And I knew ahead of me was a very big task.
It was not long before I grew anxious, beginning to feel
That the job assigned to me was too much to ask.
We were set to compete against Cresskill,
A bitter rival of New Milford athletes of all teams,
But on their soccer team was a formidable opponent--
One of the best players in the county, and I'm not being extreme!
My coach decided that I would mark this girl the whole game,
Which meant I would defend her and get in her way wherever she went.
As the school day went by, I became more and more nervous
As I fully grasped how much my job meant and that I could not once relent.
My teammates and I were so excited to play that mild Monday afternoon,
But I was still so afraid of failing at my task and costing us the game.
Once the starting whistle blew, I took a deep breath and concentrated
On what I had to do: stop this talented girl from achieving her aim.
The match was physical, and I took (and threw) some hard hits,
But I did not let this star soccer player have her way.
She scored only one goal to my team's three,
Allowing us to celebrate a victory that day.
The win against Cresskill moved us forward to the semifinals,
And defeating this team had not been achieved in seven years.
This exciting, hard-earned victory was the sweetest yet,
But I was also happy I overcame this obstacle despite my fears.
