Freedom High School’s football team has been off to a great start this year. Through the first three games of the regular season, Freedom won the first two, defeating King High School 9-6 and Middleton 37-0. They have been working hard and focusing on playing more as a team.

“We are now working as a team. The seniors are taking charge and showing our team how to work together, we take it one game at a time” said senior football player Bryce Crawford.

A team is only as good as its fan base, commonly referred to as the “12th man” for the influence the spectators the have on the players on the field. Throughout history, players have said that the 12th man builds confidence both on and off the field.
Football player Sayff Saed said, “The 12th man has always been great this season, but the football team would always like to see more. More body paint, more posters, and more rowdiness”.

As a team, the football players have come to realize that there is something bigger than success. By working together and putting all they can into what they love, Freedom High School’s student body will see the huge improvement of the football players as a whole.

“We bond more, more like a family. We come to realize that we need to change the negative atmosphere to a more positive one. As football players we are meant to be examples and this year we are trying as a team to meet those expatiation on and off the field” said football player Cody Cox.

Freedom vs. Wharton high school was a game to be seen. On September 12, 2014 the rivals went head to head. In past games Freedom High School football players haven’t done their best when it came to rival games, but this game was entirely different than others. It was a close game with both teams raging to get far. With the game ending with the scores 17 to 19 it really showed that Freedom football players have steped up their game.

“Being a big rival game we were very disappointed that we lost but the coaches were very proud of us for not giving up, I feel like this game was a big eye opener for us” said football player Calvin Bido-Vega.

On the field freedom football players really showed that they have what it takes to make it far. The players were really working as a team, passing and throwing as if they were one. Many players on the team were showing what they are capable of, and this game will not crush the spirit of the football players.

FSA Connection Questions

1. In the article the author states what about the 12^th man and how it applies to the football team?
2. In the article what does the word atmosphere mean in contex?
3. What is the author main idea of the article?
4. What two statements of the article give a summary of it?
5. What is the tone of the article and how does it affect the story?