2016 Play-offs round 4 - Lake Travis vs Westlake

Here is the video of my adventure:

I went back to the Palace on Parmer, Kelley Reeves Athletic Complex to see the Battle of the Lakes.  The Lake Travis Cavaliers tangled with their district rival, the Westlake Chaparrals.  Hank Carter’s Cavaliers team has owned the Chaps, winning the last nine times they have met, including a 49-7 thumping back in October.  After dropping their opening game of the season to Converse Judson, Lake Travis has won 12 straight games and is ranked #6 in Texas 6A football.  Todd Dodge is the coach of Westlake.  The Chaparrals are on a six game winning streak since their loss to the Cavs in week seven.  That includes an overtime win over the same Converse Judson team in the second round of the play-offs.  Westlake comes into this game with an 11-2 record and is ranked #8. 

The weather in the Austin area had not been very good.  Raining here and there throughout the day, with temperatures in the 50s at game time.  The wind was out of the north and the temperatures were sure to fall as the night went on.

We’ve reached the Elite Eight.  Each team has three play-off games in the books.  Both teams made it to state last year, but each came up short (Westlake in 6A Division 1, Lake Travis in 6A Division 2).  Only one of them will advance after this game.  They have been on a collision course since October.  Can Lake Travis continue their dominance over Westlake?  Can the Chaps snap their losing streak to the Cavs and advance to the Final Four?  For Westlake, the road to Jerry’s World runs right through Lake Travis.  It should be a good one.

To get ready for this game, I ate some barbecue earlier in the day.  Let me take a moment to show you what I had.

The Barbecue

I have sampled most of the barbecue joints on the northwest side of Austin, so I headed south this time.  Brown’s BBQ is located at 1901 South Lamar in Austin.  They have a bright red food truck/trailer parked in front of the Corner Bar where West St. Mary and Hether streets cross Lamar.  The back end of the trailer houses their pit where the magic happens.  I had sampled their BBQ back in August (that’s Daniel slicing brisket in my video opening) and had to go back to make it official.  I am so glad that I did.

I ordered my standard half a pound of moist brisket and a couple of pork ribs.  The brisket was delicious – tender, juicy, with a great bark and a deep smoky flavor.  I could see wisps of steam rising off it as the nice lady cut my slices.  The ribs were big and meaty.  The meat bit easily off the bone, was loaded with flavor, and melted in my mouth.  I was given a small sample of their smoked turkey.  It too was superb.  Their sauce was a sweet red sauce, a nice compliment to the barbecue.

Brown’s BBQ is a no frills kind of place.  The barbecue is served “to go”, but there are some picnic tables if you can’t wait to dig in.  That staff is very friendly and righteously proud of their barbecue.  They show their passion for good food in everything they serve.  With the explosion of great BBQ joints in the Austin area, there are many places to choose from.  Brown’s BBQ has got to be listed among the very best.  And as an extra bonus, you don’t have to wait in line for hours to be served.  I rate this barbecue as two horns up. 

The Game

It rained off and on throughout the game, but this one was literally over before it even began.  Sam Ehlinger, the All Everything quarterback for Westlake, broke his right wrist in the previous game, a victory in the third round of the play-offs.  With Ehlinger in street clothes on the sidelines, Westlake rotated quarterbacks on nearly every offensive play.  Sam Saxton and Taylor Anderson never got into any kind of passing rhythm.  With virtually no aerial attack, the offensive burden fell to Nakia Watson.  He picked up yardage between the twenties (gaining 129 yards on 33 carries), but the Cavaliers defense stuffed him twice on fourth and short to end the two best drives of the night by the Chaparrals. 

The Westlake defense played like they were totally demoralized by the loss of Ehlinger.  Lake Travis quarterback Charlie Brewer carved them up like a Thanksgiving turkey.  On the Cavs first drive, Brewer connected with Cade Green for a 58 yard touchdown pass.  On their second drive, Carson Pepe caught a pass from Brewer, spun out of several attempted tackles and scored from 7 yards out.  Up 17-0 in the second quarter, Brewer scored on a four yard run.  The Cavs special teams even got in on the act when safety Michael Mast scored by recovering a bad snap that sailed over the head of the Chaps punter.  To add insult to injury, Westlake linebacker Levi Jones was ejected at the end of the half for his second personal foul.  Lake Travis went to the locker room up 30-0.

Cade Green opens the scoring with a 58 yard touchdown catch

Carson Pepe avoids a tackle to score from 7 yards out

Charlie Brewer dives into the end zone

Bad snap sails over Westlake's punter

No fiery halftime speech by Todd Dodge would turn this game around as it only got worse in the second half.  Charlie Brewer ran 65 yards then threw a touchdown pass to Cade Brewer.  Westlake managed a field goal late in the third quarter to avoid a shutout. 

Charlie Brewer starts the third quarter with a 65 yard run

Cade Brewer scores on a pass from Charlie Brewer

I said in my opening that these two teams had been on a collision course since October.  For Westlake, it was more of a train wreck as they fell 51-3, their tenth consecutive loss to Lake Travis and the worst in school history.  

Westlake battled injuries all season, with Ehlinger only playing in five games.  They are to be congratulated for making as deep a play-off run as they did.  Their biggest obstacle was the Lake Travis Cavaliers who now move on to the Final Four to face Atascocita.

News and Notes

There will be a lot of new faces at Jerry’s World this year.  Many of the teams that played at NRG Stadium in Houston last year will not be making the drive to Dallas this year.  Here is how the eight teams that played for the 5A and 6A state championships in 2015 are doing in the 2016 play-offs.

6A Division 1

Galena Park North Shore       won in 2015                lost to Atascocita 33-27 in fourth round

Westlake                                 lost in 2015                 lost to Lake Travis 51-3 in fourth round

6A Division 2

Katy                                        won in 2015                lost to Galena Park 20-17 in third round

Lake Travis                             lost in 2015                 still alive, to play Atascocita

5A Division 1

Richmond George Ranch       won in 2015                lost to Friendswood 42-21 in first round

Mansfiled Lake Ridge            lost in 2015                 lost to Highland Park 41-27 in third round

5A Division 2

Cedar Park                              won in 2015                lost to Manvel 47-35 in third round

Frisco Lone Star                     lost in 2015                 lost to Poteet 45-14 in third round