Gentleman, Introducing the home team in the Sunset

Bowl are

your California State Lizards." The Lizards bowled

out on

to the field. They were screaming, but they couldn't

hear

them selves over the roar of the crowd. Every

occupant in

the stands was on their feet to greet the team.

Adrenaline was rushing through Chris' veins. The team

did their pregame warm-up. Chris went over to where

the

other linebackers were doing the drills and joined in.

Chris was a co-captain as well as middle linebacker.

They

did different drills such as drop backs, reads,

interceptions, and tips. Once done with their drills

they

watched offense run through plays and talked to each

other

getting pumped more and more for the game. The

intensity

level grew to high extremes.

The referee's called for the captains. The time was

coming nearer for the game to start. The ref went

over the

rules and told them to be good sports. He then threw

the

coin in the air and Chris called heads. The coin

landed on

heads. They one the coin toss and decided to kick off

first. The players shook hands and went to the

sidelines to

get ready for kick off.

Chris lined up in his spot for the kick off. The

wave

of adrenaline was rushing through him. The kicker

raised

his arm to signal he was ready. The kick went up.

Chris

flew down the field unblocked. He made the first

tackle of

the game. The returner was downed at the 18 yard

line. The

crowed roared with excitement.

This was the official start of the game. Chris

started

the first series on defense. It was second and seven

and

the ball was handed of to the opposing teams back, who

gained four before being tackled by Chris. The next

play

they got a first down. They had two more consecutive

first

downs. The next play Chris sacked the quarterback for

a

loss of eight.

This sack gave Chris the tie for most sacks in a

season

by a NCAA player. This was a huge accomplishment for

him.

He has never really been good at anything except

football.

This mark boosted his esteem and made him play with

110

percent for the rest of the game.

The opposing team had to punt that series. The

Lizards

scored on their third play from scrimmage off a

forty-one

yard scamper. The Lizard defense held the Beavers to

three

and out for two series in a row. The offense scored

two

more times making the score twenty one zip. This was

the

score at the end of the first quarter. The Beaver

defense

held the Lizards offense to three and out forcing them

to

punt. The Beavers were marching the field. The

quarter

back made a mistake by trying to throw over the

middle. His

pass was intercepted by Chris. Chris took the

interception

87 yards for a touchdown, putting the Lizards up by 28

points. The Beavers brought the ball back down the

field,

but were forced to kick a field goal with four seconds

left

in the half.

The Lizards entered the locker room up by 25 points.

The coach was pleased with their performance and had

very

little to say. They went over what plays worked and

how to

get the plays that didn't to work. The defensive

coach said

they had to stop the pass more and their game plan was

to

blitz more often. Chris liked this idea.

The team had a break down and ran back on to the

field

holding their heads high. The crowd roared with

delight as

they came back onto the field. The lizards received

the

opening half kick off. They returned it to the

Beavers 49

yard line. The offense took the field with excellent

field

position. They scored six plays later. The score was

now

35-3.

Chris made another open field tackle on the returner.

The next play he blitzed and tackled the runner for a

loss

of two yards. The Beaver QB through an incomplete

pass on

second down. This made it third and twelve. The

coach

called for a blitz. He sent Chris and the other

middle

linebacker on an A gap blitz. The center blocked the

other

backer giving Chris a free shot at the QB. Chris came

up

with the sack, pushing him over the mark. Chris was

now the

all time leader in sacks. This was a spectacular

moment for

Chris as well as the whole Lizard team. Chris was

hysterical with astonishment. He kept on playing the

game

though.

The beavers punted the next play. Chris ran to the

sidelines after the return. He was greeted by his

teammates

as he reached the bench. They were proud to know that

they

were there to witness history in the making.

The Lizard offense was forced to punt shortly after

they got the ball. This put Chris out on the field.

He was

as pumped as ever. He didn't let the record get to

his

head. He made two more solo tackles and had three

more

assists on the next beaver drive. The beavers scored

on a

long pass. This made the score 35-10.

The Lizards ran the fourth quarter clock down to

three

minutes. They kicked a field goal making the score

38-10.

The Lizard defense took the field with just under

three

minutes left in the fourth quarter. Chris was sent on

a

blitz on the third play. He again went unblocked and

sacked

the quarterback. This put him two sacks up from the

old

record holder. Chris was over flowing with

excitement. He

made a couple more tackles and a key assist to keep

the

runner in bounds. The beavers ran the clock out,

ending the

game.

The Lizard sideline emptied on to the field in

celebration. There was media everywhere. Chris had a

couple of interviews with some newspaper and

television

people then went to the lockerroom. He undressed

slowly and

took a shower. As he got dressed to go out and

celebrate it

finally hit him that his name will go down in history.

He

realized he did something special with his life. This

hit

him hard and he broke down. He cried for about ten

minutes

before he left the locker room. Everybody was proud

of his

accomplishments. He went out on the town with the

guys and

had a fun time. This would be the day he would never

forget.