AUSTIN (KXAN) — Westlake didn't allow history to repeat itself in the 6A Division I semifinals Saturday, hammering Galena Park North Shore 35-10 at Legacy Stadium in Katy for a spot in the state championship game.
The Mustangs had taken out the Chaparrals in the semifinals the past two seasons, but behind a tremendous defensive effort and four touchdowns by quarterback Rees Wise, the Chaps earned the program's 12th all-time berth in the finals.
Wise threw for three scores and ran for another to lead the offense while the defense stopped the Mustangs twice on downs in the second half. Payton Luther secured an interception with 6:47 left to put the game away for the Chaps, making it a third consecutive 14-win season.
"We knew we were this good, it was just a matter of winning this game," Chaps head coach Tony Salazar said. "It's been a thorn in our sides the past couple of years, but our guys didn't run from the challenge. They went head first, full speed."
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Westlake linebacker Elliott Schaper, who signed a letter of intent to play for Duke University next year, was all over the field on defense for the Chaps. He helped the Chaps turn away the Mustangs on fourth down deep in their own territory with 9:52 in the third, directly leading to a 19-yard touchdown pass from Wise to Grady Bartlett on the first play of the drive. Following a false start penalty that turned fourth-and-1 into fourth-and-6, Schaper was again in the mix when Westlake stuffed a run by North Shore quarterback Kaleb Bailey.
Westlake took over on its 12-yard line after the stop and then churned six minutes off the clock with a 12-play, 88-yard drive that ended in a 4-yard touchdown run by Wise with 10:11 left.
Wise hit Cash Robin with a 22-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter to make it 21-3 Westlake and found Chase Bowwn for a 37-yard score with less than a minute left in the first quarter. Eli Clark scored the opening marker for the Chaps with a 51-yard run, set up by a tremendous one-handed catch by Bowen for a 30-yard gain.
Westlake led 21-10 at the half. Daniel Cruz booted a 25-yard field goal for the Mustangs' first score of the game. Quanell Farrakhan scored on a 9-yard pass from Bailey with 0:11 left in the first half.
North Shore ended its season with a 14-1 record. Westlake (14-1) will play North Crowley or Duncanville for the 6A-DI state title at 7 p.m., Dec. 21 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington.
