Westlake Defense Stifles Steele, Rolls to 37-14 Victory
AUSTIN – For a brief moment, it looked like Cibolo Steele and Jonathan Hatton might turn Chaparral Stadium into a track meet. Westlake’s defense had other plans.
The No. 13 Chaparrals clamped down after an early scare, shutting out Steele over the final three quarters and cruising to a 37-14 win in their home opener Friday night.
Fast Start, Quick Response
Westlake struck first on an 11-yard keeper by quarterback Rees Wise, putting the Chaps up 7-0. But the fireworks weren’t over. On Steele’s very first snap, Texas A&M commit Jonathan Hatton exploded for a 75-yard sprint to the house, tying things up and silencing the home crowd — at least for a moment.
Defense Takes Over
That was the last time Steele would sniff the end zone. The Chaparrals’ defense dug in, forcing two game-changing fumbles and smothering Hatton the rest of the way. Each turnover turned into points, helping Westlake take control before halftime.
Ground Game + Clock Control
Westlake leaned on a physical rushing attack, with Sebastian Henault and Braden Riddell each punching in 1-yard scores. Wise added the finishing touch in the fourth quarter with a short TD pass to Rhett Jenkins to put the game on ice.
Special Teams Shine
Kicker Nolan Bartley was perfect on the night, drilling field goals from 36, 30, and 29 yards to keep the scoreboard moving and momentum firmly on Westlake’s side.
What’s Next
Westlake improves to 3-1 and heads into a bye week before opening District 26-6A play against Akins next Thursday. Steele (3-1) will try to bounce back quickly when they face Schertz Clemens in their district opener on Friday.
