Friday night’s meeting between Austin Westlake and Lake Travis brought together two programs that have spent years shaping one of the state’s most recognizable modern rivalries, and both entered the game with the District 25-6A race very much in the frame.
Westlake came in tied for first in the district with Round Rock Cedar Ridge, while Lake Travis shared third place with Round Rock. The backdrop is simple enough: first place was on the line, and both teams arrived with something to prove.
The Chaps entered at 6-1 overall and 3-0 in district play, with their only loss coming in a wild 49-40 shootout against Prosper on Sept. 11.
Since that setback, Westlake has looked nothing like a team searching for answers. The Chaps had ripped off four straight wins, and the margins told the story: victories by 43, 21, 57 and 64 points.
That latest hammer came last week in a 70-6 rout of Round Rock McNeil.
Lake Travis’ season has carried a different kind of edge. The Cavaliers’ program was struck before the season by the passing of one of their players, Odin Hensley, and they did not play until Week 1. When they finally took the field, they responded with an emotional 38-21 win over Pflugerville Weiss.
The Cavaliers have taken two losses, one against San Antonio Cornerstone in a non-district game and another in a one-point thriller, 35-34, against Cedar Ridge on Oct. 9. They steadied themselves last week with a 47-0 win over Round Rock Stony Point.
The game was played at Lake Travis ISD Stadium, with the rivalry renewed and both sides chasing the District 25-6A title.
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