Olympic Heights looking to build on winning ways

BOCA RATON — Olympic Heights is building some- thing.

After going a combined 1-20 in the 2014 and ’15 seasons, the Lions have rebounded with a pair of winning campaigns, including a 5-4 mark last season under first-year coach Baz Alfred. But even with the relative success, there is still room to grow.

“I’m not going to say we have expectations. I’m going to say, more so, we have high demand,” said defensive coordinator Bee Alfred, Baz’s younger brother. “We have high demand to correct the errors that we had last year.”

Three of the Lions’ losses last season were by two scores or fewer, including a 34-28 loss to Forest Hill on Homecoming night, a game in which Olympic Heights was three yards from the end zone near the end but couldn’t punch it in.

“There was a lot of success that we had last season, and a lot of growth within our players, but a lot of holes that were left empty because we didn’t finish things,” said Bee Alfred. “This year we are just adding an exclamation point to the end of the sen- tence, finishing everything that we do.”

Baz Alfred and his staff, along with former Heights head coach Chris Kokell, have helped change the cul- ture around a program that had been mired in losing seasons. Some members of the coaching staff who came over with Kokell from Forest Hill have had success build- ing programs.

“The number one thing when we came over was mak- ing the culture and getting those kids to believe in themselves, to just believe that they could win and be on the opposite side of losing,” said Baz. “Once we did that, I think it took over.

“Winning is contagious, and it spread like wildfire.”

The different mentality was evident to the players who had suffered through the losing years.

“When I came in as a freshman, I didn’t know what to expect from the program and there was a huge change between two different head coaches,” said left tackle Edgar Cardenas. “The new coaches tried to get it through our minds to buy into the program.”

That program was rebuilt around hard work, discipline and accountability, and the players have bought in.

The culture change has led to improved results, and the Lions are ready to take the next step.

“The way I see it, we’re right there on the cusp,” said Baz. “I feel like we’re in the top tier of our district, and we were a game away from getting into the playoffs, so I feel the next step is right now.”

With a revamped offense under junior transfer quarterback Connor Hone, Olympic Heights has the tools to add another winning campaign.

“I’m excited about both our run game and our passing game,” said offensive lineman Will Cunningham. “We’re clicking as an offense. It’s been a long process with Connor coming in and becoming the new quarterback after we graduated our last quarterback, but he’s definitely fit the program and he’s doing a great job.”

The Lions enter 2018 as a team with internal optimism, a belief that they can compete with anyone despite their underdog mentality.

“There’s a lot of talk around the county about who runs the county, from this school to that school, and it’s fine that we’re being left out,” said Bee Alfred. “I love the fact that we’re being left out because when we come in unannounced, we’re going to make our presence felt and everyone is going to know exactly who we are.”