AUSTIN (Talk1370.com) -- The Westlake Chaparrals opened their 2026 campaign with a hard-fought 33-26 comeback victory over the visiting Inglewood Sentinels, erasing a fourth-quarter deficit with a punishing ground game.
"It took belief, you know, and unwavering belief," head coach Tony Salazar said postgame. "And that's what this football team has, and I've been saying it all spring, I've been saying it all summer... these guys are going to play for one another and they showed to facilitate that tonight. They never doubted it, they kept fighting."
Early on, Inglewood’s defense - anchored by four-star lineman Myels Smith - stifled the Chaparrals' aerial attack. Facing tight coverage, Westlake quarterback Patton Jones struggled to find open receivers, save for an 18-yard first-quarter touchdown strike to Nash Chapman. Instead, Jones did most of his damage with his legs.
Embracing the physical contact, Jones grinded out two rushing touchdowns to keep Westlake within striking distance while the passing game remained grounded.
MORE: Listen to Westlake Football all season long on Talk 1370
That relentless rushing attack eventually took its toll on the Sentinels. As Inglewood's defense fatigued in the final quarter, Patton Jones finally found an opening through the air, hitting wide receiver Rhett Jenkins for a massive 51-yard gain.
That pivotal deep ball flipped the field and set the stage for running back C.J. Jones, who punched in the go-ahead four-yard touchdown to seal the comeback win for Westlake.
Westlake returns to Chaparral Stadium next Friday night to face the Euless Trinity Trojans. Coverage begins on Talk 1370AM at 6pm with ATX Kickoff, with the game scheduled to kickoff at 7pm.
Coverage of Westlake Football on Talk 1370 is presented by Prime Bank of Texas.
