Trapped


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Copyright © 2023 by Lerner Publishing Group, Inc.
 
 All rights reserved. International copyright secured. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise—without the prior written permission of Lerner Publishing Group, Inc., except for the inclusion of brief quotations in an acknowledged review.
 
 Darby Creek 
 An imprint of Lerner Publishing Group, Inc. 
 241 First Avenue North 
 Minneapolis, MN 55401 USA
 
 For reading levels and more information, look up this title at www.lernerbooks.com.
 
 Cover and interior images: Copyright ©2020 bluefish_ds/Shutterstock; Milano M (chapter number background)
 
 Main body text set in Janson Text LT Std. 
 Typeface provided by Adobe Systems.
 
 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
 
 Names: Greve, Tom, author. 
 Title: Trapped / Tom Greve 
 Description: Minneapolis : Darby Creek, an imprint of Lerner Publishing Group, Inc., [2023] | Series: Sinkhole | Audience: Ages 11–18 | Audience: Grades 7–9 | Summary: Mario has to finish a school assignment or forfeit participation in the Texas high school football championship, but when he falls into a deep sinkhole, he has a lot more to worry about—especially when it fills up with snakes and the vultures start to circle overhead. 
 Identifiers: LCCN 2022021435 (print) | LCCN 2022021436 (ebook) | ISBN 9781728475486 (library binding) | ISBN 9781728477954 (paperback) | ISBN 9781728479460 (ebook) 
 Subjects: LCSH: Teenagers—Juvenile fiction. | Sinkholes—Juvenile fiction. | Survival—Juvenile fiction. | High schools—Juvenile fiction. | Texas—Juvenile fiction. | CYAC: Holes—Fiction. | Survival—Fiction. | High schools—Fiction. | Schools—Fiction. 
 Classification: LCC PZ7.1.G7429 Tr 2023 (print) | LCC PZ7.1.G7429 (ebook) | DDC 813.6 [Fic]—dc23/eng/20220609
 
 LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2022021435 
 LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2022021436
 
 Manufactured in the United States of America 
 1 – TR – 12/15/22 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1
 
 The offensive players huddled. Ten players leaned in around the quarterback, who announced the next play. 
 “OK,” the quarterback said. “We’re doing ‘44 trap.’ On one. Ready?” 
 In unison, every player in the huddle shouted, “Break!” 
 All eleven players broke the huddle with a collective clap of their hands. They jogged to the line of scrimmage. Football practice was close to wrapping up for the day at Foggy Creek High School. The ‘44 trap’ was the team’s most reliable play. When executed properly, a defender is allowed to move freely toward the ball carrier for a few steps before getting blocked unexpectedly, or “trapped,” before he can make the tackle. 
 Once in position, every player on the field was still for just a second, poised for action. Then the quarterback shouted, “Ready . . . Set . . . Hut!” 
 The snap of the ball set off a collision of padded bodies. There were quick movements by runners, blockers, and defenders. The quarterback spun, tossing the ball to a running back who sprinted toward the sideline. Then he turned sharply upfield toward the goal line. The sound of grunts and popping pads could be heard as the runner broke through one tackler. But he was pushed out of bounds just short of the goal line. Once the play ended, other players ran over to help the runner get back on his feet. A long, shrill blast of the coach’s whistle stopped the action. Practice was over. 
 “Nice work, defense!” Coach Crain Crawford said, his teeth still clenching the whistle. “Bring it in!” 
 The team came together in a semi-circle around the tall, broad-shouldered, balding man. “Alright! Good practice! But we have to get better by Saturday. We’ve got to be great if we’re going to win State! It’s that simple!” 
 The players—sweaty, dirty, and breathing heavily—squinted at their coach in the late afternoon sun. 
 “Now, hit the showers, hit the books, and hit the sack. In that order!” Coach Crawford gave a final blast of his whistle. In a well-rehearsed routine, the players crowded together. Each player put a hand in the air. 
 Reggie Tibbs, the team’s senior quarterback and captain, shouted out a count. “One, Two, Three!” 
 The entire team shouted back at him, “Go Creek!” 
 With the shout, the players all dropped their hands and relaxed. Slowly, they turned to walk the short distance from the field to the locker room. Some chatted as they walked. Others trudged silently toward the school building. 
 Reggie and his teammate Mario Sosa, another senior, always walked back together. They were standout players and best friends with a long history. First, as classmates playing catch on the Foggy Creek Elementary School playground, and now as high school varsity teammates. Mario, fast, compact, and strong, was the team’s primary running back. Reggie, taller and thinner, was the quarterback. 
 “I can’t believe I got shoved out of bounds when we ran that last play,” Mario said to Reggie. “I thought I was scoring for sure.” 
 Mario was a Mexican American teen that had a habit of thinking any play that didn’t result in a touchdown was a personal failure. Sports were big in his family, especially soccer, basketball, and football. Mario played all the sports but his passion was for football. He thought about it all year long. When practiced started in the hot Texas summers, Mario was the first one on the field. 
 Reggie loved sports, but he also had interests and goals beyond football. A Black teenager with an easy-going personality, Reggie was a natural-born leader. 
 “It’s cool,” Reggie assured Mario. You’ve scored on those trap plays plenty of times. I wouldn’t worry about it.” 
 “Yeah. I know. But I hate when I get tackled that close to the goal line,” Mario huffed, still thinking about the last play of practice. 
 Mario and Reggie were two minds with a single purpose: winning the Texas State Football