Covenant Christian kicks off first season

While most teams are anxiously awaiting the start to their seasons, one Tri-parish school has already kicked off their 2010 campaign.

Their first-ever season as an official varsity football program, too.

Covenant Christian kicked off their inaugural season on Thursday at Nicholls’ John L. Guidry Stadium.

And while the school waited four years to have an official varsity football team, they only had to wait a few seconds to get their first touchdown, as the Lions scored early and often in a 64-0 thrashing of the New Orleans home-school Saints.

Building a successful program with a Christ-based winning tradition, that’s the foundation being laid down by the person anchoring the upstart team, head coach Blyght Wunstell.

And so far, the results are speaking for themselves, as the Lions had dominated all of their preseason scrimmages before the 64-point win in the season opener.

“We’re trying to build something special here,” Wunstell said following the season opener. “We’re doing things right, we’re treating kids right. We respect kids and demand discipline and demand respect. That’s what kids look for today. They want that. And if you treat kids right and you have discipline in your kids, and you give all the glory to the Lord, then good things happen for you.”

Good things certainly happened for the Lions’ offense in the season opener.

Anchoring that group is quarterback Braxton Matthews, who was originally a wide receiver.

But despite the position change, the quarterback has shown an array of both running and passing ability so far this season.

“He’s done an excellent job of running the offense,” Wunstell said.

Matthews said as the season moves along, he’ll try to tweak a few small things, so he can continue to deliver the football to the Lions’ big playmakers on the edge, receivers David Leslie and James Morris.

“I’m trying to get better at reading the defense and working on some little things like tweaking some techniques,” Matthews said. “I’m also working on getting better on those short routes in my drop backs.”

When the Lions aren’t throwing the football, Wunstell’s favorite number to call is fullback Robbie Arabie, who scored a pair of touchdowns and converted several 2-point conversions in the season opener.

On defense, the Lions have been just as ferocious, allowing just six combined points among the team’s three scrimmages and the season opener, under defensive coordinator and former H.L. Bourgeois head coach Randy Boquet.

One of the key playmakers on that side of the football so far has been Leslie, who also doubles as a cornerback. In the opening game of the season, the both-ways player intercepted a pass and kept the Saints’ receivers off balance throughout the game.

“When I felt that ball come into my hands, I felt so good,” Leslie said. “The first game, and I was ready to light something up already. … That was just a great feeling.”

The first game is out of the way, and what lies ahead for the Lions is a schedule that sees the team take the field 10 more times in 2010.

And while a playoff berth and maybe even a state championship in the Louisiana Christian High School Athletic Association are all possibilities, it’s a one game at a time approach for the Lions.

But make no mistake about it, the first one was pretty nice.

“This first one meant a lot to me,” Arabie said. “Coming into this new school and making history for the first time, it means a lot. You don’t get many opportunities to make history like this. It’s unspeakable to think about it and put it into words, because it just means so much to us.”

Houma Christian also set to kick off for first-ever time in 2010

While Covenant Christian has already kicked off, Houma Christian will also have their inaugural season this year.

The school will play six junior-varsity football games this year, before becoming a full-time Class 1A program in 2011-12, which will be their first official season.

The Warriors’ coach will be Alvin Mahler, who has experience coaching at Rummel, Ecole Classique and E.D. White.

The addition of football will build onto an athletic program that already has volleyball, cross country, basketball, baseball and softball.

Covenant Christian Academy

Aug. 7 @ New Orleans

Aug. 14 @ Breaux Bridge & Highland

Aug. 19 *New Orleans

Aug. 26 *Resurrection Catholic

Sept. 3 @ *Sacred Heart

Sept. 11 @ Highland Baptist

Sept. 16 Highland Baptist

Sept. 18 @ Baton Rouge

Sept. 23 @ Harvest Time

Oct. 7 Breaux Bridge

Oct. 14 @ Natchitoches Christian

Oct. 21 New Orleans

* Denotes district game

Coach: Blyght Wunstell

Assistant Coaches: Randy Boquet, Leon Veal, Steve Schexnayder, Tim Betts

Record last season: NA

Returning Starters: NA

Players to Watch: Quarterback Braxton Matthews, receiver/ cornerback David Leslie, fullback Robbie Arabie

Primary Strengths: Passing offense

Fun FACTS

64: The margin of victory for the Lions in their first-ever football game, a 64-0 win

4: The number of years Covenant Christian Academy has been in existence

10: The number of games the Lions have remaining in 2010

Covenant Christian fullback Robbie Arabie drives forward for extra yardage on a 2-point conversion play in Thursday’s season opener. Arabie scored two touchdowns and is the stabilizing force in the team’s rushing offense. CASEY GISCLAIR TRI-PARISH TIMES