“Evan!” he shouted, calling for the ball. “Lay it off!” Evan ignored Josh and kept dribbling upfield. The Kings defense closed in on the United midfielder. Evan tried to squeeze between two defenders, but he stumbled and lost possession. Josh stopped in his tracks. “Come on, Evan!” he shouted. “Pass the ball!” But there was no time to waste arguing. The Kings were on the attack. Josh turned and ran back downfield, still thinking angry thoughts with every step. I must’ve run up and down this field a hundred times and I’ve barely touched the ball. Maybe I should just join the track team. He glanced at the scoreboard. The score hadn’t changed. The United still trailed, 1–0. The Kings kept up the attack, passing quickly after one or two touches. The crisp passing kept the United defenders off balance, constantly chasing the ball. A Kings wing slipped a dangerous pass toward the middle. A Kings forward bolted into the penalty area looking for a shot. Desperate and a step behind, Aidan tried to get his foot on the ball.
