NEW YORK – Every where Garrett Wilson has played at, he has been a winner. At Austin Lake Travis, he won a 6A-I state title in 2016 and lost in the finals in 2017 and semis in 2018, both to teams who would go on and win the title. He had a lot of success at Ohio State where the wins were plenty even though they did not win an SEC Invitational, I mean CFP, title. The great news for Wilson is that he will be in the NFL in 2022. The bad news is the team he is playing for hasn’t made the playoffs since Wilson was in grade school.
On draft night many thought he would end up in Green Bay, always a threat to play in February, or Atlanta, a team that has had a mix of successful and unsuccessful season. Instead he ended up with the New York Jets. The Jets haven’t made the tournament since 2011 and is a franchise known for many failures whose only success was Joe Namath’s guarantee in 1969.
Not only is his challenge playing a team that lost more games in 2021 than Wilson lost in all his years at Lake Travis and Ohio State combined, he also has the challenge of the New York media. The NY media is well known for crucifying teams and athletes. The Jets, Mets, Knicks, and Rangers have won next to nothing and are used to having awful seasons which the media and fans love to tee off on. Not only will Wilson have to deal with playing on a losing team for the 1st time in his career but also the headlines that the media will write.
Having gotten to know his dad Kenneth, Garrett is well trained and ready for what might come at him in the papers and on the field in the AFC East. Buffalo has had a great last few years after 18 years of poor play. New England is no longer the dynasty they were but are still almost always in the playoffs. Miami has been 1 win short each of the last 2 years of getting into the tournament. The wild cards will mostly come from the AFC West and perhaps the east though New York right now is just trying to find wins under coach Robert Saleh and 2nd year quarterback Zach Wilson.
Ohio State receiver Garrett Wilson plays against Cincinnati during an NCAA college football game Saturday, Sept. 7, 2019, in Columbus, Ohio. (AP Photo/Jay LaPrete)
Could Garrett Wilson be the savior that gets the Jets out of a 10-year dark hole? If he is, he might be working a miracle even Mother Theresa couldn’t do.
Greg Sherman Twitter @MrBowtie1982 Youtube The Texas High School Sports Machine
With the 10th overall pick (acquired from the Seattle Seahawks) in the 2022 NFL draft The New York Jets to select Ohio State wide receiver Garrett Wilson. The former Cavs Star will be a big target for franchise quarterback Zach Wilson in the 2022 season. On the small end as a wide a wide receiver at six feet and 183 pounds Wilson caught eight of his 13 targets that were deemed “contested” in 2021, per Pro Football Focus. With Wilson ability to his ball tracking, strong hands, timing and ability to react on the the ball, and his agility is a total package for any NFL QB!
Ohio State receiver Garrett Wilson plays against Cincinnati during an NCAA college football game Saturday, Sept. 7, 2019, in Columbus, Ohio. (AP Photo/Jay LaPrete)
Jets fans will come to know what Lake Travis Cavaliers faithful have seen in the central Texas area 4 years ago with Garrets exciting play making ability, the Big Apple has something to cheer about on Sundays. Congratulations to the Wilson family.
#5 Garrett Wilson rushes for yards in Title Game in 2016.
The final score didn’t come close to telling the whole story of Galena Park North Shore’s 49-38 win against Lake Travis Saturday at Kelly Reeves Athletic Complex in the Class 6A Div. I State Semifinal in Round Rock, TX. A year after getting run off the field by the same team in the same round of the playoffs, Lake Travis scored 35 second-half points to give North Shore a legit scare before falling valiantly in the end.
The Cavs return to the field in the second half and despite being down 28-3 made a valiant effort to come back but, Galena Park North Shore’s 49-38 win against Lake Travis was too much for the Cavs Saturday at Kelly Reeves Athletic Complex in the Class 6A Div. I State Semifinal in Round Rock, TX
“What a great response by our kids,” said Lake Travis coach Hank Carter. “Football coaches get up there and they talk about being resilient and mentally tough, and I think a lot of people that don’t get it would say that’s just a bunch of coach speak. But this is what it’s about. The way our kids came together and our coaching staff got together with the kids at halftime, made some adjustments, and we fought and clawed. We at least made them nervous and that’s more than we did a year ago. They’re a great team. They’re very well-coached. They’re extremely talented, and they’re very deserving of the victory. But I’m very proud with how our kids responded.”
The big mystery at the start of the game concerned North Shore senior running back Zach Evans, who was nowhere to be seen at kickoff. The 5-star prospect who is almost universally considered the No. 1 tailback in the country was taking the SAT and didn’t check in until the final minute of the first half. Once he finally got on the field, he showed exactly why he’s sought after by almost every major college football program in the country by rushing for 169 yards and two touchdowns on 17 carries
His absence, however, wasn’t much of an issue for North Shore’s offense in the first half. Instead of giving it to Davis, the Mustangs handed the ball off to senior Roger Hagan, who rumbled for 117 yards on 22 totes. Junior quarterback Demetrius Davis was also dialed in. He finished with 234 total yards (125 passing, 109 rushing) and four total touchdowns (3 passing, 1 rushing) as North Shore built a 28-3 halftime lead.
“They went to the bullpen and brought out a guy (Hagan) throwing 105 miles an hour,” Carter said. “The Evans kid is tremendous and everyone obviously knows about him. I think, to me, though, the guy that makes them unique and special is their quarterback. He runs the ball as good as any running back that I’ve seen and he’s making great decisions with the football and he’s throwing it on the money. Coach Kay does an excellent job with his team and they played like champions tonight.”
Lake Travis never found a way to truly stop North Shore’s ground game as the Mustangs rushed for just a shade under 400 yards, but the Cavs’ offense got into a groove in the second half and almost sparked an incredible comeback. After throwing for just 26 yards on the first half, senior quarterback Hudson Card left it all out on the field after the break and finished with 357 total yards (290 passing, 67 rushing) and three total touchdowns (2 passing, 1 rushing).
His determination shined on Lake Travis’s final two drives. With the Cavs trailing by 25 in the fourth quarter, Card broke off an electric 28-yard scoring run where he fought through arm tackles, reversed the field against one of the fastest defenses in the state, and successfully dove for the pylon as a Mustang play tried dragging him down. On the next possession, he made eyes almost pop out of their sockets as he seemed wrapped up by the North Shore pass rush, only to break free, tip-toe the sideline, and complete a 26-yard pass that set up a three-yard touchdown run by Weston Stephens.
“Early on I think they were getting a little bit of pressure on us so we’re probably holding on to the ball for just a little bit longer than we needed to,” Carter said. “They were covering us well. Again, credit to North Shore. But he settled in, made some great plays. I told him on the one that he scored there, ‘oh man, I guess you still can run.’ And he’s doing all that on probably about 50 percent of how his foot oughta work.”
Lake Travis also recovered an onside kick and forced two second-half turnovers to keep hope alive. The first turnover was a leaping interception by sophomore defensive back DJ Johnson, who went up and snagged a hard pass in zone coverage that Davis thought he could get over him. There was also a fumble out of the end zone. And, of course, senior wide receiver Kyle Eaves, who did as much as anybody to keep the Cavs alive with eight catches for 155 yards and a touchdown.
Lake Travis has been San Antonio Madison’s bugaboo for
some time now. That proved to be the case again on Friday when the
Cavaliers knocked the Mavericks out of the playoff for the fourth
straight year with a 49-21 victory at Rattler Stadium in San Marcos, TX.
With star quarterback Hudson Card still on the shelf from the
foot injury he suffered against Westlake, Lake Travis leaned on junior
running back Weston Stephens, who paced the offense with 20 carries for
165 yards and three touchdowns. It was the fourth time in five games
he’s hit the century mark in rushing after doing it zero times before.
He also had five catches for 61 yards.
Junior quarterback Nate Yarnell was 19-of-25 for 239 yards with
two touchdowns and one interception. With 1:41 left in the half and
Lake Travis leading only 14-7, Yarnell engineered a perfect two-minute
drill. He completed five-of-six passes to march the Cavaliers 58 yards
on nine plays, the last a four-yard touchdown toss to senior Grayson
Sandlin (six receptions, 78 yards) with 15 seconds left on the clock.
Lake Travis’s defense had the Mavericks’ attack completely out of sorts until the fourth quarter. Madison scored on only one of its first nine possessions, and that scoring drive was aided by two 15-yard face-mask penalties and culminated with a strange touchdown pass on a broken play.
Maui Trevino makes a tackle in the the 3rd Quarter at Rattlers Stadium against the Madison Maverick’s in a decisive win for the Div I 6-A Area Playoff. Cavs will face Weslaco next week in San Antonio likely the Alamodome on Friday Nov 29th at 1pm.
With the score 35-7 late in the third quarter, senior
linebacker Maui Trevino intercepted a pass and returned it to Madison’s
12. Three plays later, Lake Travis gave one of their big guys some love
as senior guard Andrew Salem (6-foot-2, 270 pounds) rumbled four yards
for touchdown to effectively ice the game.
AUSTIN
— It’s common knowledge that Lake Travis spent the latter portion of
the season trying to work through an injury to starting quarterback
Hudson Card.
Thankfully for the Cavaliers, senior middle linebacker Maui Trevino is still there to command the other side of the ball.
Head
coach Hank Carter’s team kicked off the 2019 postseason by stifling
Smithson Valley 21-3 at home on Friday, Nov. 15 in Austin. In that game,
Lake Travis surrendered an early field goal to the Rangers but
absolutely clamped down on the visitors for the remaining three
quarters.
Trevino
was in the middle of the action all night and helped slow Smithson
Valley’s not-so-secret weapon — senior running back/wide receiver Greg
Eggleston, who came into the contest averaging 11.7 yards per touch.
The
Cavs limited the Rangers’ X-factor to just 15 yards on 12 carries,
while Trevino piled on 10 total tackles to bring his team-leading season
total to 91 prior to Lake Travis’ second-round matchup with San Antonio
Madison.
“Maui
is the leader of our defense,” Carter said. “He’s a three-year starter
and embodies everything you want from a middle linebacker. He’s smart,
tough, instinctive and is a great tackler. I’m proud of the player that
he’s become and he’s a huge part of our success this season.”
Of
course, there were still plenty of eyes fixed on Lake Travis junior
Nate Yarnell, who took over for Card during the week leading up to the
Del Valle game. Yarnell went 3-0 in the last three weeks of District
25-6A competition, but it was unknown if the playoffs would prove to be a
stumbling block.
However,
the 6-foot-6 junior stood tall when it counted and helped turn the tide
with a pair of touchdown drives in the second quarter. The first was
capped by a 34-yard strike to Grayson Sandlin, while the second was an
81-yard march that saw Yarnell cover the final few feet on a 1-yard run.
“Nate
did a lot of good things,” Carter said. “He made some big throws and
runs when we needed them. He’ll continue to improve as he gets more
games under his belt.”
The
offense was also given a boost by running back Weston Stephens, who
churned out 160 yards on 27 carries to help the Cavs keep the chains
moving.
Defensively,
Trevino received additional support from defensive back D.J. Johnson
and defensive end Trey Sofia. Johnson shadowed Eggleston all night,
while Sofia caused a key fumble to help preserve the Cavaliers’ 14-3
halftime edge.
All of those players will be instrumental as the postseason rolls on.
Lake
Travis faces a matchup with Madison in the second round and will look
to slow the Mavericks’ one-two punch of quarterback Michael Garza (1,801
total yards, 23 TDs) and running back Darien Gill (1,131 yards, 10
TDs).
Garrett Wilson’s three second-quarter touchdowns helped Lake Travis pull away from San Antonio Madison last year for a 56-35 win in the 2018 Class 6A Division I Area playoff game.
There’s also hope that Card could return at some point down the line if the Cavs can keep on advancing. His prognosis, which initially stated that his injury required season-ending surgery, was changed to a four- to six-week timetable days after the Westlake game. It’s not known if Card will be healthy enough to get back on the field before he makes the move to the University of Texas, but even if he’s unable to return in 2019, Trevino and the defense will be ready for whatever comes their way.
Everywhere you look in Cavalier Stadium six silver stars appear, each one representing a State Championship. Lake Travis came into the season looking to add their seventh star. To do this head coach Hank Carter says they will take it one game at a time. With their sights set on another championship the Lake Travis Cavaliers faced off against the Austin High Maroons in the third divisional game of the season.
The eruption from the Lake Travis tunnel could be heard and felt. The entire team was inside the iconic helmet tunnel jumping and shooting with a ferocity that would intimidate any opponent. After coming off a tough loss against Westlake, Austin High had another uphill battle against the Lake Travis Cavaliers. Ultimately Lake Travis walked away with a shutout victory winning 63-0 over the Austin High Maroons. Offensively Lake Travis dominated this game in both the ground and air totaling 770 yards.
Lake Travis had the ball to start the game, looking to seize the momentum early the Cav’s quickly picked up a first down. It got harder from there as Lake Travis would throw three straight in-completions resulting in the punter taking the field on 4th down.
Austin matched Lake Travis’ drive by picking up a first down but eventually stalling out. After Quarterback Charles Wright had quick-kicked the ball Austin had started winning the field position battle as they almost put Lake Travis on their own 1-yard line.
Despite bad starting field position Lake Travis placed together a steady drive working their way downfield. After the first three plays of the drive were runs; senior quarterback Hudson Card came back with a 17-yard strike off the RPO to Kyle Eaves setting Hudson Card up for another big throw down the right sideline. Running Back Marcelo Alanis capped off the drive with a 7-yard touchdown run to put the first points on the board.
Following another punt from Austin, Lake Travis put together another methodical drive downfield, including a big 26-yard pass from Hudson Card to Grayson Sandlin. The drive was capped off with a 15-yard touchdown run by Wesley Erving.
One thing that worked all day for Lake Travis was the quarterback roll out. Numerous times the Lake Travis offensive line allowed opposing defensive linemen inward to the pocket while Hudson Card rolled out and delivered a perfect throw for a big gain. This was the go-to concept for Lake Travis as they primarily pulled it out on key 3rd downs.
On Austin’s third offensive possession they drove downfield, including a big 15+ yard run by running back Grayson Davis as well as a wide receiver screen to captain Colby Kalbacher to pick up a first down. Austin had finally gotten past the halfway point and now they were on the Lake Travis 31 yard line. With the end-zone in site, Austin’s center mishandled the ball leading to a fumble and recovery by Lake Travis. This ended the drive and put Lake Travis in yet another good spot to score.
For the rest of the half, Austin was not able to pass midfield but Lake Travis was able to score touchdowns including a 20-yard touchdown pass from Hudson Card to senior receiver Grayson Sandlin, a 15-yard touchdown pass on a roll out to Kyle Eaves and their biggest play of the half when wide receiver Grayson Sandlin broke a short slant for a 50-yard touchdown, his third so far. It was safe to say that the Lake Travis passing attack could not be stopped as they totaled 499 yards through the air. Despite all of this scoring Austin’s defense did come big on a forced and recovered fumble to stop Lake Travis.
Going into halftime Austin needed to improve their big play ability. Something that they had been great at all year was haunting them throughout the first half. One of the reasons that they often stalled out near midfield was they were not able to generate big plays. This was the deciding factor in the game. If Austin was able to generate more big plays they would have found themselves in closer competition.
Offensively, the second half was not much better for Austin as they once again stalled near midfield allowing Lake Travis to start chewing clock. Lake Travis hit a big 52-yard passing touchdown on just their 3rd play of the half, on this one Hudson Card connected with Kyle Eaves essentially putting the game away.
Lake Travis slowed their offense down as they put second string quarterback Nate Yarnell in. They also slowed down the tempo trying to run the clock out and claim another victory. The Cavaliers are now 3-0 in district play and 4-1 in the regular season.
Coach Hank Carter had this to say when asked which player he thought had a breakout game, “That’s a good question – I think several, Grayson Sandlin made an awesome run after the catch, this is something we have been working on with him and wanting to see him do. I also think Weston Stephens had a great game as well as Gary Gordon.”
Lake Travis walked away with another win, once again they look like divisional favorites. Lake Travis has a favorable matchup against the Lehman Lobos next Friday and then what we are all waiting for, the Battle Of The Lakes! Lake Travis vs Westlake on Oct 11th. Austin has a must-win matchup with Del Valle this Thursday that could determine the playoff contenders.
AUSTIN — When a team as good as Lake Travis drops its season opener, it’s always going to become statewide news.
But
does that mean that head coach Hank Carter’s Cavaliers are in for a
rough go in 2019? A quick look at the history books offers a resounding
no to that inquiry.
In
fact, the last two times that Lake Travis opened a season at 0-1 under
Carter — in both 2016 and 2017 — Lake Travis ended up playing for a
Class 6A state championship on both occasions. Each season-opening loss
came against perennial powerhouse Converse Judson.
Following
a 35-28 setback against Judson to kick off the 2016 campaign, Carter
and the Cavs responded by embarking on a 15-game winning streak that led
to the program’s sixth state title. A year later, Lake Travis lost
65-45 to the Rockets in a shootout but managed to bounce back by
advancing to yet another championship game.
In the end, the Cavaliers fell short of a seventh title, as Allen prevailed 35-33 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington.
It
was another DFW-area team — Arlington Martin — that knocked off Lake
Travis in the 2019 debut for both teams. Martin struck for three scores
in the second half to break open a tie game and secure a 35-14 triumph.
It
was just the second non-district regular season loss for the Cavaliers
in the past three seasons combined. However, there’s no need for panic
among the Lake Travis faithful.
The
Cavs are still loaded offensively with Texas commit Hudson Card at
quarterback and talented skill players such as wide receiver Kyle Eaves,
tight end Lake McRee and running back Weston Stephens around him.
Defensively, linebackers Maui Trevino and Nick Villarreal will look to
help tighten a few screws after Martin quarterback Zach Mundell broke
loose for 176 rushing yards and three scores in the opener.
Give
Martin some credit as well. It’s not like Lake Travis lost to an
upstart team or even a fringe playoff contender. From 2010 to 2017,
Martin won 10 or more games six different times and was expected to
compete for a state championship last season before limping to a
disappointing 5-6 finish.
One of those losses was a 35-14 setback against the Cavaliers in the 2018 opener.
So
while Martin exacted a bit of revenge and has the solid start it was
after to 2019, it would be extremely foolish to write off Lake Travis or
expect a down season from Carter and company.
The
smart bet is that the Cavaliers will right the ship before District
25-6A play arrives and still end up playing past Thanksgiving once the
playoff arrive.
If that’s the case, the loss to Martin will be nothing more than a
footnote — and also another example of why Lake Travis is one of the
premier programs in Texas.
AUSTIN
— The budding rivalry between Central Texas powerhouses Westlake and
Lake Travis is one that doesn’t need any additional fuel added to the
fire.
But
that didn’t stop former Cavalier Baker Mayfield from pouring a can of
gasoline onto the blaze back in June when he took a shot at former Chap
and current Longhorn Sam Ehlinger.
“He
couldn’t beat Lake Travis, so I don’t really care [about] his opinion
on winning,” Mayfield said. “Westlake is a great program, but the two
best quarterbacks to come out of there are Drew Brees and Nick Foles.
Sam can stay down there in Texas.
“That will stir the pot. He doesn’t like me, and I hope he knows I don’t like him either.”
To
fans and competitors on either side of the “Battle of the Lakes,” those
kind of feelings are nothing new — and they’re often mutual.
In
each of the past two seasons, the Chaps have earned bragging rights,
including last year’s surprisingly one-sided 44-14 drubbing at Chaparral
Stadium. Westlake’s 21-14 win in 2017 snapped a 10-game losing streak
to the Cavaliers, who still lead the overall series 10-4.
Last
year’s matchup decided the District 25-6A championship and pundits
expect the same stakes for this season’s meeting, although Lake Travis
is the early favorite to get back in the win column and claim the 25-6A
title this time around.
It’s
not difficult to see why. The Cavs bring back 15 starters from a team
that went 12-2 in 2018 and advanced to the Class 6A Division I state
semifinals.
Quarterback
Hudson Card, a Texas commit, is back to lead an explosive Lake Travis
passing attack, and despite the loss of all-everything receiver Garrett
Wilson, there are plenty of targets for Card to zero in on. Versatile
wideout Kyle Eaves leads the charge, and teammates Lake McRee and
Grayson Sandlin have the size to play either receiver or tight end.
Lake Travis QB Hudson Card targets his receiver in the Battle of the Lakes match-up in 2018 vs Westlake. Photo: Texas Sports Monthly- Stan Martin
Running
back Weston Stephens also returns, as do linebackers Maui Trevino and
Nick Villarreal. Meanwhile, sophomore defensive back Derrick Johnson
could become an impact performer right away.
The Chaps will look to replace graduate Taylor Anderson at QB and the heir apparent looks to be either Kirkland
Michaux or Drew Willoughby. Both got playing time in 2018 due to
injuries, and whoever wins the starting battle will likely rely on
weapons like WRs Mason Mangum and Jackson Coker.
Westlake, which was 13-2 last season and made it to the 6A DII state semifinals, also welcomes back standout defensive backs Sage Luther and Leo Lowin, defensive end Bobby Duncum and offensive tackle Connor Halverson. Running back Jax Crockett was lost to an injury during the 2018 postseason, but he appears poised to pick up where he left off as a sophomore. The 15th meeting all-time between Lake Travis and Westlake is set for Friday, Oct. 11 at Cavalier Stadium.
Lake Travis senior wide receiver Garrett Wilson is back and badder than ever. The prodigal Ohio State pledge had eight catches for 169 yards with three total touchdowns (two receiving, one rushing) in the Cavaliers’ dominating 56-35 area round playoff win against San Antonio Madison Friday at Cougar Stadium in New Braunfels.
Wilson missed four of the five last regular season games with a back injury and his absence had started to cast doubts on Lake Travis’s state title aspirations. But he returned in time for the postseason and has looked spectacular with 313 yards in two playoff games, which means the Cavaliers are as dangerous as ever as they chase down a seventh state championship.
“Garrett’s incredible. There’s probably not another athlete like him in the country so we’re certainly better with him and he’s getting more and more back into shape,” said Lake Travis coach Hank Carter.
Lake Travis scored touchdowns on each of its first five possessions to build a 35-14 halftime advantage. The first score came on the Cavs’ first offensive snap. After starting with the ball at Madison’s 28-yard line following a shanked punt off a three-and-out, the Cavaliers motioned Wilson out of the backfield into a diamond quad formation of receivers to the left, which took the Mavericks’ attention away from the right side and allowed junior quarterback Hudson Card to rumble that way for a long touchdown run.
The Cavs second touchdown came off another short field thanks to a shanked punt following a three-and-out. Starting from the Mavericks’ 40, Lake Travis needed nine plays before finding pay dirt on a five-yard touchdown pass from Card to sophomore running back Weston Stephens. Card was wheeling and dealing all day, and finished 21-of-27 for 210 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions while adding 57 yards and a score on the ground. Stephens led all rushers with 82 yards and a score on six carries as Lake Travis hit the 200-yard mark both on the ground and through the air.
“We started out fast and that was a goal,” Wilson said. “Once we start out fast, it’s really just on us from there. (Card) didn’t miss a lot of throws. We made some good runs. It was a really balanced attack, which made it easy.”
Wilson scored all three of his touchdowns in the second quarter. Wilson had been known for using his versatile athleticism to affect the game in a number of ways. He showed that off when he took a toss out of the backfield for a five-yard touchdown on the opening play of the second period. He also got an easy 39-yard touchdown catch on a trick play when the defense bit on a double pass and hauled in a 14-yard score and an inside-breaking route.
His best catch, however, came in the third quarter when he went over the top of his defender on a deep pass down the right sideline for a 35-yard gain to the two that set up a one-yard touchdown plunge by senior running back Sean Brown-Nixon to make it 56-14.
“Once I see the ball – ‘it’s mine’ – that’s what’s going through my head,” Wilson said of his acrobatics catch in the third. “I see it go up there I got to get it.”
The 35 points given up by Lake Travis is a bit deceiving as three of the five touchdowns came with the outcome well in hand and some of the defensive starters standing on the sideline. Lake Travis’s pass rush was harassing Madison senior quarterback Dante Haeggins much of the day. Haeggans was taken down for three sacks and rushed out of the pocket a number of times. While the Cavs didn’t get a takeaway until the final seconds of the game, they did force seven three-and-outs.
Not many thought Westlake would beat six-time state champion Lake Travis for the second straight year. Not even the most fervent Westlake supporter would’ve predicted it to happen in a route. But that’s exactly what went down as the Chaps’ superior defense shut down the Cavaliers’ potent offense in a 44-14 win Friday at Chaparral Stadium in Austin.
Lake Travis turned the ball over three times, failed on three fourth-down attempts, mustered only 227 yards on 51 plays for 4.45 yards per play and scored on just one of 10 legitimate drives as Westlake proved last year was no fluke.
“Defensively, there was a belief. This time last year, we won 21-14, held this bunch scoreless in the second half and we believed that we could hold them to that kind of score,” said Westlake coach Todd Dodge. “I’ve got a defensive coordinator (Tony Salazar) who I wouldn’t trade for anyone in the state of Texas. Him and our defensive staff are great teachers of the game of football (on the) defensive side of the ball, and we’ve got a lot of veterans back from last year… and they’re all playing like they’ve played a lot of high school football.”
Westlake controlled the clock and used a couple trick plays to build a 20-7 halftime lead. The Chaps converted a fake punt on the opening drive that led to a 31-yard touchdown pass from senior quarterback Taylor Anderson to senior wide receiver Penny Baker (five catches, 52 yards) on a run-pass option they just installed that week.
They found the end zone in the second quarter on a clever call where Anderson rolled right, threw it backwards to the opposite side of the field for senior wide receiver Rhett Kelley, who then winded up and tossed a 36-yard touchdown to senior wide receiver Jackson Coker (four catches 74 yards).
They also got a pair of field goals from senior kicker Gabe Lozano – one from 40 yards, the other from 38 at the halftime buzzer – and kept Lake Travis’s offense off the field by doubling them in time of possession and total plays.
Lake Travis still came out of halftime believing it could comeback and win, but those hopes took a serious hit when a miscommunication led to Lake Travis junior quarterback Hudson Card throwing to an area with no Cavalier receivers. Westlake senior safety Drew Webster, however, was in the area and turned it into a 61-yard interception return for touchdown that sent shockwaves throughout the stadium.
Card was intercepted again in the third quarter, this time by junior cornerback Leo Lowin, and Anderson dashed for a 64-yard touchdown three plays later to make it 34-7. Anderson added a 29-yard touchdown run in the final period to put the final nail in the coffin. While Card struggled most the night, the less heralded Anderson delighted his coaches with 321 total yards (158 passing, 163 rushing) and three total touchdowns.
“Taylor just continues to be the guy we’ve all known him to be,” Dodge said. “He is a fabulous, fabulous young football player.”
But the key to Westlake’s offense is that it’s a lot more than just Anderson. Senior running back Tripp Graham grinded for 74 yards on 28 carries behind an offensive line that played in complete unison, and the wide receivers repeatedly got open for Anderson downfield.
“Our offensive line continues to right before our eyes get better and better and better. Our wide receiver core is stepping up to make plays,” Dodge said. “We are starting to be an offense that is more difficult to defend by personnel. It’s just not just the Nakia Watson or Tripp Graham show. It’s not just the Taylor Anderson show. We’ve got about four or five skill guys that you’ve got to defend, and if you don’t they’ll make plays, and that’s what we did tonight.”
When Dodge first got to Westlake, his defensive game plans against Lake Travis centered around a heavy blitz package. Last year they decided to rush just three or four and focus more on coverage, which worked. They went with a similar plan again because he was afraid of the more mobile Card shaking off tacklers and creating problems. The secondary rotation of junior Sage Luther, senior Doak Wilson, Webster, Lowin, senior Peyton McDonnel and sophomore Lucas Mireur stepped up the plate and held Card to 4.3 yards per attempt.
They even found a way to quiet superstar senior wide receiver Garrett Wilson, who got behind the defense for an early 42-yard score on a flea flicker, but was held to just six grabs for 31 yards the rest of the night. He did have a 101-yard kickoff return for touchdown, though.
“(Card) is a really, really good quarterback, and he’s going to be a really great quarterback but this was his first time that he played against us and Tony (Salazar) did a great job mixing things up and giving different looks and we were able to capitalize on some errant throws,” Dodge said. “(Limiting Wison was) a huge deal because people had been double-teaming, triple-teaming him all year and he’s still been making plays.”
