Westbury Christian off to impressive start
The Westbury Christian football team couldn’t have been more dominant to start the season, crushing Bay Area Christian 62-0 and The Woodlands Christian 41-13.
But Westbury Christian head coach Mark Krimm refused to make too much of the lopsided victories.
“It’s nice to get wins against opponents we were 0-2 against last season,” Krimm said. “But we probably caught them at the right time. Bay Area Christian graduated 16 seniors and The Woodlands Christian has a new coach, so both teams are in rebuilding mode. Those things are outside of our control, but I still thought we played well.”
A truer test will come this weekend when the Wildcats travel to Southwest Preparatory Conference powerhouse Kinkaid at 7 p.m. Friday at Segal Field.
“It’s definitely a step up in competition. Kinkaid is always one of the top teams in the SPC,” Krimm said. “We will have a much better idea of how good we really are. It’s a big test for us.”
After two weeks, Westbury Christian looks like a much-improved defensive unit. The Wildcats held Bay Area Christian to 13 yards and zero first downs. They were on the verge of a second straight shutout against The Woodlands Christian before giving up two late scores, but they allowed only 166 yards.
Westbury Christian has relied on its defensive line featuring senior Grant Hazle and Brian Okunna and juniors Tre Francis and Craig Maura. Hazle has caused and recovered a fumble in each game and returned one for a 24-yard touchdown in the opener.
“Our defense is a little bit different than other teams, but our four-man front has been really effective,” Krimm said.
The Wildcats’ linebackers, led by senior twins Jeremiah and Xavier Simon, have made plenty of tackles, and Westbury Christian has gotten steady play from the secondary, most notably junior safety Micah Flowers and freshman cornerback Jayvon Hill.
Offensively, the Wildcats have enjoyed a potent running game, thanks to the blocking of juniors Jose Sosa and Will Symonds at center and guard, respectively. Sosa, a transfer from Bellaire, has been a key pickup.
Junior quarterback Jordan Hill, a move-in from Waltrip, has proven to be a capable game manager. In two games, Hill has completed 8 of 14 passes for 196 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions.
“In our offense, we’re not asking Jordan to throw the ball 50 times a game,” Krimm said. “He needs to be consistent and not make mistakes.”
Senior wide receiver Markus Henderson (four catches for 136 yards, TD) has been Hill’s favorite target. Henderson should become more of a factor as Westbury Christian opens up its offensive playbook in the coming weeks.
Krimm gives part of the credit for the Wildcats’ fast start to the Touchdown Club of Houston, which awarded the school a grant to refurbish its weight room.
“We try to play a physical brand of football, but it requires the players to be in great shape,” Krimm said. “We’ve really come a long way with our strength and conditioning.” Volleyball coach happy to be home
Gina Rosolino is thrilled to be back home at Westbury Christian.
Rosolino, a former basketball, softball and volleyball standout for the Wildcats, was hired as head volleyball coach this season.
“It’s great to back at a place that shaped who I am and where I have so many fond memories,” Rosolino said.
In fact, Rosolino described her return to Westbury Christian “like a family reunion,” noting that several fellow 2010 graduates, including head swimming coach Laney Metts and head boys soccer coach Phillip Zamora, are on the coaching staff.
Rosolino hopes to eventually build the Wildcats into a contender, but it won’t be easy in a league as challenging as Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools’ Class 4A-District 5.
“We have some really tough teams in our district, like Fort Bend Christian and Lutheran South,” Rosolino said. “It’s going to take time.”
“We’re a pretty young team,” Rosolino said. “Most of these girls will be back next year. We should be even stronger.”