The Airline Vikings ended a three-game slide with a 36-28 District 1-5A victory over the Haughton Bucs Friday night at M.D. Ray Field at Airline Stadium.
Airline improved to 4-3 overall and 2-3 in district. Haughton dropped to 1-6 and 1-5.
For the second week in a row, Haughton had a chance to send the game into overtime on its final possession.
The Bucs drove from their 19 to the Vikings 34 in the final minute. But Airline’s Jaylan Bradley intercepted a pass in the end zone on the game’s final play.
DJ Williams and Kenny Darby scored two touchdowns each for the Vikings. Justin Woodfork scored one.
Chase Williams threw two touchdown passes. Max Tinkis kicked four extra points and the Vikings also scored a two-point conversion.
Haughton quarterback Taylor Weathersby completed 22-of-38 passes for 354 yards and three touchdowns.
Brandon Craig rushed for 148 yards on 30 carries and caught three passes for 84 yards. He scored one rushing touchdown.
He also went 61 yards after catching a swing pass for a touchdown that got the Bucs within eight in the fourth quarter.
Ethan Johnson caught nine passes for 153 yards and a touchdown. Case Corkern caught three passes for 66 and a touchdown.
“I thought turnovers hurt us a little bit,” Airline Head Coach Justin Scogin said. “I thought Haughton played really well. I think they’re really improved.”
Airline’s three losses were by a combined 17 points. Two of those were against 1-5A leaders Parkway and Evangel Christian.
“We’ve lost a couple of games that were really close,” Scogin said. “We’ve got to play a little bit better as a team together to kind of close out these last three.”
The Vikings jumped out to a 14-0 lead, going 52 yards for their first touchdown and 66 for their second. The Vikings scored on a short run and an 18-yard pass.
The second TD came after Haughton failed to convert a fourth-and-15 from the Airline 34.
Haughton drove 90 yards for a touchdown to get within seven. A 46-yard pass to the 1 set up the TD.
Airline drove to the Haughton 18 but Haughton’s Kendell Hargrove ended the threat with an interception in the end zone.
After forcing a punt, the Vikings drove 78 yards for a touchdown. Darby went 46 yards on a shovel pass. A two-point conversion made it 22-7.
Haughton was far from done. The Bucs scored on a 53-yard flea flicker pass.
After recovering a fumble at the Airline 41, Weathersby completed a pass to the the 13. The Bucs scored on a reverse. Connor Bencke’s third extra-point kick cut the Vikings’ lead to 22-21 and that’s where things stood at the half.
Haughton opened the second half with a drive into Airline territory. On fourth-and-10 from 30 the Vikings held the Bucs to a 4-yard gain on a pass.
Airline then drove 74 yards for a touchdown. Allen scored on a 15-yard run.
After forcing a punt, the Vikings drove 61 yards for a touchdown to go up 36-21 early in the fourth quarter.
Airline visits Natchitoches Central Thursday. The Chiefs (4-3, 2-3) defeated Byrd 35-31 Friday night.
Note: This story will be updated when Airline’s stats are reported.