By DOUG IRELAND, Journal Sports
In its 57-38 smacking of visiting Benton Friday night, Airline lit up the scoreboard again, which is as consistent as B-52s taking off from nearby Barksdale AFB roaring low over M.D. Ray Stadium.
The 2026 Vikings average 43 points. The program hasn’t scored less than 32 in the last 42 regular-season games starting with Week 4 of coach Justin Scogin’s first season, 2022.
That 32-point performance came just a week earlier, at Natchitoches Central, in a 32-29 escape job that Scogin understandably said was his team’s nadir this season.
The Vikings (5-1, 2-0 in District 2-5A) looked very different Friday night, showcasing execution and energy. They soared ahead 36-15 at halftime, 43-15 after the opening series of the third period, and were dancing in unison on the sideline throughout.
“I just challenged them all week,” said Scogin, to overcome the stinker last week. “We’ve got to have energy. We’ve got to have intensity.
“You could see it on the sideline, and all the way around. The coaches bought in, the kids bought in, and we played a really good game tonight.”
But what broke things open was not energy or intensity. It was defense.
Actually, two defensive gems, interceptions by Pierre Watson and Caleb Beaver that were pivotal to 21 unanswered points as the Vikings erupted out of a 15-all tie in the final six minutes before the half.
It was a tightly-contested 22-15 Airline advantage, just over two minutes to go, when Watson snagged an overthrown Malachi Zeigler rocket down the middle at Airline’s 40 and raced 50 yards to Benton’s 10. Jamiran Davis took care of the rest on the next snap and it was 29-15.
Six Benton plays later, Airline led by three touchdowns.
The Vikings’ pass rush flushed Zeigler out of the pocket to the right. Then things went really wrong for the talented SMU commit.
His pass stuck in his hand a bit too long, and went just a few yards in front, squarely into Beaver’s gut.
Once the senior end weaved past Zeigler, he had nothing left to navigate, going 25 yards for a 36-15 lead with 18 seconds left before the break.
Midway through the third period, news of Plain Dealing’s 22-0 lead landed, and with Airline having applied the knockout punches, up at this point by 28, the thought of racing 40 minutes north to catch the end of the Lions’ milestone triumph ending a 49-game skid had great appeal.
But so did talking postgame with Beaver, in particular, who didn’t look like somebody likely to score on an interception return.
Turns out he’d already beaten the odds. He didn’t play his junior season after going through knee surgery, so there was no guarantee he’d even be able to get back on the field. But he did the rehab work and it paid off.
“Caleb fought hard to get back and I was thrilled,” said Scogin. “He’s played really good all year, and he finally had that moment.”
As for the moment, it emerged suddenly after months of encouragement and effort.
“Even though I sat out all last year, these coaches, Coach Scogin especially, all pushed me, and, man, when I saw that ball come straight to me, I thought in my head, ‘I can’t drop this. It’s coming straight to me.’
“It came straight to my chest. I couldn’t have dropped it. Hands got soft, and I caught the ball. Then I just made a move, and I scored,” said Beaver.
After their dance line put on its own show at halftime, the Vikings boogied some more themselves, opening a 57-22 spread before a couple late TDs by Benton (3-3, 1-1).
Madden Raymond registered four rushing scores and Zeigler added a pair for the Tigers.
Vikings quarterback Chase Williams accounted for three touchdowns (two throws, 26 and 11 yards to Drew Warren, and a short run). Terrance Hays and Davis each celebrated in the end zone twice after runs, the last one 48 yards by Davis.
“We just know what we’re capable of,” said Williams. “We had a great preparation of work and practice throughout the week.”
“During practice, we emphasized the execution, the focus, tempo, everything to make sure we came ready for business today,” said Hays.
It was back to business as usual, which is bad news for Airline’s last four 1-5A foes.
Contact Doug at sbjdoug@gmail.com