C.E. Butler - Freshman Phenom

Freshman Phenom

The Will Stover

Sports Series

By CE Butler

Clifton Butler 2014

Terms and Conditions:

The purchaser of this book is subject to the condition that he/she shall in no way resell it, nor any part of it, nor make copies of it to distribute freely.

All Persons Fictitious Disclaimer:

This book is a work of fiction. Any similarity between the characters and situations within its pages and places or persons, living or dead, is unintentional and co-incidental.

Cover illustration by Chance Snider

For April, the encourager

Chapter 1

W ill Stover flipped the page and another headline screamed. Stover Propels Baltic Juniors to Victory!

Hed known his fair share of success. Actually, hed known much more than his fair share. By the time Will was named the starting quarterback for Baltic Junior Highs football team as an eighth grader, it seemed every person in Baltic at least knew his name. The expectations were already growing and everyone anticipated Will being the next great quarterback at Baltic High School.

Will just didnt think it would happen so soon.

Coach John Peterson had dropped by the Stover house that afternoon. That in itself was nothing out of the ordinary. Coach Peterson often stopped by to chat with Wills dad, the man who set the bar for every Bearcat quarterback a little more than two decades earlier. This visit from the coach, though, had another purpose.

I know that youre a ninth grader and that weve never done this ... but Im thinking very seriously about moving you up to the varsity squad, Coach had said to Will. Steve Stover didnt flinch; didnt act the least bit surprised, almost as if hed anticipated the visit. The elder Stover had known for quite some time his oldest son would someday take over the reins of the mighty Bearcat offense. He seemed to know, though, that the time would be a lot sooner than others might have expected.

You both know that, with Cody graduated and playing at Tech, we were going to be starting over at quarterback, Coach Peterson said. The problem is that, despite playing a few junior varsity games, we really dont have a quarterback ready to step in.

Coach shot a quick glance in Steves direction, and said almost under his breath, Kyles a great kid but hes just not ready for all that will be expected from him. I think hell make a solid backup, though.

Will just stared straight ahead as a million thoughts scrambled through his barely 14-year-old mind.

This is the coolest news Ive ever heard. But I dont want to miss my junior high season. Were almost certain to be undefeated, Will thought to himself. But this is really, really cool.

Coach Peterson hadnt asked for a response from Will. That might have been intentional. Certainly he was aware of what he was asking of a kid who hadnt even begun studying for his drivers permit. Maybe he didnt want to know the thoughts Will would have. Maybe he didnt care.

As soon as Coach left, Will and his father headed for their back yard. It had long been their meeting place, where they talked about life and sports and school and sports. Almost out of habit, a football was quickly gathered and they began to play catch.

So, what about that? his father asked.

Will wasnt sure if there was a correct answer. His immediate thoughts were not of the obvious excitement of jump-starting his high school career or how proud he should be that Coach Peterson was even considering such a bold move. His first thought was of abandonment.

What about the junior high team? Will frowned.

What about it? Steve shot back.

Well, dont you think those guys are counting on me? Weve been talking about this season for a long, long time. Id sort of feel like I was leaving Cam and the rest of the guys hanging. Theres not really another quarterback ready to play in junior high, either, Will said.

The top priority is always going to be the varsity team, his dad answered. You know that. Youve always known that. Thats the main reason the junior high teams have always run the same basic sets both offensively and defensively as the high school team.

The ultimate purpose is to win on the varsity level. Everything else is just preparation for that.

It had been a silly question because Will already knew the answer. Perhaps that had been his way of reminding his dad that hed also been looking forward to being the big fish in a little pond, at least for a season. Now, even with the excitement of what was apparently going to happen, that dream season was over before it had begun.

And, his closest friends including best friend Cam Show didnt even know it yet.

What if Im not good enough yet to do this? Will asked.

Youre good enough to do what hes going to ask you to do, his dad said. Cody was the only skill player who graduated. This team has guys who can make plays at every single position. Id guess he just wants you to be the one who puts the ball in the right hands at the right time.

When you think about it, this team is loaded offensively, he continued. I think two offensive linemen are gone but Coach Peterson rotated so many in during last season that the non-starters probably played the equivalent of half a season.

Its a pretty good chance to get your feet wet, son.

Will had really not spent a single minute considering what his dad was now saying. Of course, hed been to the state semifinal game when Baltics unbeaten season came to a sudden halt at the hands of the Cypress Bluff Cyclones. A Bearcat fumble had led to Cypress Bluffs winning score in the closing minutes. Just as every Baltic fan thought, the fumble shouldnt have been. The running back had clearly been on the ground before the ball popped loose.

But this wasnt the professional ranks. There were no reviewing officials calls.

That team was basically the same one Will would be asked to lead, without Cody, of course. All Cody Cook had done was pass for nearly 3,000 yards and run for nearly 1,000 more. His 33 touchdown passes last season left him just three shy of a record set many years before.

By some guy named Stover.

Will knew this was a proud day for his dad. Not that his dad had some elaborate plan for his oldest son Will or younger son, Ty, for that matter to carry on a family quarterbacking tradition at Baltic. It just sort of happened.

In seventh grade, Will had wanted to be a receiver. His favorite professional players were receivers and, besides, Cam had played quarterback all through pee wee football. Everyone just assumed that would continue and Will would be a receiver.

That lasted for a game and a half of their seventh-grade season. Oddly enough, it was a pass that Will believed he should have caught that wound up making him a quarterback. Cam had already thrown two interceptions and was having a tough time finding the correct receivers. This pass, though, had been tipped up by Will and fallen into the hands of a defensive back, signaling the end of Cams quarterbacking days.

At halftime, Coach Bishop, who was also an assistant on the high school football staff, made the switch. Wills friendship with Cam, luckily, was strong enough to withstand the awkward days that followed. Wills debut was a shining success and from that day forward, Will was deemed the Baltic High quarterback-in-waiting.