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The Most Exciting Soccer Game Ever!

            Sweat was dripping down from Stephanie’s forehead, and her heart was pounding as she ran down the field.  The whole crowd was screaming, and it was deafening.  Stephanie could feel the excitement in the air.  She longed for an ice-cold soda, but she was in the middle of a soccer game.  The South Burlington soccer team was playing Mt. Mansfield in the second to last game of the fall season, and they were tied.

            Out of nowhere, a Mt. Mansfield player ran up next to Stephanie, as fast as lightning, and stole the ball.  Stephanie knew she should have pursued the player, but she stopped to catch her breath.   Her head was pounding and her legs were very sore.  She couldn’t run anymore.  Stephanie’s best friend, Diane screamed,  “Hurry up Steph!!”  But it was too late; Mt. Mansfield shot, and scored.  South Burlington was down by one.

            The whole team knew they were running out of time.  Diane did the kick off as quickly as possible, and you could see in her eyes how worried she was, and she could feel the butterflies in her stomach.  Diane was thinking,  “This is it, don’t blow it!”  How fast she went didn’t matter though; the referee blew the whistle.  The game was over, and South Burlington lost. 

            Later that night, Diane came over to Stephanie’s house for dinner.  After the great meal of steaming spaghetti and meatballs, which tasted delicious after a long, tiring soccer game, the two girls went up to Stephanie’s room. 

Right as she walked in the room, Diane said,  “You know Steph, I think that you could have worked a little bit harder in the game today.” 

            Stephanie was a little bit annoyed and replied,  “I tried my best, and I’m as sorry as anyone on the team that we lost today, but I think you are taking it a little bit too seriously.”   Stephanie could see Diane’s face get red and hot like fire, and her eyes start to squint at her as she stomped out of the room. 

Stephanie’s mom asked,  “Diane, where are you going?” 

“Home!” screamed Diane as she slammed the door. 

            The next day at school, Diane wasn’t talking to Stephanie at all.  If they passed each other in the hallway, Diane wouldn’t even look at her.  Stephanie was afraid that Diane and her would never be friends again, so she talked to her parents. 

            When Stephanie asked her mother she had a rock in her stomach, afraid of what her mom might say.  “You should tell Diane that you want to be friends and that your sorry about the argument you had.”

Her dad suggested,  “Maybe this is why you are losing all of your soccer games.  If everybody on the team worked together, maybe you could win the last game.”  Stephanie thought to herself,  “This is a good idea, so I’ll make a plan.  I am going to talk to the team about working together, and hopefully they will all listen to me.”

            It was finally the day everybody was waiting for, the last game of the season.  The South Burlington team was playing Shelburne, the best team in the league. 

            While the two teams were huddled up, getting ready, and the crowd was screaming at the top of their lungs, Stephanie declared,  “Everyone wants to win this game right?  Well if we all work together and cheer each other on, we might have a chance.  If we all argue, we will lose and nobody wants that to happen.”  The whole team agreed, shook hands on it, did a quick cheer and then the referee blew the whistle; it was time for the game to begin.

            In the beginning, both of the teams were aggressive, the game was tense, and the defense was great.  South Burlington was working together, and for once, they weren’t losing.  At the end of the first half, the two teams were tied one to one.  Stephanie thought to herself,  “I think my plan is working!!!” 

            The second half started, and two minutes into the half, Shelburne dodged a SB player, shot up in the air, where the goalie couldn’t reach, and scored.  South Burlington started to get discouraged, but they kept working to win.  Finally with five minutes left, Stephanie scored by getting a quick pass from a teammate, and shot when the goalie wasn’t looking.  With two minutes to go, no shots had been made.  Shelburne still had time to pull ahead though.  When there was one minute left, Diane made a lucky shot off the goal post.  Everybody in the crowd was holding their breath.  She scored!!!  Diane yelled,  “Even though we are in the lead, the game isn’t over!  Keep working hard so we can win!!”  With fifty seconds left, South Burlington was still winning, and after a well-played game, the referee blew the whistle.  SB had won!!!

    Everyone was screaming with joy, and the whole team did a cheer for Shelburne and went home to celebrate.  Stephanie and Diane skipped off the field together, grinning ear-to-ear, glad that their friendship didn’t end over one soccer game.

           By Maria

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