Disclaimer:
This story will describe the life of Robert David Mathews from his time as a teenager, through prep school, and into military service. If stories involving sex between consenting teenagers, including both straight sex and gay sex, offends you, go back to the Archives and pick a different story for your reading pleasure. There has been minimal research for this story therefore, names, places, dates are mostly fictitious and similarities to real life are coincidental. Some companies and organizations mentioned actually exist, but references to the activities, policies, programs and procedures are fictitious. I was not a SEAL and have limited knowledge of the force. I am writing this story from imagination and a little research, not from personal experience.
My editor, Bill, is a dedicated friend. His improvements in my writing style are greatly appreciated.
I really appreciate the emails from you about this story. I've tried to write a story that has a strong plot with characters that you can relate to. I may not be able to reply to all of your emails, but I want to thank all of you for encouraging me to keep posting new chapters.
Readers, please note! This story describes sexual events that are unsafe in real life. Remember to practice safe sex if you are sexually active. Condoms should be used even if you know your sexual partner, but condoms do not provide 100% protection from Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STD's). This story is fictional, so protect yourself and live a long and happy life!
Washington Academy Chapter 29 Life Moves On
The football team completed another undefeated season, won the League Championship, and headed into the playoff series. During the semi-finals, disaster struck the cadets. Tracker Whitestone suffered a broken right arm, Keenan Smith, the second string quarterback had a dislocated shoulder, and Darrian Thomas, the star running back was lost due to a knee injury. Carson Smith had never played during the season because of surgery that was needed to repair his broken ankle, and Jonathan Bluestone pulled a groin muscle during practice.
Guy Stephens and Derrick Harmon were devastated by the injuries to their star players, but still had to get ready for the State Championship Game at the Pontiac Silverdome. They only had six days to prepare for the important game, but couldn't decide how to replace the key players. Practice was just starting, and they needed to make some vital decisions. They decided to ask Eagle Team Captain, Jermaine Bryant for advice and then address the entire team.
"Cody Tillman and Adam Johnston can't handle the quarterback position yet," Jermaine said when the two coaches asked him for his advice. "They don't have any game experience and would fall apart. It may sound strange to you, but the guy with the best throwing arm along with a ton of game experience is Robbie Mathews!"
"HOLY CRAP!" Derrick exclaimed. "YOU'RE RIGHT! Mathews can throw a Mark 3 knife, why can't he throw a football?"
"Have Tracker work with him, and I bet he can do it!" Jermaine added. "Just don't ask him to go both ways again in front of the team! You remember how he busted your balls before Parents' Weekend?"
Both coaches laughed when they remembered how Robbie had broken the tension in the team meeting with his smartass comments. They agreed to the suggestion of their team captain, and started planning their game strategy.
When the team meeting began, Guy Stephens faced his concerned cadets. He knew that they were upset about the loss of several key players, but he needed all of them to focus on getting ready for the rematch with the Saginaw Central Sentinels for the 1994 State Class A Championship.
The injured players were attending the meeting, but were wearing their casual uniforms instead of their football gear and practice uniforms. They felt bad about being injured and felt they had let their fellow cadets down by not being able to play.
"Let's get one thing clear, right now!" Stephens began. "We represent the finest high school in the nation, and we have to act like MEN, not a bunch of sniveling boys who are whining about the officiating in our last football game! Yes, we had some bad calls by the officials, but we need to move on and get ready for a football game in six days that will be televised across the State of Michigan! Are you cadets, or LITTLE BOYS?"
"CADETS!" the players screamed in unison.
"That's what I expected to hear!" Guy said. "Today we'll have an unusual practice! Pat Leahy will be our starting tailback, Julius Carpenter will take over at tight end, and Mathews will be our quarterback! Some of you will be asked to play both offense and defense for us, and I expect nothing but your best to get ready for our next game! Are there any questions?"
"Coach, I've never played quarterback!" Robbie began. "What if I mess up?"
"SEALs always accept a challenge and succeed!" Derrick Harmon replied. "You want to be a SEAL, so use your training and focus on learning the plays. I know you can do this, so don't let me down!"
The players asked other questions and were surprised when their coaches answered each question honestly. They all feared that they would be embarrassed in the game, but decided to trust the coaches. They were all told to keep the replacement plans a secret, even from their own family. The coaches didn't want any leaks of information that would destroy their game plans.
The practice began with Guy Stephens working with the offense, and Derrick Harmon taking control of the defense. Robbie fumbled several snaps from the center, and was frustrated until Tracker came to the rescue.
"Put your thumbs on his ass cheeks and feel the ball when he hikes it to you!" Tracker suggested. "Don't look down for the ball! You have to look at the defense to see if they'll be blitzing!"
Robbie listened to Tracker, and he started taking the snaps without fumbling or having any problems. He thanked Tracker for his advice and listened to Coach Stephens and Tracker to correct his errors. Before the practice ended, he was doing much better in his new assignment.
When the team headed for the locker room, the two coaches discussed the practice. They were both pleased with the limited success, but knew they had a long way to go in a very short time to get ready for this game.
Robbie was confused. He loved playing defense where he could tackle other players and wished that the coaches had selected someone else to play quarterback. During the walk back to the Jefferson Dorm, he admitted his concerns to Tracker.
"I'll work with you whenever you have free time," Tracker said to his best friend. "I've seen you avoid attacks in the Martial Arts Room, and the same moves will help you avoid being tackled in the game. Can you spare some time tomorrow, or will you be going to your gymnastics training?"
"I'll put gymnastics and martial arts training on hold so we can be together," Robbie replied. "Maybe we can get a few other guys together for some extra practices."
Tracker knew that he had to prepare Robbie for the challenges of being a quarterback, and was pleased that Robbie would give up his special interests for the team.
"I hope that we made the right decisions," Guy said to Derrick. "Saginaw has the same weapons that we faced last year, but we don't! I hope we don't embarrass our school."
Things started changing by Wednesday. Robbie's progress had improved because of the private tutoring of Tracker, and the offense started clicking. He had started throwing a few passes, and everyone was impressed.
"MATHEWS, DON'T KILL THE RECEIVER!" Guy Stephens yelled. "That's not a knife that you're throwing, so ease up so Frazier has a chance to catch it!"
"Sorry Coach," Robbie replied. He could feel the difference that his special training with Tracker was having on his performance and wanted to do better.
"Square your shoulders to the direction that you want to throw!" Tracker advised. "Throw off your back foot, not the forward one! Let your right hand go across your body like you are reaching for your left pocket!"
All of the advice that Tracker was giving him was valuable to Robbie. When he started completing the passes, he was excited. He continued making improvements, and the coaches took notice.
"My God, he's a natural!" Derrick said after watching the offense run plays against his defense in a limited contact session.
"I have a plan on how to use his skills," Guy said to his best friend. "We just might have a chance!"
Derrick listened to Guy's plan for running the offense during the Championship Game and liked what he heard. The Saginaw team would be in for a big surprise when the second half began, and he only added one suggestion: Robbie would be used on defense if the situations were critical.
The attitudes of the cadets had changed from despair to excitement when they saw how the reassigned players were learning their new positions. They now believed that they had a chance to repeat as State Champions, and couldn't wait for the game on Saturday.
Friday afternoon, the buses took the football team to Pontiac, Michigan where the game would be played. The cadets were allowed to practice on the Silverdome field, but were surprised when Guy Stephens only called running plays and no passes. They were confused because Robbie was throwing perfect passes, and grumbled to each other and their coaches.
When the practice ended, Guy Stephens explained his game plan to the team.
"Saginaw is still angry over being dominated by us last year," Guy began when he faced his players in the team meeting. "Our practice today was open to the public, and we all know that scouts from the Saginaw Central Sentinels were watching to see how we replaced our lost starters. If we showed them that we have a passing attack, they'd have time to plan a new defensive scheme before the game tomorrow."
"It's up to us on defense to keep the game close in the first half," Derrick Harmon added. "When the second half starts, they won't have time to plan any major changes in their defense, and that's when we take the game away from them! If they have a lead, they'll taunt you, so don't divulge our big surprise!"
The players were excited and spent a restless night in the Holidome rooms. Robbie, Tracker, Jake and Elwood were sharing adjoining rooms, and followed the orders from the coaches to rest and not release their sexual tension by any form of physical activity.
"Last year we spent the night after the game here in this hotel and had a wild sex orgy," Robbie said to his friends. "Keith and Drew were animals with us, but we loved it!"
"I haven't whacked off in three days," Elwood admitted. "I wish that I could play, but my groin pull isn't healing up. I'd still like the chance to play 'doggy' with you and bury my bone in that cute ass of yours!" he said to Robbie.
"If we win, you'll get your chance!" Robbie said.
"Not 'IF', Robbie!" Tracker offered. "WHEN, is what I know you meant!"
Robbie agreed with Tracker and suggested that the guys take a short nap before they had to get ready for the game. His plans were disrupted when Eric Stephens knocked at the door and demanded to come in.
"We're gonna win today!" Eric exclaimed when he got inside the room with his favorite cadet. He wanted to spend time with Robbie, and drove the four cadets crazy with his constant talking and excitement. The cadets gave up their plans for the short nap and opened the playbook for some last minute review.
"You'll do great!" Tracker promised Robbie. "I just hope that you don't take away my position!"
"I love playing defense so I can hit guys!" Robbie replied. "You're ten times better than I am!"
The phone rang, and Eric ran to answer it. He knew it was his father calling, and that the cadets had to leave for the Silverdome to dress for the Championship Game.
Tom Devlin was the lead commentator for ESPN2, and was joined in the broadcast booth by Jarvis Vance, a running back with a great history at Notre Dame and the Chicago Bears. The two men welcomed the television audience with their pre-game comments and predictions. ESPN had been broadcasting the finals of the State Championship Series for the past 10 years, and it was a very popular program with Michigan residents. For the two commentators, it was the second time that they had been selected to broadcast a championship game with the two best Class A High School teams in the State of Michigan.
"Welcome to the Pontiac Silverdome where we're anticipating an exciting football game pitting the Sentinels of Saginaw Central High School against the Eagles of the George Washington Academy!" Tom Devlin announced at the beginning of the broadcast. "With me is a man who needs no introduction, Jarvis Vance, the two-time All American running back from Notre Dame, and three time winner of the NFL rushing trophy when he played for the Chicago Bears. Jarvis and I are happy to be broadcasting the last game of the State Championship Series, and we're closing out our coverage with the Class A Championship Game today here at the Pontiac Silverdome. This game today is a rematch of last year's blowout victory for the Eagles, but things have changed drastically."
"Last year the Eagles had the best quarterback in the nation, Andrew Anderson at the controls," Jarvis Vance added. "Anderson was phenomenal in that game, and the Eagles won by a final score of 49 to nothing! Tragedy struck the Eagles on May 24, 1993 when Drew Anderson died in a horrific traffic accident. Anderson was courted by every college football team in the nation, but didn't live long enough to join the Spartans at Michigan State University."
"Injuries have decimated the Eagles' offensive team this year and Coach Guy Stephens has had to make some important changes in his lineup," Tom Devlin added. "The officiating in the semi-final game was terrible!"
"We asked Head Coach Guy Stephens about the officiating, and here's what he said," Jarvis Vance said.
"I refuse to comment on the officials," Guy had said to the interviewer. "I've voiced my concerns to our League Commissioner and the MHSAA (Michigan High School Athletic Association), so don't expect me to say anything more!"
"Late hits on Tracker Whitestone, Darrian Thomas and Keenan Smith should have resulted in personal foul penalties and ejection from the game, but the officials ignored the infractions," Judy Tremaine, the interviewer added. "We heard earlier this week that the MHSAA has fined and fired the officials from that game for their obvious bias. Was that a result of your complaints?"
"I told you before that I wouldn't comment on the officiating!" Guy Stephens said emphatically.
"What changes have you made to replace your starters on offense that are injured?" Judy asked, knowing that she had to change the subject to keep the Head Coach talking.
"We lost Whitestone, Thomas, Bluestone and Smith and never got Carson Smith back this season due to his ankle surgery," Guy replied. "We moved Robbie Mathews to quarterback and will use our second string players to fill the voids. Football is a contact sport, and every team has to adjust to replace injured players. I still believe that we'll field a competitive team, and when the final gun sounds, we'll know which team is the best in the State!"
"Guy Stephens showed a lot of class in that interview!" Tom Devlin said to the television audience. "He was livid with the officials during the 4th quarter of the game when his players were injured, but he showed his class by making his complaints through the proper channels and then prepared for this important game today! My hat's off to Guy Stephens and his entire coaching staff!"
David and Marie Mathews had opened their spacious home to the Whitestone family along with other out-of-town visitors. Tom and Carol Anderson had done the same thing to accommodate Carson Smith's family and the mother and siblings of Darrian Thomas. Everyone knew that the injured players would be on the sidelines in their dress uniforms, but they still wanted to attend the football game.
"The seats are filled to capacity for this important game, and we can see David and Marie Mathews, aunt and uncle of Robert Mathews waiting for the start of the game," Tom Devlin announced when the television cameras swept the crowd. "Robert Mathews lost his parents to a traffic accident in Colorado when he was only six years old, and his aunt and uncle raised him on Navy Bases around the world. David Mathews is a Navy Captain with a distinguished career as a Navy SEAL, and we learned that his nephew wants to follow in his footsteps. Today, we'll see what Robbie Mathews can do in his new role at quarterback for the defending State Champions, the Eagles of the George Washington Academy!"
"Sitting with the Mathews are Tom, Carol and Jennifer Anderson," Jarvis Vance added. "They are the family members of Andrew Anderson, the Most Valuable Player of last year's Championship Game! The Andersons have continued to support the athletic teams of the George Washington Academy, even though Drew's gone. The Eagles' players have worn black arm bands and the number '7' on their helmets in remembrance of the best athlete and student to ever wear the blue and gold!"
The commentators continued their pre-game broadcast by describing the key players for the Saginaw team.
"Here come the Eagles!" Tom Devlin announced when the Academy band started playing the fight song and Jermaine Bryant led the football team out on the field.
The crowd was cheering for their players with both teams getting ready for the coin toss.
"Eagle Team Captain, Jermaine Bryant won the toss and elected to receive the opening kickoff!" Jarvis Vance announced excitedly. "We'll get a chance to see what Guy Stephens has planned on offense!"
"The kick goes into the end zone, and will be brought out to the 20-yard line where the Eagles will start their first possession of this game," Tom Devlin announced.
"Robbie's going in!" Hunter Whitestone exclaimed.
"I didn't know that he'd be playing on offense!" David Mathews admitted.
"At quarterback is number 22, Robert Mathews," the Silverdome announcer said.
"HOLY SHIT!" David exclaimed. "What's Guy thinking? Robbie's never played quarterback!"
"He'll do it!" Jennifer Anderson exclaimed.
Robbie was excited and hoped that he wouldn't make a mistake in front of the huge crowd. He huddled his teammates together and reminded them of the first play of the game.
"23 slant on two!" Robbie said to his excited teammates.
"Mathews brings his team to the line, with a first down at their own 20-yard line," Tom Devlin said. "Mathews takes the snap and hands the ball to Patrick Leahy running up the middle! Leahy is tackled by Davon Lincoln after a 2 yard gain, and it's second and 8 for the Eagles of the George Washington Academy!"
"Come on Robbie!" Jennifer screamed. She was thrilled that her boyfriend was playing quarterback in the important game and prayed that his team would win.
"Mathews takes the snap and fakes to Leahy up the middle!" Tom Devlin began. "Mathews still has the ball and turns the corner for a gain of 12 yards! It's first and 10 for the Eagles on their own 32 yard line!"
"The Sentinel linebackers took the bait on the fake to Leahy, and Ocie Jackson came up from his corner position to make a saving tackle! Mathews was close to breaking that run for a long gain!"
Marie Mathews was excited about watching Robbie play football, but she was always concerned about her husband getting too excited. David Mathews was on medication for high blood pressure, and she hoped that he had taken his pills.
Coach Stephens signaled the play to Robbie and hoped that his strategy would work. He was thrilled when his team continued pounding the ball with running plays until Pat Leahy ran the last six yards for the first touchdown of the game.
"The Eagles have drawn first blood with a sustained drive that took 6 1/2 minutes off the clock and now lead by a score of 7 to nothing!" Tom Devlin announced. "We'll be right back after a brief commercial break!"
The Eagle fans went wild in celebrating the touchdown! Robbie had done a great job, and accounted for 30 yards on keeper plays, along with Pat Leahy who accounted for the rest of the yardage.
"The Eagles never attempted a pass in their first possession," Jarvis Vance announced after the commercial break. "Their ground game worked, but Sentinel coach, Thomas Fisher will make adjustments to his defense."
The game progressed with the Sentinels scoring quickly on a series of short and long passes mixed with a few running plays. The Eagles got the ball back, but only made one first down before Pat Leahy fumbled the ball. Again the Sentinels moved down the field and scored another touchdown to take the lead.
Robbie was frustrated, and wanted to change the plays called by Guy Stephens to passes, but he couldn't disobey an order. He did his best, but when the first half ended, the Sentinels led by a score of 24 to 7 and would get the ball first when the second half began.
David Mathews was upset. He had hoped for another State Championship for the cadets, and knew that Robbie and the other cadets were getting their asses kicked in front of a huge crowd.
None of the Eagle fans knew what to say to each other. They were all disappointed that their team was losing, and hoped that the final score wouldn't be humiliating.
"The Eagles are one-dimensional today!" Tom Devlin said to the television audience. "With the injuries to the first and second string quarterbacks last week, they have been forced to run the ball. Robbie Mathews didn't even attempt a single pass, and the Sentinels have a commanding lead of 24 to 7!"
"The Eagle defense stiffened near the end of the second quarter, and Coach Thomas Fisher had to settle for a last-second field goal, or the score would have been 28 to 7!" Jarvis Vance added. "I don't think that the Eagles have the ponies to get back into this race!"
In the Eagles' locker room, Guy Stephens had a different view of the important game.
"Okay guys, listen up!" he began. "I don't like the score anymore than you do, but we have a game plan to execute, and I need all of you to listen to me!"
Robbie felt guilty for his performance in the first half of the game. He had resisted the temptation to call an "audible" to change the play called by Coach Stephens, but followed orders. He was bruised from the many tackles of the Sentinels, but was determined to be ready for the second half of the game.
"They get the ball first, and we need to stop them from scoring!" Derrick Harmon said. "McClellan's a talented quarterback and Stevens is a great receiver! We have to stop them or the game will get away from us!"
"Is Ishmael Stevens kin to you?" Robbie asked Guy Stephens. "His last name's the same as yours!"
"IT'S SPELLED DIFFERENT, AND HE'S BLACK!" Guy Stephens yelled at Robbie.
The locker room erupted with laughter, with all of the players enjoying Robbie's teasing of their Head Coach.
"He might be my half brother!" Eric Stephens joked. "Maybe you fooled around when you were on leave!"
"That's enough out of you two smartasses!" Guy Stephens yelled. He glared at Robbie and his son, and then realized what they were doing. They were trying to break the tension in the team, and he broke down laughing.
Robbie and Eric thought that they might have "crossed the line" when they saw the "SEAL look" but were relieved when Guy laughed along with everyone.
"If we had thrown any passes in the first half, they would have made adjustments at halftime," Guy said to his players. "Coach Harmon is right! We need to stop them on their first possession and then WE TAKE OVER! Let's review our pass plays so everyone knows what their role is!"
The two coaches took control of the meeting and emphasized how important each possession would be in the second half. They both believed that the conditioning program at the Academy would pay dividends in the 4th quarter when the Sentinels would wear down.
"Scott McClellan had an excellent first half, completing 80 % of his passes, primarily to Ishmael Stevens, and the Eagles couldn't stop the dynamic duo!" Tom Devlin said. "McClellan and Stevens are both seniors and have lived up to their press clippings by dominating the Eagles in this Championship Game! The Eagles are down by 17 points and will need a miracle to repeat as State Champions!"
The game resumed after half time, and the Sentinels started on their own 12-yard line.
"Andre Muhammed fumbled the kickoff but recovered his own fumble on the Sentinels 12 yard line!" Tom Devlin announced. "The Eagles came close to recovering that fumble, but the Sentinels are deep in their own territory!"
The anxious cadets on the sidelines watched quarterback Scott McClellan move his team down the field. He was completing all of his passes to Ishmael Stevens, and the Eagles defense couldn't stop them.
"Put me in, Coach!" Robbie demanded of Derrick Harmon when the Sentinels had a first down on the Eagles' 30-yard line. "We've got to stop them NOW!"
"I don't believe what I'm seeing!" Tom Devlin announced. "Guy Stephens is sending his quarterback in to play defense! An injury to Mathews would seal victory for the Sentinels!"
"OH MY GOD, ROBBIE'S GOING IN!" David Mathews exclaimed. He prayed for the safety of his nephew, and was angry with his friend, Guy Stephens!
"McClellan drops back to pass!" Tom Devlin announced. "His pass is down the left sideline, and Stevens is open!"
"IT'S INTERCEPTED BY ROBBIE MATHEWS!" Jarvis Vance yelled. "Mathews has a clear field in front of him, and he's gonna take it to the house!"
"Mathews is at the 30, 20, 10, 5 TOUCHDOWN EAGLES!" Tom Devlin yelled. "Robert Mathews is the quarterback, but his regular position is defensive back, and he just went up and took that pass away from Ishmael Stevens and streaked 85 yards for a touchdown!"
Jennifer Anderson was in orbit! She screamed her approval of Robbie's play and celebrated with the other Eagle fans in the crowd.
"HE FUCKING DID IT!" Guy Stephens yelled to his coaching staff and players. He pushed through the players to hug Robbie and congratulate him on the important interception and touchdown!
"MY GOD HE'S GREAT!" Tom Anderson exclaimed. "That's just what we needed to get some momentum back!"
"The Sentinels were hit by lightning!" Jarvis Vance announced. "Another score by the Sentinels would have put this game out of reach, but Guy Stephens knew what he was doing when he sent his quarterback out to play defense! The extra point is good, and the Sentinels now lead by a score of 24 to 14!"
The Sentinels got the ball back, but were stopped in three straight incomplete passes. Robbie was playing defensive back, and covered Ishmael Stevens like a blanket! The star receiver dropped one pass when Robbie nailed him, and had one other pass that Robbie knocked down.
"The Sentinels will be forced to punt after a 3 and out!" Tom Devlin announced. "The Eagles' defense is fired up with the leadership of Robbie Mathews, and has shut down the potent offense that controlled the first half of this Championship Game!"
"Pat Leahy takes the kick and is driven out of bounds on the 30 yard line of the Eagles!" Jarvis Vance added. "Let's see if the Eagles' running game can keep the Sentinel offense off the field!"
"Mathews takes the snap and fakes to Leahy!" Tom Devlin announced. "MATHEWS IS GOING TO PASS! ADAM FRAZIER HAS IT AND HE'S GONNA SCORE! FRAZIER IS AT THE 20, 10, 5, TOUCHDOWN EAGLES!"
"Where did that come from?" Jarvis Vance asked. "In the first half of this game, Robbie Mathews didn't attempt a single pass, and the Sentinels were expecting a run! Mathews threw a perfect bomb to Frazier, and the talented senior from Quebec didn't miss a step in taking the ball into the end zone!"
"HE DID IT!" Hunter Whitestone screamed when he saw Robbie's perfect pass. He shared "high fives" with all of the Eagle fans, and watched the replay on the large screens at each end of the Pontiac Silverdome.
Guy Stephens was elated at the success of his team, but knew that there was a lot of time left in the game. His team now trailed by a score of 24 to 21, but had gained momentum. He hugged Robbie and Adam and praised them for their success. He also praised his linemen for giving Robbie the protection he needed to complete the long pass.
"The Sentinels had 9 men in the box and never covered Adam Frazier when he ran his deep route!" Tom Devlin said. "Coach Thomas Fisher had better change his defensive plans for the next possession of the Eagles!"
The Eagle defense stopped the Sentinels again and forced them to punt. Pat Leahy took the kick at the 25-yard line with a "fair catch".
Robbie was excited and prayed that his team would win the game. He took his team up to the line and looked at the defense, just like Tracker had trained him. He saw that the Sentinels were going to blitz, and called an "audible" to change the running play to a screen pass.
"The Sentinels are showing a blitz, and Mathews takes the snap and drops back!" Tom Devlin announced. "It's a screen pass that's caught by Leahy! He has blockers in front of him and is forced out of bounds on the 50-yard line!"
"Mathews changed the play at the line of scrimmage and called the perfect play with the Sentinel linebackers blitzing!" Jarvis Vance added. "Mathews waited until the last second to throw to Leahy, and was hit hard by Travis Jenkins! Mathews is slow getting up, but he looks like he's ready to play!"
"The Sentinel defense looks rattled!" Tom Devlin noticed.
"Mathews takes the snap and hands off to Leahy!" Jarvis Vance announced. "Leahy is into the secondary before he's dragged down by the strong safety, Tony Vincent. It's another first down for the Eagles at the 25-yard line of the Sentinels!"
"The quarter ends, with the Eagles on a drive to take the lead!" Tom Devlin added. "We've seen this before! Instead of holding up four fingers to signal the start of the 4th quarter, all of the Eagles are holding up seven fingers! It's their way of saluting the memory of Number 7, Andrew Anderson, their former star quarterback who led them to their last State Championship! The Eagle fans are doing the same thing, and I'm certain that the entire Anderson family is remembering their lost son and brother!"
Tom Anderson choked back his emotions, but broke down when he saw his wife and daughter crying in the crowd. They all missed Drew, and were touched by how the cadets remembered him.
David and Marie Mathews shed their own tears at the way the team was remembering Robbie's Big Brother. They knew that Robbie still ached over the death of his best friend, and were proud that the football players and fans wouldn't forget Drew.
Guy Stephens was masterful in the way he called the plays for the offense. When the Sentinels expected a pass, he called a running play. When they moved up to stop the run, he called a pass. Robbie had been given the authority to change the play at the line of scrimmage if he saw the defense ready to stop the first play called.
Robbie surprised the Sentinels when he called a quarterback "keeper" play, and he jumped into the end zone for another touchdown.
"The Sentinels weren't set when Robbie Mathews called a quick snap and dove into the end zone for another touchdown!" Tom Devlin announced excitedly. "The Eagles have taken the lead! Several colleges have tried to entice Guy Stephens to coach for them, and now you see why! He's the best high school coach in the nation!"
"No one expected Robbie Mathews to be able to pass the football, but the talented junior from Bloomfield Hills, Michigan has put his team ahead for the first time since the 1st quarter of this game!" Jarvis Vance added.
"The extra point is good, and the Eagles now lead by a score of 28 to 24!" Tom Devlin announced. "When the first half ended, we expected the Sentinels to run away with this game, but Guy Stephens had different ideas! Robbie Mathews has been perfect with his passes, and Patrick Leahy has run rampant through the Sentinel defense! We've got a real game on our hands, and we'll see what Thomas Fisher can do with his team trailing by 4 points!"
The game was all but over when Robbie intercepted another pass intended for Ishmael Stevens. The offense took the field and moved for another touchdown with a mixture of passes and runs. With 30 seconds left in the game, Pat Leahy scored another touchdown, and the Eagles led by a commanding score of 42 to 24! The Sentinels got the ball, but the game clock ran out before they could manage any yardage gain.
"Well folks, this was the finest game in the entire Championship Series!" Tom Devlin announced. "The Eagles of the George Washington Academy have repeated as State Champions by defeating the Saginaw Central High School Sentinels by a final score of 42 to 24!"
"Let's go down to Judy Tremaine who has the winning coach, Guy Stephens, for some post-game comments!" Jarvis Vance announced.
"Coach Stephens, how did you pull off this victory after losing so many of your starting players on offense?" Judy asked.
"Every coach has to deal with injuries," Guy Stephens began. "The conditioning program at the George Washington Academy is the best in the nation, and our cadets can rise to any challenge that they face! They come is as boys, but they graduate as MEN! Darrian Thomas coached Pat Leahy, Tracker Whitestone taught Robbie Mathews how to be a quarterback, and Carson Smith helped Adam Frazier! My job was easy!"
"Why didn't you turn Mathews loose and let him pass during the first half?" Judy asked.
"Thomas Fisher has a talented team, and we didn't want him to be able to make adjustments at half time," Guy Stephens replied. "My team responded to adversity and made me proud! Our starting quarterback has a broken arm, so we had to use our heads and not reveal how Mathews could pass until the last minute. My staff helped develop our game plan, and it worked!"
"We've heard rumors that you might leave the Academy and take a coaching job at the college level," Judy added. "Is there a college coaching job in your future?"
"I'll never leave the George Washington Academy!" Guy replied. "I love my job and the discipline that the Academy provides for teenagers who are growing into MEN! I read the newspapers too, and see college coaches trying to keep their players out of jail for everything from petty theft to murder! That's not for me!"
The day ended with Guy Stephens accepting the Championship Trophy and immediately handing it to Team Captain, Jermaine Bryant. It was the last football game for the talented linebacker who shed tears of joy when he held the trophy high in the air.
The cadets celebrated their victory with their fans at a huge banquet at the Holidome and then headed back to the campus. It was a great victory celebration, and everyone praised their players for repeating as State Champions!
Robbie was the center of attention for the celebrating fans, and circulated around the room while holding Jennifer Anderson's hand. He constantly reminded people that Tracker Whitestone had led the team to the Championship Game, and that he only played quarterback for one game.
"I was pissed at you for putting Robbie in on defense," David Mathews admitted to his friend, Guy Stephens. "I was afraid that he'd be injured, and the game would be lost. I should have known that you and Derrick had a plan and that my boy was ready to play both ways."
Derrick Harmon told David what Robbie had said earlier in the year about "going both ways". The three friends laughed, but they all knew that Robbie was "working both sides of the street" in his sexual life. They finished their cigars and returned to the banquet room to enjoy the victory party.
Buses took the cadets back to Northern Michigan, but the football players were treated to an extra night in the Holidome. The team had special ideas for how to celebrate the victory!
Robbie, Tracker, Jake and Elwood were in adjoining rooms and had planned to celebrate the victory with some intense physical bonding. They were undressing and discussing who would suck first when there was a knock at the door.
Robbie opened the door and was surprised to see Pat Leahy in an obvious state of turmoil.
"THEY'VE GOT BOOZE IN THEIR ROOM!" Pat screamed at Robbie. "WE'LL ALL GET BUSTED!"
"Who has booze?" Robbie asked.
"Jermaine, Cody, Jeff and Tristan!" Pat replied. "They invited me to join their party, but I refused! You know what Coach Stephens said! Anyone caught with booze or girls in their rooms would be busted and we'll never get to stay overnight after a game again! What can we do?"
Robbie was pissed and quickly dressed and headed for Jermaine's room. Jake and Elwood followed suit, but Tracker stayed behind. The twins were afraid that Robbie would unleash his martial arts skill and injure some of their teammates.
"LET ME IN!" Robbie demanded while he beat on the door to Room 2112.
"Are you gonna join our party?" Jermaine asked after he opened the door to the room he shared with Cody Jackson.
"WHAT THE FUCK WERE YOU THINKING BY BRINGING BOOZE INTO YOUR ROOM?" Robbie demanded. "YOU KNOW THE RULES! NO BOOZE! NO GIRLS!"
"FUCK THE RULES, AND FUCK YOU TOO!" Jermaine yelled. "THAT WAS MY LAST GAME FOR THE ACADEMY, AND I'M GONNA CELEBRATE!"
Robbie grabbed a bottle of rum and another of Vodka and headed for the bathroom to dump it out. The bottles crashed to the floor when Jermaine grabbed Robbie and punched him in the face.
Tracker knew that Robbie was pissed and called Guy Stephens' room. He hoped that the coach would be able to handle the situation without physical violence, but he was wrong.
Guy Stephens and Derrick Harmon had keys to all of the rooms occupied by their football players, and ran down the hall to get to Room 2112. The door was open, and they saw Jermaine grab Robbie and punch him in the mouth. All hell broke loose in the room, with Robbie unleashing his anger on his teammate. He was knocked against the wall, but lashed out with a kick that hit Jermaine in the chest, knocking him back into the main part of the room and across the bed. A bedside lamp shattered, the table broke into pieces, and chairs and suitcases flew across the room when Robbie lost control and went after Jermaine. He knocked Cody and Travis out of the way, and was going to kick Jermaine's ass when the coaches flew into the room.
"MATHEWS, STAND DOWN!" Derrick Harmon ordered. He jumped in between Robbie and Jermaine and squared off against his martial arts protégé`. GODDAMMIT, I ORDERED YOU TO STAND DOWN!" He knew that Robbie had advanced to the point that he would lose any physical fight, but also knew that he had to stop Robbie from hurting or possibly killing Jermaine Bryant.
Guy Stephens pushed his way into the room and joined Derrick in confronting Robbie. He could see the SEAL look in Robbie's eyes and was afraid that he and Derrick would have to fight Robbie. He didn't want to hurt his favorite cadet, but he had to stop Robbie in any way that he could.
"YOU MIGHT BE GOOD, BUT YOU CAN'T TAKE BOTH OF US!" Guy said in challenging Robbie. He glared at Robbie and moved so close that his nose touched Robbie's. "DON'T YOU DARE DISOBEY OUR ORDERS! STAND THE FUCK DOWN!"
Robbie was shaking with anger, but he finally realized that he had crossed the line with his coaches. He took a deep breath and let his head slump down until his chin touched his chest. He knew that he was fucked!
"SIT THE FUCK DOWN ON THAT BED!" Derrick Harmon ordered Robbie.
"Do you want to be honest and tell us what was going on in here?" Guy Stephens asked Jermaine. He could see the broken bottles of alcohol and wondered if Jermaine and the other three cadets would be honest or try to blame the situation on Robbie. He already knew that The Tribunal would be mustered to handle the situation back at the Academy, but he needed to investigate. He and Derrick would be held responsible for the behavior of their cadets, and he felt sick about the repercussions from the Chancellor and his staff.
Tracker pushed his way into the room and ran to hug Robbie. He could feel the tension in his best friend's body, and prayed that Robbie wouldn't lose control. "Come on, let's wash your face," he said to Robbie. He could see the blood running down from Robbie's split lip, and wanted to talk to him in private. He had called the coaches to stop Robbie from attacking Jermaine, but his call was too late. He was afraid that Robbie would face The Tribunal, and could be expelled.
"I fucked up!" Robbie admitted to Tracker. "I hit another cadet in anger! I'm toast now!" Robbie knew that hitting another cadet in anger usually resulted in being busted a full rank, loss of all athletic eligibility, or expulsion.
Pat Leahy was sobbing when he told the coaches about going to Robbie's room after he knew that the other four cadets had booze in their room. He was pissed that Jermaine and the other guys hadn't said a word when questioned by the two coaches, and told everything that he knew.
"What's going on in here?" Randy Cole asked. He was the MOD (Manager On Duty) for the Holidome, and had been called by other visitors when they heard the fight in Room 2112. He saw the damaged furniture, and was pissed.
"We've got the situation under control," Derrick Harmon said to the MOD. "The Academy will cover the damages, but please let us handle this so things don't go crazy. Please don't call the police! We'll handle everything!"
The two coaches questioned everyone involved, and determined that only Jermaine, Cody, Jeff and Tristan had been drinking alcohol, and that Robbie had tried to dump the booze down the toilet. Jermaine had refused to talk, but Cody told everything.
Guy Stephens called two of the trainers along with Terry Pahls and asked them to come to Room 2112. He and Derrick took down notes of the interviews, and tried to decide what to do.
"You four BOYS will face The Tribunal for this!" Guy said to Jermaine, Cody, Jeff and Tristan. "Mathews, you're a member of The Tribunal, and I never dreamed that you would hit another cadet in anger. Even if it was self-defense, you were ready to kill Jermaine! Didn't you learn anything in the martial arts training? RESTRAINT! NOT UNCONTROLLED VIOLENCE!"
"Jermaine, you clean up this fucking mess!" Derrick Harmon ordered. "He was filled with a mixture of anger, embarrassment, and resentment for his best linebacker and Team Captain being the one to organize the forbidden party.
Eric Stephens ran into the room and saw that Robbie was holding ice to his face. He was livid! He demanded to know who had hurt his "Big Brother" and looked for something to hit Jermaine with when he found out.
"ERIC, STAND DOWN!" Guy Stephens ordered his son. Eric weighed 105 pounds and was no match for Jermaine Bryant who weighed 250!
Robbie grabbed Eric and tried to calm his little buddy down. "Calm down or I'll tie you to a chair!" he threatened. He hugged Eric and listened to the young teen sobbing on his shoulder.
"Split them up!" Guy Stephens ordered. "One adult with each BOY! Any cadet who causes any more trouble tonight will be EXPELLED, and I MEAN IT!"
"I'M STAYING WITH ROBBIE!" Eric demanded. He was holding ice on Robbie's lip to reduce the swelling, and wasn't going to leave his special friend.
Guy Stephens decided to have Robbie and Tracker move into the room that he was sharing with his son, Eric, and called Vincent Brown to report the altercation. The Chancellor was upset that the players had broken the team rules, and hoped that the MOD wouldn't notify the news media about the damages to the room.
News spread across the Academy about the problems at the Holidome, and the Parade of Champions was cancelled. Instead, The Tribunal was convened to handle the problems from the Holidome.
Pat Leahy and Robbie were both members of The Tribunal, but because they were involved in the altercation, they were removed and replaced by Paul Beck and Mark Miller, two of the alternates.
When The Tribunal proceedings were completed, Jermaine Bryant was reduced in rank to Cadet Second Class for providing the alcohol and for initiating the fight with Robbie. Jermaine would have two months to earn his First Class status back, or he would be expelled. He had signed a Letter of Intent to play football for the University of Miami, but expulsion could wipe out his high school graduation and his football scholarship. Cody, Jeff and Tristan were put on detention for a month each.
The Tribunal took a different approach with Robbie. He was commended for destroying the alcohol, but was put on detention for two weeks for attacking Jermaine. The Tribunal members realized that Robbie acted in self-defense, but reminded him that he was the Martial Arts Champion, and didn't show the proper restraint. They had considered expulsion or busting him a full rank, but listened to the pleas from the two coaches.
Robbie was in his dorm room covering his stripes with duct tape when the two coaches walked into the room.
"We need to talk to Mathews alone," Derrick Harmon said.
Eric Stephens was furious that Robbie was placed on detention, and didn't want to leave the room with Tracker and Trip. He unleashed his anger on his father for not backing Robbie at The Tribunal meeting with a string of obscenities.
"CALM DOWN, ERIC!" Robbie screamed. "DON'T SAY ANOTHER FUCKING WORD OR WE'LL THROW YOU OUT OF OUR ROOM FOR GOOD!"
"I'll deal with you later!" Guy Stephens said to his son. He was angry and embarrassed that his son had cursed at him and Derrick, but knew that his son loved Robbie and didn't like the detention orders.
"Please don't make things worse!" Robbie pleaded to his favorite coach. "Eric should be pissed at me for losing control, not you two for doing your jobs!"
"We want to talk to you about what happened," Derrick Harmon said to Robbie.
"Can Eric and my buddies please stay?" Robbie asked. "I don't have any secrets from them, and we can all talk this out."
"That's fine with me," Guy said.
"Me too," Derrick added.
Eric, Tracker and Trip were relieved that they could stay with Robbie, and wondered why the two coaches had come to their room.
"You did some things that we want to thank you for," Guy began. "When you found out that those guys broke the rules by having alcohol in their room, you took action! You displayed your leadership by trying to get control of the situation and dumping out the booze! All of those players weigh over 250 pounds and you weigh 180! You could have been hurt or even killed if they all had attacked you!"
"We all wanted to celebrate, but they crossed the line!" Derrick Harmon added. "We were young once, and know the temptations that teens face!"
"Can you remember things that far back?" Robbie teased.
The tension in the room was broken when everyone started laughing at Robbie's teasing of his two coaches.
"We'll ignore that smartass comment so we can say what we need to say!" Derrick replied. "I've been training you in the martial arts, and you don't realize how lethal you can be! If we hadn't stepped in, you might have killed Jermaine! You're a loaded gun with a hair trigger, and you CAN'T lose control like that! There isn't a teenager in the country, and maybe in the world, who has the training that you've already completed! I've failed as your trainer if you don't get control of your anger! Instead of joining the Navy and being tested for the SEALs, you'll be in prison! Just because a drunk punches you in the face, you don't have the right to kill him, and that's what you were going to do to Jermaine!"
"Jermaine admitted to us that he has a major problem," Guy said. "He's an alcoholic, and has been sneaking Vodka into his room for over a year. What we're sharing with you guys right now has to stay in this room!"
"We didn't see the signs, but we should have!" Derrick admitted. "With alcoholics, it's not how much or how often that they drink, it's what happens when!"
"Jermaine's in treatment right now," Guy said. "He's admitted his problem, but he's afraid to face you and apologize. He's in a residential treatment facility, and he'll stay there until he's got control of his life again."
"When he's ready, we hope that you'll go there for a visit to talk to him," Derrick added. "His mother, brothers and sisters live in a ghetto, and are in constant fear for their safety. Jermaine hopes to go to college and play professional football so he can get his family out of a nasty situation. He's one of the best linebackers in the nation, and has a bright future if he can control his alcoholism."
"Things aren't what they first appear to be," Guy said. "You saw alcohol and a cadet breaking the rules, but you didn't have the full story! You'll have other events in your life where you don't have all of the facts, so you have to learn restraint!"
"We came here tonight because we care about you!" Derrick added. "There was a time in a bar in the Philippines where Guy and I lost control and nearly killed two Marines and four Shore Patrol sailors in a nasty fight. Your uncle bailed us out and saved our asses! Instead of being thrown in the Brig, we were on a plane headed for Japan!"
Eric Stephens was shocked! His father was admitting that he had unleashed his martial arts training in a bar fight, and had been saved from going to prison by Robbie's uncle!
"The Tribunal could have expelled you, but we went to bat for you to repay your uncle!" Guy admitted. "YOU HAVE TO CONTROL YOUR TEMPER! Get up and walk over to that MSU jersey pinned to your locker!"
Robbie followed orders and walked up to the jersey that he had given Drew for a Christmas gift. Every night he touched that jersey when he meditated and prayed, and his heart always ached for the loss of his Big Brother.
"Drew's here with us right now!" Guy said. "He told you what he expected of you in that video! Don't let him or us down!"
Robbie broke down crying. His emotions overflowed, and he put his face against the jersey and sobbed uncontrollably. He knew that his coaches were right, and that he had to control his anger to become a SEAL.
Stay tuned....
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