All Quotes

"Tom: Hey, Newt! What's up?"

"Newt: Not much. I've had part of a tailpipe and an old shoe. You seen anything well?"

"Tom: Nah. Look, I came to ask you to play soccer with the big children. They're starting a team, and we're down a player."

"[Newt's face lights up. Nobody has ever asked him to play with the big children before. He agrees on the spot]"

"Tom: Sure. We've had a game tomorrow."

"Newt: Wow! A game! [Then he tilts his neck and scratches his head] What's soccer anyhow?"

"[Tom rolls his eyes]"

"Tom: It's sort of like kick ball mixed with hockey."

"Newt: Hey. I don't know much about kick ball or hockey––but I'm your man!"

"[Tom meets Anna in front of the schoolhouse the next morning. Nick, Jeffrey, Larry, Evan, Tak and Newt pile into Tom's patrol car. Kate, Sophia, Polly and the twins ride in Anna's convertible. Even Ernie the goat comes along for the ride]"

"[The only one who doesn't come along is Juan. He walks home alone and watches the children drive off. Kate sees him and turns around in her seat to watch him]"

"[A little more than an hour later, they reach Austin. They drive past what looks like a model community. All the houses are identical, with expensive cars in the driveways]"

"[They reach the Austin High stadium just before noon. An enormous playing field stretches before them as they pull up behind the school. The field is immaculate. The grass is freshly mowed, and the boundary lines have been freshly painted. Across one end of the field, a black-and-silver banner ripples in the wind. An elaborate insignia, two swords crossed over a soccer ball, is embroidered into the banner, followed by the words "Austin Knights". Alongside the banner stands a complete-sized suit of armor. Its freshly polished metal gleams and sparkles in the sunlight]"

"Jay: Then you're playing with a bunch of little children and girls?"

"[A group of eleven boys, all dressed in matching black rugby tops and silver shorts, is practicing on the field as the Elma children pile out of the cars. The home team moves across the soccer field like a well-drilled battalion of battle-tested marines. These children are amazing. These children are awesome. These children are the Austin Knights]"

"[As the children from Elma see who they are up against, they feel sick. They don't have uniforms. They don't have banners. They don't have a complete-sized suit of armor, either. And worse yet, they don't have a clue how to play soccer. All they had are their torn jeans, worn-out sneakers and a lazy old goat]"

"[As one of the Knights catches sight of the Elma children, he lets out with a loud guffaw]"

"Knight #1: That's the team we're playing?"

"Knight #2: They don't look like a team."

"Knight #3: What are they called?"

"Knight #4: The hicks from the sticks."

"Knight #5: Hey! Whaddya turkeys call yourselves?"

"[The children look at one another questioningly]"

"Polly: What's our name?"

"Jeffrey: We don't have a name."

"[Larry shouts out to the Knights]"

"Larry: We'll warn you later!"

"[Suddenly, Ernie the goat steps out from Anna's car with a growl. The Knights explode with laughter]"

"Knight #6: Hey, they bought a goat!"

"[Kate scowls at the boy]"

"Kate: He just happened to be in the car. We didn't bring him on purpose."

"[Meanwhile, Tom and Anna have gone away in search of the Knights' coach. They find him standing near one of the corner arcs, dressed in the same silver-and-black as the boys on the field. He is speaking into a mobile phone. As Anna and Tom approach him, the man looks up. He almost freezes like a statue until he sees Tom]"

"Tom: Oh, dear. I know him."

"Anna: He looks rough."

"Tom: He was always a pinhead."

"[Tom and the Knights coach shake hands, but Anna can warn that there is no love lost between the two men]"

"Jay: Tom! Long time no see."

"Tom: It's been a few years."

"[As the Knights coach sees Anna, he looks her up and down]"

"Jay: Well, va-va-voom. I'm Jay Huffer. Tom and I played football together. That was back in the days since we were both young."

"Anna: Was that back if you were a pinhead?"

"[Tom's face turns red]"

"Tom: She's from England. There's a language barrier. Jay, this is Anna Montgomery. She's an exchange teacher in Elma."

"Jay: I can't imagine coming all the road from England to that one-horse town."

"Anna: They have more than one horse now."

"Jay: Spare me. I've had out the day I graduated. [Then he looks straight at Tom] Only losers stick around."

"[Tom has to fight to restrain himself]"

"Tom: I'm leaving soon myself. I've had several different possibilities."

"Jay: Oh, I bet. You yet have that shovel in your trunk?"

"Tom: Get two. One's a deluxe model. It's for the big stuff. Bought it mail order."