It’s homecoming week. One of the most well-attended games of the season awaits us Friday. Westlake is coming off the back of an enthralling win over Akins, 67-0. And as we know, when the Chaps get on a roll, it’s really difficult to slow them down. All of these things should make for a memorable night. Here’s a few things to watch for.

What to expect: More electric offense

Head coach Todd Dodge attributed the offensive fireworks against Akins to getting back to the basics. Checkdowns were plentiful, runs up the middle were more than frequent, it was overall a very fundamental performance. Usually these slow down the pace of the offense, but not against Akins. We’re expecting more of the same now that the Chaps have found their groove on offense.

What not to expect: The defense to implode

Just last week, the Chaps held Akins scoreless throughout the entire game. Westlake showed clear dominance against them on the defensive end, and now that it has figured out how to click, it should be a low scoring night for the Maroons.

What to expect: A fiery rivalry

In case you haven’t heard, both schools dropped diss tracks on each other in preparation for the game, just one of the many aspects of the rivalry that has returned. Having heard all the talk in the halls, it’s evident that Westlake students generally dislike Austin High students. It’s going to be an intense game, on the field and off of it.  

What not to expect: A clean game

We saw last year a lack of discipline against Lake Travis, and because of the aforementioned rivalry, the game could get dirty really fast. There’s no way to know for sure, but we wouldn’t be surprised if the referees are flashing yellow sand bags a lot throughout the game.

Score predictions:

Adam: 45-14

Jake: 48-20