HUMBLE, Texas (Talk1370.com) -- Westlake's run game and defense proved to be the winning combination in a thrilling 35-28 road victory over Humble Atascocita.
The Chaps' offense, led by a strong rushing performance, clinched the win with a 90-yard game-winning drive that didn't feature a single pass.
“Our defense showed up,” Chaps head coach Tony Salazar said postgame. “We went back in the locker room, and we challenged them, and there’s a lot of pride in that room. They showed up, and our offense did enough to get us a win. The boys fought their tails off and beat a really good football team.”
The game was a back-and-forth affair. While the Chaps' Rees Wise threw two touchdown passes to Rhett Jenkins and Chase Brodhead, the team's rushing attack was the star of the night. Wise scored two touchdowns on the ground, and Jarren Lopez added another. Receiver Braden Riddell also made a memorable 14-yard scoring run, dragging multiple defenders with him for the final five yards to tie the game at 28 in the third quarter.
On the other side, the Eagles, playing without injured quarterback Cardae Mack, relied on CJ Toney, who delivered two spectacular long touchdown runs of 70 and 69 yards. However, the Westlake defense ultimately had the last word.
Late in the game, Colton Fromberg came up with a critical sack to force a turnover on downs. Then, with about 1:30 left, the Chaps' defense sealed the deal when Austin Knapp forced and recovered a fumble to end the game.
After playing its first three games on the road, the Chaps (2-1) are set to return home to take on Cibolo Steele next Friday, Sept. 19. Our coverage begins at 6pm with ATX Kickoff on Talk 1370.
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