The high school football season has come to an end, but accolades continue to roll in for TechBoston Academy Coach Raul Brown and Xavier Landrum, his 17-year-old senior captain, the City League’s coach and player of the year, respectively.

The pairing played a significant role in the team’s successful 8-3 season, during which they led the Bears to a 50-14 victory over Brighton High School and brought the league championship title back to Dorchester. 

“In the beginning of the season, I just didn’t think we were going to have quite the season we had,” said Brown. “The team hit every milestone that we set for them. We played for the headmaster’s chair against O’Bryant, and they won that. Then we beat Latin Academy and kept the Mason Cup home. They did their best to get into the playoffs, and they competed with the number one team in the state in our division. Every time we gave them a challenge, they rose to it. For me as a coach, it was perfect.”

It was the perfect ending to both Brown and Landrum’s time in red. Next season, Brown will have left TechBoston for a new career opportunity and Landrum will be in college.  But for most, moving on doesn’t come without looking back first.

“We’ve had Xavier since he was a freshman. A lot of time the best potential in our school system gets plucked to go other places,” Brown told The Reporter. “We got lucky because we knew his potential and he stayed with us.” 

He added: “It wasn’t until the end of his junior year where we as coaches looked at each other and said, ‘Oh, we have something really special here next year.’” 

Landrum ended his high school career on a high note and hopes to carry that same energy with him on to the college fields next fall. Joe Allen photo

When the following fall came around, Landrum, at running back and defensive end, proved his coaches right. The 6-2, 208-pound two-way athlete rushed for more than 1,000 yards this year.

Landrum said his final season felt “like a movie” but that it went by far too quickly. “I wasn’t thinking about stats, nothing. I just wanted to be around the people I love being around most,” said Landrum, who lives in East Boston. He wasn’t even thinking about achieving Player of the Year, he said. “Coach Brown was telling me, the coaches kept reminding me, but I just kept forgetting about it. I just wanted to have fun and play my game.” 

Despite his success this season, Landrum’s favorite memory with TechBoston football is actually from a loss last year. Not just any loss, but a Thanksgiving game defeat to Brighton at Fenway Park. 

“That was one of the best games of my whole career,” Landrum shared excitedly. “This one play, they were about to score on the 5-yard line and then I came in as middle linebacker and stripped the ball out and I ran 80 yards.”

Brown agreed, saying that game under the lights at Fenway was one of his favorite memories, too, because his team battled through injuries and adversity. This year though, things went much better for the Bears. 

The coach said he was happier to learn about Landrum’s award than his own. “For me, I care more about what these guys accomplish, what these guys could get, and how much I can shine sunlight on these guys than myself.”

Coach Raul Brown on the sidelines during his final season with the Bears. Joe Allen photo

Specifically, he takes joy in seeing how proud his player’s parents are of them.

“I’ve been there as a kid growing up in the Bronx,” said Brown. “I know exactly what my players have to go through when it comes to family and their socioeconomic levels. I know where they are, I know what their families are thinking, and I know how hard they are busting their butt for their sons to play football. When they’re with me ,I’m going to coach and talk to them like they’re my own sons or my own little brothers.”

Neither Brown nor Landrum has shared his plans for when the school year comes to an end, but one of them will be playing at the collegiate level somewhere and the other will be cheering him on each step of the way. 

As Landrum comes closer to picking a school, he continues to express gratitude toward TechBoston Football and Coach Brown.

“I wouldn’t change it for the world,” he said. “This was the best experience I’ve ever had. Honestly, I’m thankful I got to do it with the best coach in the city.”