By Michael Adams
michael@otssports.com
For the first time this season, the Westlake Chaparrals (7-0, 5-0 District 26-5A) found themselves behind at halftime.
Trailing 14-7, the Chaps responded on Friday by outsourcing visiting Dripping Springs 20-0 in the second half to leave Chaparral Stadium with a 27-14 victory to stay undefeated. Friday’s victory was Westlake’s 41st straight regular season win.
“You got to give it to them (Dripping Springs), they came in here and gave us everything they had,” said Westlake head coach Tony Salazar. “I knew we had a bunch of guys in the locker room that weren’t satisfied with that first half, so I didn’t have to say much to them at halftime, and they responded.”
The Tigers (5-2, 4-1) got another big game from running back Jack Tyndall. The junior scored the game’s first touchdown by breaking for a 71-yard run on his way to a 31-carry, 180-yard performance.
Dripping Springs held Westlake’s offense stagnant throughout the first quarter until quarterback Rees Wise scored his first of three rushing touchdowns on a 2-yard run to tie the game at 7 with 3:03 left in the first quarter.
The Tigers shifted momentum early in the second quarter when quarterback Maddox Maher, a junior, connected with Kyle Koch for a 43-yard touchdown toss to retake the lead. Maddox threw for 190 yards, completing 12-of-30 pass attempts.
Both teams missed field goals late in the quarter, as Dripping Springs grasped to a 14-7 lead going into the locker room.
“You know, we were close on some things,” said Dripping Springs head coach Galen Zimmerman. “We didn’t execute some things on special teams, that was a big key right there. In big games like this, you have to execute a little better.”
In the second half, Westlake’s defense frustrated Maher and contained Tyndall from making big plays. The Chaps defense got big performances from Elliott Shaper, Denim Collins, and Connor Vasek in the second half.
Meanwhile, Wise broke free for a 19-yard touchdown run on Westlake’s first drive of the second half to tie the game at 14.
Two minutes later, he ran it in from 4-yards out to give the Chaps their first lead of the game. Wise finished the game with 282 total yards and three touchdowns.
Westlake put the cherry on top of the win in the fourth quarter on a blocked punt by Judson Crockett that was scooped up by Heath McRee and taken to the endzone.
Dripping Springs will host Lake Travis on Friday at Tiger Stadium, while Westlake will make the short trip to House Park Stadium to face rival Austin High. Both games are scheduled to kickoff at 7:30 p.m.