The Comeback

My name is Ryan Conway, I just moved here from Kentucky to Aliquippa Pennsylvania. I didn’t want to move here but sense my dad got a new job I had too. My old school was mostly white people and maybe a few black people but this school is mostly blacks. It doesn’t bother me but it just feels weird. It feels weird living in the city not in the country know more. I live by the school so I have to walk to and from school. Its way bigger than my old school!

I moved here with my mom, dad, and my brother. My brother is 20 and just started going to college. My mom doesn’t have a job yet but she’s looking for one. My dad works for some steel company and made use come out here. I’m the athletic one in my family and my brothers the brainy one. I played football back in Kentucky; I was the best tight end in the state. I’m looking forward to play football this here. It’s my last year of high school so I’m hoping to go to a good college to play football and even make it into the pros. Footballs my life and I love it.

I already have a full scholarship to Pittsburgh University for football but I’m hoping to go somewhere better. My grades are pretty good. I heard that the coach for Aliquippa is one of the best in the state. I think I should start sense I was the best tight end in the state last year in Kentucky. I had 168 receptions for over 3,590 yards and I state record of 52 touchdowns. We should have won the state championship but we lost by a field goal.

The first week of school was pretty good. I made a few friends but my best friend was Kenny. Kenny was going to be the starting quarterback for us. Me and him have a lot in common but the most important one is that we both love football. Football signups are tomorrow and practice is after school. I’m really pumped for are first practice, I hope it goes good. Are first practice went good. The coached named me starting tight end. We got are jerseys to and my numbers 84. I wanted 42 but somebody else took it. We learned some plays but there mostly running. Are first game is coming up against Beaver Falls. What I heard about Beaver Falls they sound pretty good to me. It’s the game day, the most exciting day for me. I can’t wait to get out on to the field. Are game starts at seven o’clock. Its half time and its still 0-0. I have 5 receptions for 102 yards, which is pretty good. It’s the 4th quarter with 0:45 seconds left we’re at mid field. Kenny throws a pass to Antonio for 30 yards. We have no more time-outs, and the clocks ticking. There’s 10 second left and Kenny says hut. I’m running a post route and Kenny throws it right to me for a touchdown. When the buzzer rights, we look up and see the score of 7-0. We won are first game against Beaver Falls. We have practice all week after school and Friday’s game day.

Its Friday, practice was tough all week. We ran a lot because are coach wanted us to do better last Friday against Beaver Falls. We play Mohawk tonight; I heard they’re pretty bad. They lost to Freedom last week 28-14.

It’s the middle of the season and we are doing pretty well. Are records 8-1, we lost to Beaver Falls the second time we played them 34-28. If we win the rest of our games we’ll make it to playoffs. The rest of our schedule is pretty easy.

We have been having some problems lately with our team. My teammates are getting suspended for doing drugs. One of our best running backs just died because he overdosed on drugs. Some of my teammates have been trying to get me to do some but I said no.

My mom asked, “What are you doing tonight?”

I said, “Going to a party at Kenny’s.”

I arrived at Kenny’s house around nine o’clock. There was already a bunch of people there. There was a lot of alcohol there. I saw kids doing drugs and all kinds of different stuff. So I decided to smoke some marijuana with them. And the next thing I know, it’s one after another. Every day I was smoking it, more like every hour. I couldn’t stop. Then I started to miss some football. My grades started to go down. I was getting skinny and I start to lose my strength. I started to miss a lot of school. I was hanging out with a bunch of kids I didn’t even know. I wasn’t starting tight end know more. All I did was sit the bench. I got in trouble a lot by my parents. I got arrested a couple of times. I’m thinking to myself I need to stop but I just can’t.

A week later I started to go to rehab for marijuana addiction. My grades started to get better but I still wasn’t starting at tight end. I started to work out every day to get my strength back and hopefully my starting tight end position back. I started to go to football every day after school like I used to before I started to use marijuana.

We still have three games left. I’m hoping I will start the last three games and into playoffs. I have been in rehab for about two and a half weeks now and its going pretty good. I haven’t used or touched marijuana for awhile now. I hope I never get addicted to it again, it was terrible.

Going into are last three games without me starting. I’m pretty upset I’m not starting tonight sense I been working my a** off. All the scouts are coming out to watch us play and I’m not playing. I want to get a scholarship to the University of Ohio State with Urban Myer as the head coach.

We have two more games left and I’m pumped because I’m back to starting tight end. I have been working my a** off all week. We are playing Freedom High School, which there not that good. Are records 15-1 and we are in passion to be number one in are conference if we win the rest of our games.

It’s game day and like every game day I’m pumped but this one has me more pumped because it’s my first game back from my problem. I’m even more excited because I heard Urban Myer is going to be there and watch me. I’m hope I do good tonight because this could be my only chance.

The games about to start and I’m so pumped. First play from scrimmage, Kenny throws it deep to me for a sixty-three yard reception. That’s a good way to start off from my problem. At the end of the game the score was 34-0. I had twelve receptions for two hundred and twenty-three yards with three touchdowns. After the game I got to talk to Urban Myer. He said if I have another game like I did he’s going to get me a full scholarship to the University of Ohio State.

Are last game is next week against Central Valley High School. We need to win this game to be number one in are conference but we are for sure making playoffs. If we’re number one we’ll play Hopewell and if we’re number two we’ll play Freedom. If we win two games in playoffs we go to the conference championship, most likely against Beaver Falls. Which it will be home for us if we’re number one in the conference.

It’s Friday and tonights are last game of the season until playoffs start. Tonight’s game is pretty important to us. We need to win to win the conference. I’m so pumped for tonight, we need this win. I have a chance to set a school record for receiving yards. I need 220 yards to get the record.

We won 42-28. I had 9 completions for 184 yards for 3 touchdowns. The better thing is Beaver Falls lost to Elwood city 28-27 at the last minute, which really helps us. It looks like we’re playing Central Valley again for the first round of playoffs. We should win again. All I need to do is get forty six yards to get the record by one yard. I also need to get 10 more touchdowns to tie the school record for touchdowns.

It’s Friday and the games tonight and everyone’s pumped. We had a pep rally today in school. Everybody was giving me high fives and telling me good luck tonight. There was a big announcement over the intercom about how I can set the records for receiving yards and touchdowns.

The games over and we won 28-7. I had 8 receptions for 159 yards with all three touchdowns. I bet the schools record for receiving yards. Know I can say I own the record for receiving yards. All I need is to get seven more touchdowns then I own the record for touchdowns too.

We play Ellwood City for the second round. They beat Freedom in the first round of playoffs. We already beat them once so we should again. We play home again then if Beaver Falls wins we play home again for the conference championship. Then if we win that we’re off to states.

It’s Friday and todays are second round of playoffs. We’re playing Ellwood City. They’re ok we beat them the first time we played them but never doubt a team in playoffs.

Kenny said, “You ready tonight bro?”

I said, “I’m beyond ready tonight.”

Kenny said,” Ok good, I’m going to try to get you this touchdown record.”

I said, “Ok thanks bro.”

After the game we all celebrated and went out to eat. We won 35-14. I had 10 receptions for 196 yards and 3 touchdowns. All I need is four touchdowns to tie and five to have the record. I’m hoping to get it because when I set the record for receiving yards everybody stood up and cheered and clipped for me. It was awesome knowing everybody is cheering and clipping for you for doing something. It’s an amazing feeling.

Ok it’s Friday and the football game is about to start. I’m pumped! I can tie the schools record for touchdowns tonight.

Kenny said, “Your tying the record tonight bro, trust me.”

I said, “Ok sounds good to me.”

All I need is one more touchdown to tie the record. All the fans are screaming their heads off. We got the ball at Beaver Falls 30 yard line. Kenny says hut and I’m suppose to run a post to the end zone. Kenny throws it and hits me right on the money for a touchdown. The crowd goes wild screaming my name “Ryan, Ryan, Ryan.” Then I here “One more, One more.” There’s still five minutes left in the fourth quarter and its tied 42-42. Beaver Falls comes out in a shotgun formation. The quarter back says hut and throws it deep and are star corner Matt Jordan interceptions it.

There’s two minutes left in the fourth quarter and we’re at midfield. It’s still tied 42-42. Ok we ran the ball down the 20 yard line but there’s only 24 seconds left. We go no huddle since we have no more timeouts. There’s 5 seconds left and Kenny says hut, I run a stop and go and Kenny throws it up. The refs come over and call a touchdown. I just set the record for touchdowns. Everybody’s screaming, the crowd and the team are going wild. The crowd starts running down on the field and the next thing I know everybody’s holding me up. This is the best feeling I have ever felt.

The morning it was all over the television. In school everybody’s congratulated me. There are posters and signs everywhere.

We went to states but lost 42-35. I had 12 receptions for 226 yards and 3 touchdowns. We had a good season.

The next day I got a letter in the mail from Ohio State University and they accepted me. I replied back and took the full academic scholarship they offered me.