By Thomas Jones, Sports Editor

Two-time district MVP Ryan Swope may have been in the stands with the hundreds of other Westlake faithful who visited Chaparral Stadium Friday for the Chaps’ inaugural Red-Blue spring football game, but his younger brother did an accurate impersonation.

Louie Swope, a defensive back committed to Southern Methodist University, scored two touchdowns to help the Blue team to a 25-19 in a spirited unveiling of sorts for Westlake’s new regime. One of his touchdowns came on a 92-yard kickoff return, that rare form of a score that his brother – who will suit up for Texas A&M in the fall – made common in his two seasons as Westlake’s primary return man.

“Hopefully, that won’t be the last one,” said Louie Swope, who also scored on an end around and blocked a point-after attempt. “I hope I get a few more once the real season starts.”

The real season can’t come soon enough for the Chaps, based on the energy emanating from Ebbie Neptune Field Friday. The team revealed an impressive power-running game from its new spread formation, and the defense showed enough punch to match the big scoring plays.

“I couldn’t have asked for it to go any better,” Coach Darren Allman said. “The guys did a great job. We pretty much played a real football game with special teams and everything, and they responded well.”

Offensively, the Chaps ran effectively from their single-back formation, particularly starting tailback Bryce Hager. The 6-foot-1-inch, 205-pound converted linebacker rumbled for 147 yards on 13 carries, and his two scoring runs encapsulated the set of skills that earned a starting nod in the backfield. On a 6-yard scoring run in the second quarter, he bounced off a pair of defenders before plowing in for the touchdown. In the second half, he flashed his speed while pulling away from the defense for a 68-yard score.

Quarterback Tanner Price did more damage with his legs than his arm while running for 63 yards on eight carries and completing 3-of-5 passes for 44 yards.

“We’ve been working hard these last few weeks to click as a team, and I think that we did a good job today,” Price said. “There’s room to improve, and we have a lot more to learn come two-a-days.”

Allman didn’t voice much concern about a passing game that didn’t stretch the field, citing the particular difficulties quarterbacks and receivers must overcome while learning a new system.

“In fairness to the quarterbacks and wide receivers, they’ve had a lot thrown at them the last few weeks,” he said. “They’ll look better when we gameplan against someone.”

“But as you saw tonight, we like to run the football. Offensively, we’ll really look a lot better when we’re game planning somebody. In the spring, you’re just trying to get a taste of the offense.”

Reserve running back Van Gramman picked up 65 yards on 11 carries, and the starting offensive line of Jessee Fender, Alex Coyne, Brandon Behrens, Tyler Jones and Phillip Reed impressed with its run blocking.

Westlake’s defensive front gave up some yards on the ground, but the starting unit – anchored by linebackers Paul Brown, David Durham and Ellis Glaw – applied steady pressure to Price.

“You never expect perfect execution at this time of year on either side of the ball, but you want to see great effort and excitement,” Allman said. “That’s what we had tonight, and they’re excited about continuing to grow as the team.”

Such growth should continue in the summer, said Allman, whose team opens the 2009 season Aug. 28 at Cedar Park.

“Our expectation is for the players not to all go different directions during the summer,” he said. “If they’re in town, we want them to be together up here working.”

That work will include weight training, speed training and seven-on-seven football for Westlake’s quarterbacks and skill players on both sides of the ball.

“We’ll be working hard all summer, “ Price said. “I can’t wait for the season to start.”

News and notes

Cody Rademacher booted a 45-yard field goal. … Defensive lineman Alex Putnam had a strong game with three tackles, a sack and a tackle for loss. … Miles Berger had the longest catch of the game when he hauled in a 28-yard strike from Tanner Price.