Video: Westlake enters fall camp with goal of redemption after last year's state championship blowout

By Michael Adams
Austin Sports Journal

Four-time state champion Westlake began fall camp Monday with one goal on their mind – right a wrong from last season.

The Chaparrals are on a mission to return to the state championship game to get redemption from last year’s humbling 50-12 loss to North Crowley in the Class 6A Division I state final.

“We took it personal,” said senior linebacker Mason Lastor. “We got blown out, and that shouldn’t happen at Westlake.”

Westlake (14-2 in 2025) returns seven starters on offense and six starters on defense from last year’s team. The sting from having to watch North Crowley score at will still haunts the Chaps.

“I personally use it as motivation,” said senior defensive lineman Maddox Flynt. “The guys that were here last year are very hungry to get back. That’s the expectation, to make it to state.”

The Chaps have three weeks to prepare for their season opener against Prosper at 7 p.m., Friday at Mary Hardin-Baylor. Westlake won last year’s matchup 34-15.

The Chaparrals will play their first three games away from Chaparral Stadium, including a Sept. 6 date at San Benito and a road game against Humble Atascocita, one of two teams to beat Westlake last season.

The first home game is Sept 20 against Cibolo Steele.

“There’s a lot of things to take away from last season, but I like to focus on the positive,” said head coach Tony Salazar. “We had a team that took two parts of a season, from our tough non-district schedule and did what they could with that, and learned from it and grew, and held the Westlake standard with our district schedule and making a playoff run.

“Obviously, the last game didn’t go the way we wanted, but there were two teams left and we went up against a really good football team. I don’t know if we played those guys 10 times, how many times we’d come out on top. But I’d sure like another chance”

Westlake retunr seven starters on offense, including quarterback Rees Wise, an Ole Miss commit, who has a big offensive line in front of him anchored by lineman Will Hesse.

On the defensive side of the ball, the Chaparrals return six starters, including Flynt and defensive back Thompson Bennett, who shared his teammates sentiments about getting back to the state championship game.

“That’s the minimum,” Bennett said. “We;re going to state, we’re not going to settle for anything less.”