FOR THE LOVE OF THE GAME

Sam Morris, Las Vegas Sun

Tuesday, Oct. 10, 2006 | 7:24 a.m.

Juju. Amulets. Talismans. Superstition is a common part of sports, from the crusty sweat stains on an unwashed ball cap or a peculiar outfit a coach wears every game from the start of a winning streak to any manner of pre-game ritual. Nobody can prove that such practices have sway over a performance, but it never hurts to try. And believe.

"Oh, my Spider-Man haircut?" Canyon Springs running back Casio Collins says of his haircut, etched into his scalp a few hours before game time against Chaparral. "It makes me feel like Spider-Man, like I can run just like a superhero."

Five and a half feet below the web razored into his scalp is another, more spiritual reminder emblazoned on the covering of his cleats. In faded Sharpie script is the testimony, "The Lord is my savior." "I am a very spiritual person," says Collins, a member of Remnant Resurrection Church.

"The Lord gives me a lot of strength."

It is unknown if it was his "Spidey sense," his faith, his athletic ability or his belief in all three, but Collins was able to contribute three touchdowns, including an electrifying 90-yard kick return, in the Pioneer's 47-20 victory on Friday.