By Thomas Jones, Sports Editor 

Pundits say that the playoffs have a different flavor than the regular season.

If that’s the case, said Westlake coach Derek Long after his team routed San Antonio Roosevelt in Friday’s first-round contest, then he hopes his defense continues to sample that same taste.  

“Whatever they ate today, I’m gonna tell ‘em to eat it again next week,” he said with a laugh. “They had a bad attitude out there tonight.”

Long was talking specifically about his pass defenders, which delivered a series of pad-cracking licks while holding Roosevelt to three completions on 24 attempts and picking off four passes, but his comments covered the entire defense. 

Westlake (7-4) throttled a balanced Rough Rider offense that averaged almost 400 yards a game this season while rolling to a 42-21 win in Class 5A Region IV Division I bidistrict contest Friday at a blustery Chaparral Stadium. Roosevelt (7-4), which finished fourth in rugged District 26-5A, managed just 103 yards while falling behind by four touchdowns at halftime and could never find a rhythm against Westlake’s predominantly man-to-man defense.

“We came to play tonight,” defensive back Louie Swope said. “We worked a lot on their passing game, we knew what was coming, and we had some fun out there.”

The fun extended to all phases of the game as Westlake scored early and often while rolling to the surprisingly easy win. Ryan Swope ran for 200 yards and scored four touchdowns, and Tanner Price tallied 185 yards on 8-of-18 passing despite the stiff blue norther that blew in just before kickoff.

“They say 26-5A is the toughest district in the state, and these kids just won a playoff game against them,” Long said. “We’re getting better every week, and I think that we showed that tonight.”

The Chaps will face San Antonio Stevens Saturday at 8 p.m. in San Antonio’s Alamodome. 

The wind won’t be a factor against Stevens, but Westlake’s ability to survive the elements Friday keyed the win. Roosevelt won the coin flip, and Coach Neal LaHue elected to keep the wind at his back rather than take the ball. Undaunted, the Chaps leaned on their running game to score two touchdowns in the first quarter while Roosevelt went three-and-out on its first three drives.

“Field position is key in a game like that, and the ball goes straight up and comes straight back down when you punt,” Long said. “But I guess we didn’t have to punt that first quarter. When your offense clicks, that’s how you solve that that field-position problem.”

The Chaps ran the ball 12 times on 14 plays during the first quarter, and that ground game produced a quick jolt when Bryce Hager took a handoff on Westlake’s third snap from scrimmage 66 yards for a touchdown. 

“That got everyone jumping, and it got us the momentum,” said Hager, a starting linebacker who helped fill in for injured fullback Jeff Ballew on offense.

The wind knocked down a 34-yard field-goal attempt by Colton Lye on the Chaps’ next possession, but Price connected with Swope for a 60-yard touchdown pass on his first pass on Westlake’s next drive. 

Swope dove in from three yards out early in the second quarter. A fumble recovery by David Durham set up a 16-yard Swope touchdown run as the Chaps took a 28-0 lead with 7:52 left in the second quarter.

The Chaps defense then flexed its muscle, delivering fierce hits and forcing turnovers. Louie Swope had an interception and a crushing hit on Roosevelt running back Brandon Armstrong. Hager and linebacker Ellis Glaw also nabbed interceptions.

Roosevelt did cause a little consternation for the home crowd late in the third quarter when Crosbie Adams returned a fumble 86 yards for a touchdown to trim Westlake’s lead to 28-14. The Chaps responded with a 77-yard drive capped by a 35-yard touchdown run from Swope.

Henry Ramirez ran in from the 1-yard line for Westlake’s final touchdown.

Overall, Westlake compiled 481 yards against a defense touted as one of the Alamo City’s best.