Westlake wins another Battle of the Lakes over Lake Travis in the 6A Division I Region IV title game
AUSTIN (KXAN) — George Jones III must love playing against Lake Travis.
The Westlake defensive back had two interceptions against the Cavaliers in their district matchup in October, and then he came up with the biggest pick of them all late in the fourth quarter Friday in the 6A Division I Region IV championship game at Kelly Reeves Athletic Complex. Westlake held on to beat their arch-rivals 24-17 and advance to the state semifinals.
Westlake picked off Cavs quarterback Chaston Ditta three times and recovered a fumble to stave off Lake Travis yet again in the regional finals. It's the second consecutive year the Chaps have taken out the Cavs in the round, and the Chaps have advanced to the state semis for the 10th consecutive year.
"These kids fought and fought and fought. They didn't take no for an answer," Westlake head coach Tony Salazar said. "They came here with one purpose: to get on the wall at Westlake High School for the rest of history. A bunch of seniors led the way."
Senior linebacker Elliott Schaper, headed to play college football for Duke University, had two interceptions and Thompson Bennett had a terrific forced fumble in the fourth quarter to stop the Cavs.
Westlake took the lead with a 16-yard touchdown pass from Rees Wise to Brandon Clark early in the fourth quarter. Clark snuck out of the backfield with play-action going the opposite way, and Wise calmly turned to the other side of the field and lofted a pass to a wide-open Clark for the go-ahead score.
It looked like Lake Travis seized momentum after tying the game at 17-17 on a 6-yard pass from Ditta to Patrick Colby with 6:25 left in the third quarter, but Westlake forced three turnovers on the Cavaliers' final five possessions.
It looked like it would be a shootout with both teams scoring on their opening drives with little resistance. Lake Travis capped its first drive with a 2-yard run by Vann Hopping, set up by a 55-yard pass play from Ditta to Josiah Thomas. Westlake had an explosive play to help its first score, a 37-yard pass play from Wise to Cash Robin, and then Wise scored from 5 yards out a few plays later. Westlake led 17-10 at halftime.
Westlake (13-1) will play either Humble Atascocita, who handed the Chaps their only loss earlier this season, or Galena Park North Shore. The Chaps have lost to the Mustangs in the past two state semifinal matchups. Atascocita and North Shore play on Saturday.
Lake Travis ends its season 12-2 with both losses to Westlake.