JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Donovan Masline got the head coaching job at Raines and had to follow a legend.
It didn’t faze him one bit.
Recommended Videos
And last week, Masline etched his name into the record books after leading the Vikings to a 23-22 win over Miami Northwestern to win the Class 3A state championship. It was the fourth title in Raines history.
Now, two of the coaches who preceded Masline and won state championships at their alma mater, say that they couldn’t be more proud of him for reaching the top.
MORE RAINES COVERAGE
“To see where he is now, it is not shocking at all to for him to have the opportunity to follow the legacy that has been set forth, way before me,” said former Raines head coach Welton Coffey.
“It’s a humbling, humbling experience. We have talked. We have texted. I try to stay out of the way. There’s not many times I get to be a fan, being a coach and everything else. I had an opportunity once again, to be a fan with [Deran] Wiley, now with Masline. Just really excited for them in their moments.”
Coffey, a Raines graduate, had success instantly with his alma mater. Coffey led the Vikings to the Class 4A state championship in his first season, a 32-27 thriller over Belle Glade Glades Central. He’s now the athletic director at Camden County.
It took quite a bit longer after that for Raines to get its second crown, and it came under another Vikings alum, Deran Wiley. Unlike Coffey’s path, Wiley’s trek to the top was similar to the one Masline walked.
“He’s always been a student of the game,” Wiley said of Masline. “So again, what he learned in the first trip was very, very invaluable to understand what it takes and correct the mistakes in your approach. … You joined elite company. It’s something that you’ll have for the rest of your life.”
In Wiley’s first title game, his team went into the final quarter leading Booker T. Washington, 23-22 (ironically, the same score as this year’s game). The Vikings had a final quarter that still haunts Wiley to this day, a 29-point disaster. Raines lost 43-23. When the Vikings returned to the state championship in 2017, they were far more prepared. They beat Cocoa 13-10. Wiley won another title the following year in a 27-14 win over Cocoa.
Raines got blasted by Miami Northwestern 41-0 in 2024, a humiliating game for everyone affiliated with the Vikings. Both Masline and players vowed that they would return to the game and the outcome would be different.
“I’m too proud, because again, I’ve had a chance to coach him. I can remember when he came on to my staff and I told him, ‘Come on and become a coach.’ And he was always very studious, his approach. And to see him just, put his stamp on it, put his flavor on it, it’s remarkable,” Wiley said.
“To see him have success, man, it just makes me so happy. I was a little nervous, a little tense during the game. But as we pulled it out, man, I just I jumped for joy.”
Coffey and Wiley paved the way for Masline in their own ways. Coffey has known the Masline family for decades and coached two of his brothers at Raines. Wiley coached Masline at Raines and later brought him in on staff, where he was an assistant for both championships.
“I love this profession, but to be a head coach at a program such as that that is rich in history, it’s not the pressure that the outside puts on you, it’s the pressure that you put on yourself,” Coffey said. “He’s been able to weather that. I’m ecstatic for him. I’m happy for him. I’m going to keep sending the texts, brother. Keep pressing forward, and maybe this is only the beginning.”