Tenzing ~ "Winning State"

Winning State
By~ Tenzing Coburn
All Wyoming hockey teams try as hard as they can to win state. The Jackson Hole Moose had somehow won all 22 games from November to March before the championship game in Rock Springs, Wyoming. After finding out we were going to play the Casper Oilers, our worst rival, we remembered how we had lost every game to them by at least five goals.
In the locker room we sat motionless, all of us had loads of butterflies in our stomachs. We skated out on the ice; the fans were screaming with excitement. The roar of the crowd chased some of the butterflies away! We take a look at our opponents. They were huge, the smallest guy was at least five feet tall. After our warm up, our coach gathered us in and said, ‘’Ok guys, we made it this far. We’ve worked all this time; now let’s win and finish the season with glory! This is the last game of the season, so work as hard as you can possibly can!’’
My stomach cramped up again. My heart was racing a trillion miles per hour, and I was already dripping in sweat and the game hadn’t even started yet! The buzzer rang for the beginning of the first period. Casper skated onto the ice in red and black jerseys; they just as nervous. The puck is dropped.Casper gained immediate possession and there was shot after shot. For the whole period our goalie was amazing, he did everything to try stop the puck from rolling over the line. He stopped everything except one-shot, top shelf. The period ended 1-0 Casper. The coach was not disappointed at all, and screaming over the roaring crowd he told us, ‘’You guys are playing great, but you can push yourselves to play amazing!”
The buzzer rang 5 minutes after that for the beginning of the period. Even though we were behind, we knew that if we pushed ourselves, we could come back and win! The ref skated up and dropped the puck. Finally, we won a faceoff. Nothing happened that period except the puck rolling back and forth between both teams until with 15 minutes left we got a shot at the net. ‘’Goal!!!!’’ The fans went insane, except the Casper fans who ended up booing us after we tied it up 1-1. Again the buzzer rang. Our coach yelled excitedly, ” We have one more period to show them who we are!’’ We put our hands in and screamed ‘’1,2,3 Jackson’’. We return to the game 1-1 the crowed up in there seats watching very carfully. The puck is dropped. We the face off again with huge momentum we came in on the goalie and shoot Ding!!!! Off the post. Casper picked it up in our zone they pass it back and forth and then finally a Casper kid winds up and rips the puck in the back of the net. Goal really disappointed we lost an opportunity of winning every one on and of the ice dripping with sweat and panting just how dogs would as if they were dying for water. Ten minutes left we are racing down the ice then shoot Goal! We tie it up 2-2. Again another fantastic goal. Quickly another one 4-2, Jackson the Casper fans eyes drooped down from us gaining the lead. We all knew we could still lose. This was by far the most difficult time in my life shot after shot, the crowd screaming up in there seats the clock racing down 10,9,8…. Yes! The buzzer rings. We slide on the slippery ice raising our hands with triumphant glory.
Music blasted the shimmering trophy was awaiting us.
I Could just imagine feeling the soft smooth trophy in my grasp. I always remembered watching T.V seeing the Stanley cup getting passed around by the players who showed the NHL who they were. My dream is to be in the in the glory winning the cup. Every time we win, my dreams creep closer, moving slowly toward me until they come true. I took a quick glance at our opponents water welling up in there eyes then I remembered its not about winning its having fun. We were motioned to the trophy every one burst out and hugged and kissed it. We lifted it up with happiness. That day we triumphed over the toughest team in Wyoming. The whole year are coach worked us like slaves which actually payed off later. After the game, I was sitting in the locker with every one chanting with excitement in the locker room. Thinking to my self.‘‘ I guess hard work actually pays off’’.