A/N: I provided a list with this chapter of what positions everyone plays now that the team as a real defensive game. Once again I want to give thanks to DaveTheWordsmith, KODfreak, and LegendaryWhiteBoy for reviewing and giving great feedback. Everyone you should check out and review their works because there is some great stuff there if you haven't already, especially "Choices", "Heck of a Drug" and "More than Friends" great fics by DaveTheWordsmith and KODfreak's "The Other Guy". Also check out and review "Life Goes On" by DaBlackGoku one of my favourite fics on the site and maybe we'll get the next update soon. Please review.
Disclaimer: I do not own the Boondocks, Aaron McGruder and Sony Pictures does.
Chapter 38 – After the End
Jason lined up near the sidelines five yards behind the line of scrimmage. He watched Huey and listened to his count waiting for that last hike. When it came he cut in a little as Huey turned toward him and tossed the ball across the field where Jason caught it. Rico charged at him as soon as he got the ball and Johnny hit Rico out of the way leaving the way clear for Jason, but Jason did not run. Instead Jason looked down the field and lined up his body holding the ball out. With two steps he punted the ball in a high arching trajectory. Nearly everyone on the field stopped to watch the ball. Everyone but Riley that was who took off after the ball ready to get it if it missed its target.
The ball did not miss though. It landed within the ten yard line and bounced awkwardly through the last ten yards. It took its last bounce just before the goal line near the marker and bounced across the corner of the end zone and out of bounds where it came to rest in the untouched snow. Thanks to the wear and tear of the game there was little snow left around the end zone and the ball was able to bounce off the frozen ground.
The official raised his hand for the rouge point and at the same time blew his whistle to end the quarter with the score tied 31-31.
"That was what you were going to do," Caesar said looking up at the tied scoreboard that was resetting for overtime. "How anti-climatic? A tie they always go for the win in the movies."
"This isn't a movie Caesar," Huey said. "We can't put everything on some fantastic play and hope we win. We not the Mean Machine. We could get the tie so we got the tie and now we have to put everything into this overtime."
"I guess you're right. What are we going to do now?"
"Simple if we win the coin toss we give them the ball and if they win they will keep the ball," Huey said and everyone looked at him like he was crazy.
"Why would we give dem da ball nigga?" Riley asked.
"Because if they go first they set the marker and we just have to beat it. So if we stop them from getting any points we'll only need a field goal to win but if they get more we know we need a touchdown and I can plan accordingly," Huey explained. "I assume you all know the rules for overtime."
Riley looked around at everyone who were nodding. "Could ya refresh a nigga's memory?"
"I should have guessed you'd forget," Huey sighed looking at his brother with pity. "Alright first it's like we're starting an entirely new game there'll even be a coin toss and whoever wins the coin toss will choose whether to receive or defend and the loser chooses which side of the field to defend. Once that is decided we play small games from the thirty five yard line. There is no clock but we still have a play clock if we can't get the first down or a score our turn is up and the other team gets the ball at the thirty yard line to try for the winning points. If we end up tied after one set of scrimmages then we switch sides of the field and go again until someone comes out with more points at the end of a set of scrimmages. Understand now?"
"I think so. What about the PAT?" Riley said nodding his head. It was a little over his head but all he really needed to know was he needed to get a touchdown before they ran out of downs to win.
"We have to go for a two-point conversion," Huey answered.
"Den let's get da ball and end dis so I can go home," Riley said before the official blew his whistle summoning the captains to the centre of the field. This time only Huey and Caesar and Stacy and Rico the captains of both teams went to the coin toss. This time Stacy and Rico won the toss and chose to start with the ball as Huey had predicted.
"Alright let's do this. Keep them out of the end zone no matter what," Huey said when he returned to his team before they went to line up on defence at the Revolver thirty five yard line with the wind in their faces.
"Wait what da hell is going on nigga?" Riley said as almost the entire Revolver team lined up near the sideline leaving Stacy with just her centre and two other linemen.
"Move over," Huey called quickly but his team was in a scramble as Stacy hiked the ball and immediately threw it to Johnson who was waiting behind the shield of players. With a wall around him Johnson barraged down the field making it to the three yard line before Caesar was able to squeeze through the wall and bring Johnson done from behind.
On the third yard line Stacy handed the ball off to Ashley who tried to cut to the outside and back into the end zone but as had been the case since she took over the running back position her stalking viper was waiting for her on the line of scrimmage. Ashley tried to juke around him but Jason got a hand on her jersey and pulled her back to the ground before she could get the ball to the goal line.
Stacy took the ball on her next play and rushed straight through the centre of the line. Lowering her shoulder and her head she pushed under and up on Caesar who tried to stop her. Getting leverage on the bigger centre, she pushed through him and made the last two yards for the touchdown. On the PAT she threw a short pass to Johnson who almost climbed right up Riley to pull the ball out of the air and crash to the ground as Riley caught him.
"Damn it," Huey cursed watching Johnson celebrate in the end zone with a simple back flip.
"Relax we just have to get a touchdown too," Jason said. "They still haven't solved the wild cat. So let's keep pushing."
"You're right," Huey agreed. "We'll run the Wild Cat Kaizer. Cindy you line up with me and Jason will run Riley's part of the play and Riley will run Cindy's part."
All three of them nodded before getting into place. Jason got ready between and behind Cindy and Huey while Riley lined up behind the last linemen on the short side with Hiro and Johnny on the long side as receivers.
Huey and Cindy began their count at the same time and ended it at the same time and Caesar snapped the ball back to Cindy as Huey shuffled to the side allowing Jason to run up between them. Jason accepted the hand off from Cindy and ran toward Riley while Riley ran behind him back toward Cindy. As they were about to cross paths Jason tossed the ball backward where it hung in the air a split second before riley scooped it up without breaking stride. Riley kept going to the long side where Jason and Hiro both threw crucial blocks for him and as the strong safety went to take out his legs just before the end zone, Riley hurdled over him soaring over his back and landing in the end zone. In the end zone the team gathered around him and he threw the ball up in the air after miming the removal of a pin and when the ball came down and hit the ground they all fell down like a grenade had exploded.
On the PAT Huey took no chances and like Stacy went to the one play he knew would catch the ball at a time like this. He threaded the ball through the defence to Johnny who was running a cross route in the end zone and the Hawaiian receiver caught the ball for the extra points and forcing a second set of scrimmages.
"Perfect," Huey said. "Now get the touchdown." He looked at Riley and Jason. "You guys are the best we have so I'm running you both on the short side. One of you get the ball and the other make sure he gets to the end zone."
"Nigga we got dis, right JJ," Riley said giving Jason his cocky smirk and Jason simply gave it right back.
"Enough talk just do it," Huey said before they lined up in the Wild Cat for their first play of their second scrimmage set. Hiro and Johnny lined up on the long side while Jason and Riley lined up against Zana and Rico standing nearly shoulder to shoulder.
Huey snapped the ball and Jason crossed in front of Riley cutting a little into the middle of the field while Riley went down the side line. Huey threw the ball to Riley who because of Jason's cross was being covered by Rico as Jason cut back in toward Riley once he saw where the ball laws going. Riley reached up for the ball but as his hand touched it Rico hit him. Unable to get a good handle on it as he fell, Riley simply bumped the ball up as Jason neared leaving it to his rival. Jason easily outstripped Zana with his speed and when Riley bumped the ball up he was alone as he came into it. Jason caught the ball and ran down the rest of the short field and scored a crucial touchdown.
As soon as he got into the end zone he waved Hiro and Riley into the end zone where he set the ball done outside the end zone behind the goalposts. Hiro took up the ball taking a snapper's stance while Riley kneeled down to accept the snap. When Hiro snapped the ball Riley was looked at Jason who was lined up for the reverse field goal attempt and the ball hit him the side of his turned head ruining the celebration attempt. With his celebration ruined Jason just pumped his outstretched arms at the crowd on his way back to his team
"Ya'll suckas are buffoons," Cindy laughed at their failed attempt with everyone else on the field and most of the crowd.
"Better luck next time," Johnson said to Jason. "It would have been a hell of a celebration if you got it.
"Good thing they screwed up or we would have gotten another excessive celebration penalty," Huey said once again shaking his head in hopelessness before turning to his team. "Just get ready for the next play."
Caesar hiked the PAT snap and Huey dropped back looking for Johnny again but Zana broke through the line and Huey had to vacate the pocket and try to the run the ball himself. He barely got passed the line of scrimmage when Rico having gambled everything on the blitz had left Jason alone and gone after Huey, hitting the revolutionary stopping his rush.
Huey simply left the ball where he was hit and returned to his team to line up for what he hoped would be their last stint on defence. As he lined up as free safety he had to hope they could keep Stacy's offence out of the end zone or they could be in serious trouble since they had failed to get the two-point conversion.
Stacy snapped the ball and tried for a throw to Chad but Cindy got in his way and distracted him enough so mangled his catch and dropped the ball. On the next play she was starting to grow desperate with the ease in which the Black Panthers had gotten their touchdown and was stifling her offence and she decided to go back to Johnson who was running a route with Riley as usual. When she threw the ball she did not see Ashley change her route and move close to Johnson and Riley bringing Jason with her. As Johnson was trying to catch the ball Riley hit him and as they were going down the ball popped up out of Johnson's arms and Jason leaped over the Revolvers' star receiver to intercept the ball and roll out of bounds ending the revolver's second scrimmage and ending the game.
Fireworks went off and the screams of the crowd drowned out the music playing from the speakers all around the stadium. No one the field celebrated as most of the players were completely spent fell to the ground glad it was finally over for better or worse. There was no great feeling of victory in this battle between to worthy teams only crushed dreams and dreams still hanging in the balance maybe to be crushed later. Both sides had given the match everything they had and left everything on the field so only the best would go on the finals.
As a sign of respect they all shook hands at the end of the game not saying a word to each other no one wanting to be the one the soil the moment and headed back to their dressing rooms. Only Stacy was fuming, but not at the loss but at Caesar who was staring daggers at Caesar the whole time until they disappeared into their tunnels.
"Don't worry about it. She'll come around," Jazmine said to Caesar as they walked down the tunnel.
The division finals are finally over and Huey's team has finally made it to the league finals. What does Cairo have in store for Huey in the coming week?