Bienville High School: A Short Story

As the Bobcats waited to be introduced they knew how hostile the crowd was going to be. They were in Lafayette, the birthplace of Louisiana hockey, playing the home town Acadiana Wreckin' Rams. Acadiana High was introduced, and now it was their moment. The arena speakers boomed, the band, who had a decent trip in just a few school buses, played the fight song as the announcer said, "Ladies and gentleman, the Bienville High School Bobcats." The players on the second through fourth line skated onto the ice, until the announcer began to speak again. "Ladies and gentlemen, the starting lineup for Bienville High School!
Committed to Buffalo State College, Left wing number 45, Brandon Nipapolis!"
Brandon skated onto the ice, there were slight boos from the Acadiana student section, but nothing too harsh

"Right wing, number 33, Jonathan Surgeon!"
Johnny skates on the ice, and gets the same response that Brandon had received.
"committed to Robert Morris University, at center, number 11, Rian Ball!"
Rian skated to a mild applause, along with a few boos.
"On defense, number 8, Nate Drake!"
Drake skates on the ice and salutes the boos.
"Also on defense, number 26, Nate Templet!"
I.D.

Skates and dives on the ice, receiving loud applause.
"And in net for Bienville High School, committed to Pennsylvania State University, number 72, Cher-" the crowd roared a loud word. Cherie took it horribly. "Antonio!" is what the crowd roared. "Gardner!" Cherie skated slowly onto the ice, she noticed fans yelling slurs along with a lot of booing and chanting of her birth name. She began to shake. Her team mates greeted her, and told her not to listen to them. She was still shaken up. She skated to the goal, and prepared for the national anthem.
The anthem was played, and the puck dropped. Cherie struggled to get into position. Five minutes had passed in the game when two players from Acadiana were skating down the ice, with only Nate D. defending Cherie. The player with the puck wound up for a shot and Cherie prepared to defend it, but the player passed and the puck was shot into a wide open net. The crowd roared, the goal horn went off, and it was 1-0 in favor of Acadiana. As is tradition in hockey, the fans began to mock the goalie who has just been scored on, but instead of saying a name they took it way too

far.
"Tranny, tranny" the crowd began to sing. Cherie was crying. Rian came up to her and told her to focus. It wasn't something she thought she could do.
Acadiana struck again moments later on a slap shot from the blue line by an offensive defenseman. 2-0.
Cherie was visibly shaken up. Her team mates all came up and tapped her on the pads.
Ten minutes pass, Cherie begins to play pretty well, but it all goes downhill when a speeding skater from the Rams comes through and scores on a break away. The chants of the t slur are throughout the arena even after the goal is celebrated. The period ends. 3-0 Acadiana High.
Coach Bagg is furious. He walks in and throws his clipboard down. "you can't let them fucking get to you Cherie" he screams. Cherie begins crying. But he interrupts.
"Look; I'm sorry for that. But what I see out there isn't what I know we can do. We can win this game. We have better scoring, better defense, and damn better goaltending than these guys. Backwards country-wannabes can't get to our heads, especially yours Cherie. You are so much stronger than these pieces of shit. You need to go out there and prove them that you're strong, and that not only you're strong but women are strong, and hispanics are strong, and most of all, that the queer community is stronger than any hate they could get. So get out there and kick some ass, all of you. The bus to State leaves the school next Friday at 2pm! Chili. Dog. Up."
The players all cheered and huddled up, captain ball in the middle
"1 2 3" Rian said
"Chili dog up!" Responded the rest of the players, and the Bobcats were out.
The 2nd period felt better. For Cherie, for Rian, for Brandon, for Johnny, and for the Nates. Rian got them on the board early on in the second with a deflected blue line slap shot. 3-1. Cherie yelled extremely loud. They were back in it. Acadiana was shaken by the sudden surge and was unable to stop Brandon from immediately cutting through and scoring from Nate D on the face off. It was a laser of a shot from the left face off dot. And it was 3-2.
Acadiana realized they couldn't just sit on the lead. They put on the jets and started shooting at every chance they saw. Cherie had an answer to every shot. But with 2 minutes left in the period, she saw an opportunity. While Cherie made a glove save, Johnny was skating up center with no one on him, Cherie dropped the puck to her stick and shot it up to him, it barely stayed on side but on the break away he shot it top shelf where mama hides the cookies! It clunked in on the back post and it was a tie hockey game with a minute and half left in the period. The bench, and the players on the ice were both ecstatic. The small Bienville section had taken over the arena, and the fight song filled the air. The buzzer went off. That was the end of the second. 3-3.
Coach Bagg has a small speech, and the teams walk onto the ice. The game starts up again, the puck is dropped, Cherie taps each ends of the goal posts for good luck, and says a small prayer. The band has moved behind her now. As usual, the mellophones are in the front section. There's a loud slap on the ice, a small ginger boy holding a mellophone in one hand is there. It's been. Cherie smiles really big and smiles, blowing a kiss with her glove. And then she gets back to focusing. Deflected shot, save Cherie, rebound off the post and a huge stick save. Her players congratulate her on them, but she points them towards the goal. "You gotta get ballsy with the puck, I've got y'all." She calls out. And they listen. They play a small amount of defense but a lot of offense, but they cant solve the Acadiana goalie. 2 minutes left in the third. There's been some chirping all game towards the players, but never towards Cherie. The Acadiana players didn't think she was good enough to try to get into her head. But it changed as they started getting frustrated with their own lack of scoring.
"when's the surgery faggot?" Yells one Acadiana player, and two other laugh. Johnny hears them and skates up with I.D. and Ball. "What? You come to stand up for the freak?" One says, and Johnny shoves one. And eventually, it turns into a line brawl. Players are throwing punch after punch until they're put in the box. Two top forwards and one top defenseman are out of the game for Bienville. But the fight energized them. The face off is in Bienville's offensive zone. A relatively unknown player named Alexander Poore wins it down to FBC who winds up for the slap shot and scores. The frustration and sorrow of a scoreless senior season ends with just that. And he collapses on the ice in tears. He gets up and is greeted by team mates in a large hug. It's now 4-3 with 2 minutes remaining. Cherie has been denying players all game. Quickly off the face off there's a two on one and a pass, and an amazing glove grab by Cherie. She covers it. A minute and a half left, goalie pulled for Acadiana, they win it and shoot it but it's saved, cherie passes it up to Brandon who skates up the ice and passes it to FBC who scores his second of the season. With a minute fifteen left. The bench explodes. Cherie slams into the boards and waves at Cherie. They know what's happening. The Bienville penalty box is a loud house. Acadiana keeps shooting after the puck is dropped but to no use. Cherie denies again and again. Final score: 5-3 Bobcats. Cherie throws off her equipment and joins in the dog pile. The band plays the fight song loud as the teams line up for hand shakes. "We're going to state!" Cherie screams as she hugs her team mate and then goes for coach Bagg. "I can't fucking believe this" Rian screams. The whole team is silenced by the announcer. "Please rise for the Bienville High School Alma Mater" and so the band plays the alma mater, the team swaying and singing loudly. At the point of the final lyric they're screaming. They skate into the locker room high fiving.
"Has everyone calmed down?" Coach Bagg asks. "Because we have one more game." Everyone screams. It's hectic. The seniors cry and the underclass men join them. They pack up and head to the bus. But Cherie sees the band bus and Ben, packing up his equipment. She puts up her bag and runs over and picks up Ben in her arm. "Babe! We're in the finals!" She says in tears "I'm so proud of you babe. I love you." Ben replies. "I love you too" she says, as she kisses him." They separate to each other's bus. The team celebrates all ride long. The Bienville High School Bobcats are going to the State Championship of Hockey.