By Thomas Jones, Sports editor

A familiar foe ended Westlake’s hopes at a title – again.

In the latest installment of one of the fiercest intrastate rivalries in the nation, two-time defending state champion Amarillo edged the Chaps in five games in Saturday’s finals of the Duncanville Tournament of Champions. The win gave the Sandies a third consecutive triumph over Westlake (6-2); Amarillo topped the Chaps in the 2007 and 2008 state title matches.

Despite the loss, Westlake coach Al Bennett took plenty of positives out of his team’s run to the finals in the state’s most prestigious predistrict tournament. The Chaps cut down on the errors that plagued them in a loss to Leander last week, and they took Amarillo deep into a fifth game despite the absence of all-state outside hitter Sara Shaw, who aggravated an ankle injury earlier in the match.

“We had to right the ship [after Leander], and I was pleased to see us reach the finals and play like we did,” he said. “We’re still working on our rotation, but we figured some things out this weekend.”

Amarillo fended off a match point in the fifth game to secure the 24-26, 25-19, 25-20, 22-25, 17-15 win.

The Chaps reached the finals by defeating semifinal foe Houston Clear Creek 25-13, 25-23 and quarterfinal opponent Keller Central 21-25, 25-21, 25-21. They defeated Coppell (21-25, 25-19, 25-16) and Euless Trinity (25-12, 25-15) in early-round action.

Shaw fired 50 kills in 12 games before reinjuring her ankle and earned the tournament’s Most Outstanding Hitter award. Chap libero Tessa Hunt received the tournament’s Most Outstanding Defensive Player honor after amassing 81 digs in 15 games, and sophomore Paige Caridi had 31 kills, 28 digs and nine aces while earning a spot on the all-tournament team.