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Chula Vista school off to undefeated start in only third year
Through five weeks of the season, only one of the 10 teams that call Chula Vista home has won all of their games. And it’s not Eastlake, Chula Vista, Otay Ranch or Hilltop.
It’s Olympian. And in only the third year of their varsity program, the Eagles are swooping in on the South Bay.
“We thought we were going to be before that,” said Olympian coach Gil Warren. “We thought that by the time the seniors came around, we’d be pretty good.”
Olympian opened its doors to students in 2006 and the following year finished 2-8 in its first varsity season. Two years later, they are carrying a perfect record into October.
“I think we can get better. It’s still a young team,” Warren said.
Tucked away in the hills less than five miles north of the U.S.-Mexico border, Olympian might be the best-kept secret in the section. They use their relative obscurity as motivation.
“We have a chip because most other teams think they can beat us,” said Eagles defensive back Hollis Hulin. “We take that and in the game we act tough so we can beat them.”
The Eagles’ fast start is due in part to their speed. Warren said the starting secondary runs between a 4.5 and 4.6 40-yard dash.
“We’re not getting beat deep like we were before and we’re able to catch guys that break most of the time,” Warren said.
That their skill players have sprinter-like speed is no coincidence. Most the Eagles’ skill players run track and their defensive backs and receivers coaches are also track coaches at the school.
“Everyday after practice we do some 40-yard sprints, lines, snakes just to get a little faster,” Hulin said.
On the offensive side of the ball, Olympian is putting up 32 points per game out of a multiple-set I-formation. The Eagles have a three-headed rushing attack led by junior running back Alex Cornist, who rushed for 106 yards and three touchdowns in a win over Mar Vista last week.
“We’re trying to run more downhill instead of going side-to-side like we did last year and we’re getting more stuff going,” Warren said.
Although they primarily keep it on the ground, Olympian can also throw the ball with experience under center. Quarterback Ryan Van Nostrand is the only starter in program history and averages 13 pass attempts per game.
“Depending on what they give us is what we’re trying to take,” Warren said.
In 2009, Olympian ramped up their preseason schedule in hopes that better competition will yield better play in the South Bay League. After starting 4-1 in 2008, the Eagles went 3-3 in league.
“The league is just as tough, but I think we’re kind of catching up a little bit,” Warren said. “I hope we can compete with the rest of the teams in the league.”
Olympian has beaten the likes of Granite Hills (3-1) and Christian (3-2) in preseason and kicked off South Bay play last Friday with a win over Mar Vista. The Eagles host San Ysidro (1-3) Friday night at home.
“We expected to beat them even though the newspaper said they were going to beat us,” Hulin said about the preseason wins. “But we worked hard in practice so we can beat them.”
With their sights set on a league title and the Division IV playoffs, Olympian is setting their goals high. And they won’t let anyone clip their young wings.
Chula Vista school off to undefeated start in only third year
Through five weeks of the season, only one of the 10 teams that call Chula Vista home has won all of their games. And it’s not Eastlake, Chula Vista, Otay Ranch or Hilltop.
It’s Olympian. And in only the third year of their varsity program, the Eagles are swooping in on the South Bay.
“We thought we were going to be before that,” said Olympian coach Gil Warren. “We thought that by the time the seniors came around, we’d be pretty good.”
Olympian opened its doors to students in 2006 and the following year finished 2-8 in its first varsity season. Two years later, they are carrying a perfect record into October.
“I think we can get better. It’s still a young team,” Warren said.
Tucked away in the hills less than five miles north of the U.S.-Mexico border, Olympian might be the best-kept secret in the section. They use their relative obscurity as motivation.
“We have a chip because most other teams think they can beat us,” said Eagles defensive back Hollis Hulin. “We take that and in the game we act tough so we can beat them.”
The Eagles’ fast start is due in part to their speed. Warren said the starting secondary runs between a 4.5 and 4.6 40-yard dash.
“We’re not getting beat deep like we were before and we’re able to catch guys that break most of the time,” Warren said.
That their skill players have sprinter-like speed is no coincidence. Most the Eagles’ skill players run track and their defensive backs and receivers coaches are also track coaches at the school.
“Everyday after practice we do some 40-yard sprints, lines, snakes just to get a little faster,” Hulin said.
On the offensive side of the ball, Olympian is putting up 32 points per game out of a multiple-set I-formation. The Eagles have a three-headed rushing attack led by junior running back Alex Cornist, who rushed for 106 yards and three touchdowns in a win over Mar Vista last week.
“We’re trying to run more downhill instead of going side-to-side like we did last year and we’re getting more stuff going,” Warren said.
Although they primarily keep it on the ground, Olympian can also throw the ball with experience under center. Quarterback Ryan Van Nostrand is the only starter in program history and averages 13 pass attempts per game.
“Depending on what they give us is what we’re trying to take,” Warren said.
In 2009, Olympian ramped up their preseason schedule in hopes that better competition will yield better play in the South Bay League. After starting 4-1 in 2008, the Eagles went 3-3 in league.
“The league is just as tough, but I think we’re kind of catching up a little bit,” Warren said. “I hope we can compete with the rest of the teams in the league.”
Olympian has beaten the likes of Granite Hills (3-1) and Christian (3-2) in preseason and kicked off South Bay play last Friday with a win over Mar Vista. The Eagles host San Ysidro (1-3) Friday night at home.
“We expected to beat them even though the newspaper said they were going to beat us,” Hulin said about the preseason wins. “But we worked hard in practice so we can beat them.”
With their sights set on a league title and the Division IV playoffs, Olympian is setting their goals high. And they won’t let anyone clip their young wings.