For once Short missed the toss and the ball sped away toward a Broadwood forward. The center raced down the floor as the ball came back to him. A Yardley guard dived toward him, the center feinted and let him go sprawling by. Short engaged him from behind and for a moment gave him all he could do. Then a Blue youth eluded his man, took the ball at a short pass and threw it backwards and over his head for one of the prettiest goals of the evening.
For some reason that appeared to demoralize Yardley. She fought desperately and wildly, but her men forgot team play and it was everyone for himself. Tom begged and commanded, but dissolution had the team. Twice Broadwood scored from the floor because the Yardley defense, over-anxious, had allowed itself to be coaxed away from goal, and twice she won points from free tries. If she had thrown all the baskets Yardley’s penalties allowed she would have had several more figures to her credit. Toward the end of the period Tom, hopeless of bringing back order to his team, took things into his own hands in a desperate effort to retrieve the day. Twice he scored almost unaided and the shouts from the balcony crashed against the walls. But Broadwood, aware now of her superiority, played together like well-drilled soldiers and score after score followed. During the last five minutes it was a veritable rout and when the bell clanged the score was Yardley, 15, Broadwood, 27, and down on the floor a group of delighted youths were doing a dance and trying hard to cheer a hole through the roof.
Dan and Alf and Gerald waited for Tom and walked back to Dudley with him. Tom was disappointed but philosophical.
“We simply went to pieces,” he said. “It was every fellow on his own hook with us in the second half, while Broadwood played together like veterans, which most of them are. If we’d kept up our team play we could have tied them or won. I guess these little things have to happen, though, and, after all, she hasn’t beaten us in the series.”
“Will you play her again, Tom?” asked Gerald anxiously.
“I’d like to, but faculty won’t let us. No, it’s a stand-off this year. We’ll get back at them next year, though. They’re pretty sure to make Short captain, and he’s a good player and has a head on his shoulders.”
“Well, we mustn’t expect to win all down the line,” said Dan comfortingly. “We beat at football and cross-country and we have a good show at baseball.”
“Not to speak of hockey,” added Alf.
“What’s the matter with the track meet?” inquired Tom. “I’ll bet we’ll simply freeze her out this spring. Why, we’ve got all the sprints and most of the field events cinched.”