Westlake defense clamps down in the fourth quarter when it has to against Lake Travis

PFLUGERVILLE — Westlake answered an important question Saturday afternoon: Does a win over your bitter rival feel better in the playoffs than it does in the regular season?

Behind a defense that forced a trio of fourth-quarter turnovers — including a diving Denim Collins interception that led to a clinching touchdown — Westlake topped Lake Travis 21-14 to win its Class 6A Division I regional title and advance to the state semifinals. In the process, the Chaparrals topped the Cavaliers for the fourth straight time and the sixth in their last seven meetings.

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Running back Jack Kayser, who exploded onto the varsity scene with a big game in a 63-21 win over Lake Travis in 2021, said Saturday’s game felt much better than just another playoff win.

“I think just going out 4-0 as a senior class against them, it’s just nice to know that there’s no more talking and it’s over now,” Kayser said after scoring both of his team’s second-half touchdowns. “It is a rivalry, so we don’t like each other, but there’s a mutual respect between us and Lake Travis. There’s respect during the game, and we know that we have to play our butt off on every single play.”

Elliott Schaper came up with one of those turnovers as part of Westlake’s workmanlike effort.

“These games are going to be close,” Schaper said. “We have some dogs, and they have some dogs. We came out on top today, so that’s good.”

Lake Travis’ defense certainly made Kayser work for the win. Kayser rushed for 165 yards in Westlake’s 20-14 regular-season win, but managed just 80 yards on 26 rough carries Saturday. Westlake overcame four turnovers to outlast a Lake Travis team that had its chances but couldn’t convert enough of them.

“Both teams were laying it all on the line out there,” Lake Travis coach Hank Carter said. “We had some knucklehead plays at the wrong time, and against a really good team you just can’t do that. We were out of sync (for much of the game), and credit to them. At this point in the season, you can’t afford to do that against anyone you play.”

Westlake coach Tony Salazar acknowledged how hard his team worked throughout the day but wouldn’t say that the victory meant more than any other playoff win.

“It’s always sweet in the playoffs because you’re still alive,” Salazar said. “If you don’t get that outcome, there aren’t smiles here on the sideline. There would have been a lot of sad guys because it would have been our seniors’ last game.”

On the other sideline, Carter — after consoling one senior after another — said it wasn’t possible for the playoff loss to Westlake to hurt more than any other playoff loss.

“Anytime you lose in the playoffs, it freaking stinks, and I don’t care who you lose to,” Carter said. “It always hurts to infinity. Maybe this one is infinity plus one.”

Kayser and his Westlake teammates can appreciate those words more than most.

“I wouldn’t trade (beating Lake Travis) for anything, but we’re on to bigger and better things,” he said.

Westlake will play Galena Park North Shore on Saturday at the Pfield in Pflugerville.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Westlake football beats rival Lake Travis for second time this year