It was an overcast spring evening at the graveyard when Raines last suited up to play an exhibition football game. The opponent was private school powerhouse Trinity Christian, the defending Class 3A State Champions. It was a performance that the Vikings quickly wanted to forget. After just one half of play the game was called due to lightning with Trinity up 38-6, setting off a firestorm of criticism and critiques for the Class 4A State runnerups.
Coach Wiley teaching the young boys @DuvalSports pic.twitter.com/nn76fzsPfu
— PHILL-DuvalSports (@dreamkingfilmz) August 20, 2016
With new players at almost every key position on the field Coach Deran Wiley knew it wasn’t going to be an easy task to get the guys in positions to compete at a high level. So in the summer months they worked hard on chemistry and team bonding with 7 on 7 tournaments. New Quarterback Ivory Durham IV meshed with athletes like Willie Wright who missed the spring game due to injury, and others so that in August when the defending 2A State Champion University Christian Christian’s called to schedule them for another exhibition, redemption was on the player’s minds. And redemption is what they achieved.
@DuvalSports @RainesAthletics
TD to #1 Willie White of Raines.
2 point conversion fails. pic.twitter.com/mDksMZPYlu— Q-Duval Sports (@QCarr75) August 19, 2016
In the 2016 Kickoff Classic, Quarterback Ivory Durham IV passed for 315 yards and 4 touchdowns as Raines routed UC 33-7. Durham hooked up with those same wide receivers that he jelled with during the summer. Drayton, Kidd, and Wright, showcased an offensive explosion in front of the packed crowd. Pass connections of 82 yards, 75 yards,and 50 yards were just some of the highlights of a wide open offense that ignited at the right time. Durham also used his legs to evade rushers all night and the Vikings defense stood tall against the vaunted rushing attack of University Christian.
@DuvalSports @RainesAthletics
Raines forcing a 4th and 10 on UC pic.twitter.com/7cjhBsaVWx— Q-Duval Sports (@QCarr75) August 19, 2016
@DuvalSports @RainesAthletics
Raines forcing the fumble on UC and recovers the ball.Raines leads UC 7-0 pic.twitter.com/uJD7lL76fc
— Q-Duval Sports (@QCarr75) August 19, 2016
@DuvalSports @RainesAthletics
Raines with the Interception on UC pic.twitter.com/TmHFGbP2IQ— Q-Duval Sports (@QCarr75) August 19, 2016
@DuvalSports @RainesAthletics
Raines stopping the run against UC pic.twitter.com/p6eLyjGR74— Q-Duval Sports (@QCarr75) August 19, 2016
The effort on both sides of the ball breathed optimism back into the Viking faithful. A team that can fly around on defense, and make plays on offense. Raines will have to keep the momentum as they face Lee in the first game of the season. But after their dominant performance versus University Christian, another private school powerhouse defending champion, they know what they are truly capable of, and how good they can be in 2016.
Raines crowd was rocking all night @DuvalSports pic.twitter.com/nTbBZuGaXZ
— PHILL-DuvalSports (@dreamkingfilmz) August 20, 2016
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