HAUGHTON, La (KMSS/KTAL) – The Haughton Buccaneers and the Airline Vikings do not like each other. “Normally, you never want to play a team like (Airline) in the playoffs,” said senior quarterback Colin Rains. “But, when we saw the matchup, we said we wanted them.”
Haughton had only defeated Airline one time since 2015. On Friday, the Buccaneers got their second win against the Vikings, this time upending one of the top teams in the Non-Select Division I bracket. “We know them very well, and they know us, so it was just preaching to be the tougher team,” said Rains, who racked up 222 rushing yards and four total touchdowns. “So it was just going out there and beating them.”
In typical Colin Rains fashion, the senior made play after play when it mattered most. “It was typical Colin,” said head coach Jason Brotherton. “Ya know, the biggest attribute he has is just his toughness, he’s a winner.” The Buccaneers avenged their loss to Airline earlier in the season, something that Coach Brotherton says indicates how strong his program truly is.
“Being a 27 seed, knowing that team has already beat you once, rolled through district, with really no close games, I think the game with us is the closest one. It vindicates your program because your program is good enough to go in as a low seed and win a playoff game,” said Brotherton, who picked up his second win against Airline since his hiring in 2016. “So that was a big deal to us, those playoff games are hard to win, so to get one and get one against a parish rival, that was pretty sweet.”
Rains joined Dak Prescott and Seth Holloway as the only Haughton quarterbacks to throw for over 5,000 career yards in the win. Rains has a chance to add to his career record with the team’s home playoff game against East St. John. “Just trying to do whatever it takes, just one play at a time, if it’s not there, sometimes you have to improvise, it’s just a part of the game,” said Rains. Coach Brotherton believes his team has always has a shot with Rains under center. “When your quarterback has that mentality, it rubs off on everybody else, he’s the ultimate, to me, just leader of a team and what you want your team to be.”
For Colin Rains legendary performance, he’s our player of the week.
