PICTONS A POWERFUL PAIR
Cousins ignite Rams’ passing attack
Throughout the 2016 Canada West football season, many people mistakenly have referred to Noah Picton and Mitch Picton as brothers.
They’re actually cousins, but they may as well be siblings.
“Mitch is my best friend, hands down,” says Noah, the University of Regina Rams’ starting quarterback. “He has been since we were kids and he will be for the rest of my life.
“To see him have the success that he is, I’m just as happy for him as if I was having those types of games myself. When you see someone that close to you have that kind of success, it’s pretty incredible.”
Mitch, one of Regina’s starting slotbacks, also uses the word “incredible” to describe the cousins’ successes this season and the fact they’re enjoying such good times together.
“As long as we can remember, we’ve been inseparable,” Mitch says. “We’ve done absolutely everything together. To bring that to the CIS ranks is pretty special.
“He’s an incredible player. I’ve been very blessed my whole life to play with a quarterback like him who can throw the ball like he can. He treats me pretty well.”
The Pictons have picked on defences all season.
Entering the Rams’ regular-season finale Saturday against the host Manitoba Bisons, Noah leads Canada West in completions (a singleseason conference record of 197), passing yards (2,727) and touchdown passes (22). He’s third in the conference in attempts (284).
He already has set U of R singleseason records in completions and passing yards, and he’s within reach of school standards in attempts (316) and TD passes (26, which also is the conference record).
With a big game Saturday, Picton also could reach the Canada West marks for attempts (336) and passing yards (3,162).
Mitch heads to Winnipeg with the conference lead in receptions (56, a single-season school record), receiving yards (815) and touchdown catches (11, tying him for the school mark).
The U of R single-season mark for receiving yards (923) is within reach, but he has some work to do to break the conference records for receptions (66), TD catches (15) and receiving yards (1,112).
The Pictons’ success this season is a product of physical gifts and hard work, but also the chemistry and trust that has developed over years of spending time together.
“We were on the same hockey team and the same football team every single year growing up,” Noah says. “We were in the same class in school from kindergarten to Grade 9.
“I can see his house from my bedroom window. For as long as I can remember, we’d throw the football around in the backyard from right after school until it was dark.
“It’s hard to explain, but (their connection) is truly something special.”
Mitch admits “it’d be different” if he was having a big season while catching passes from another quarterback, but the fact that he and Noah — and a third cousin, tailback Blake Anaka — can savour Regina’s turnaround season together makes it more enjoyable.
“It’s pretty cool when we come out of the tunnel after a game and there are 25 Pictons and Anakas waiting for us,” says Mitch, whose older brother, Aaron, was a Rams offensive lineman from 2010 through 2015. “It’s pretty special for our entire family.”
The No. 7-ranked Rams, who went 0-8 in 2015, enter Saturday’s game with a 5-2 record this season. A victory would clinch first place and home-field advantage through the Canada West playoffs.
Because their on-field performances have helped their team succeed, the 2016 campaign already has been memorable for the Pictons.
“This is something we expected growing up,” Noah says. “We put up good numbers in high school (at LeBoldus) so this is just the nextlevel thing.
“It is special — and it makes family gatherings a lot easier. When we’re throwing the ball, he’s happy and I’m happy. If I wasn’t throwing the ball, it would be a little bit more awkward at the dinner table when we get together.”