In the final game of what was an intensive regular season, the Chaps did anything but lay back, using a huge offensive outbreak from running back juniors Zane Minors and Grey Nakfoor to take down Bowie 63-0. Westlake finished second to Lake Travis in District 25-6A and now moves on to the playoffs with home-field advantage.

“I’m so proud of this team,” head coach Todd Dodge said. “We played ten of them, and won nine of them. We lost one of them by one point. We’re going in as the number one seed in division two, so that’s a big deal down the stretch.”

The Chaps leaned on their running game early on and never looked back. The first five touchdowns scored were runs. Minors and Nakfoor, who have been sharing snaps all season long, both had career nights, with 86 and 140 rushing yards respectively. They totaled seven touchdowns, more than in the duo’s last four games combined. Both of them were beaming on the sidelines after the game and could barely sit still for Dodge’s post-game speech to the team. 

“This game was amazing,” Minors said. “Credit to the offensive line tonight, they gave us everything tonight. We really established the running game.” 

“All season, we’ve been trying to earn our coaches’s respect in the run game, and I think it really hit tonight,” Nakfoor said. “It’s a huge turning point for us, and probably the best game of my life. I wouldn’t have liked to share it with anyone else.”

Turning to the run game had been the natural course of the game for the Westlake offense, as quarterback senior Kirkland Michaux couldn’t find his groove early on. Despite his initial struggles, he finished the game with two touchdown passes, one of which came on the last play of the first half: a 27-yard dart to receiver senior Ryan Lindley. 

Westlake moves on to face Cibolo Steele in the first round of the playoffs at Ebbie Neptune Field Friday. The Chaps defeated the Knights 28-14 in their last meeting two years ago in the State quarterfinals. 

“They’re gonna be very athletic,” Dodge said. “They’re gonna be very big and physical, and it will be one heck of a challenge for us.”