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Football / Top Stories
What a Statement: Chaps hold off Cinco Ranch
Saturday, December 12, 2009
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It’s been a season of responses for Westlake quarterback Tanner Price.
The senior responded to the Chaps’ off-season coaching change by embracing a new role as a runner. He responded to a slow start to the Chaps’ offense this season by leading Westlake to at least 30 points in each of their games during a nine-game winning streak that followed a loss to Bastrop. And he responded to a terrible start to Saturday’s Class 5A Division I semifinal game at Darrell K. Royal Texas Memorial Stadium to guide the Chaps into another state championship game.
After his interception on the first offensive snap of the game helped give Cinco Ranch a 7-0 lead, Price keyed a scoring outburst by the Chaps (13-2), who advanced to the state title contest against Euless Trinity with a 42-27 win over Katy Cinco Ranch (13-2).
Saturday’s game starts at 2 p.m. at San Antonio’s Alamodome.
“I can’t wait to play in the state championship,” Price said. “We turned our season around [after losing to Bastrop], and I can’t believe we made it to state. I remember how fun it was watching the 2006 team to get to state, and now it’s our turn.”
Price played a huge role while helping the Chaps reach the final for the fourth time this decade and the seventh time in school history. The Wake Forest recruit threw for 170 yards and two touchdowns and added 111 yards and two scores on the ground. Along with tailback Van Gramann, Price bested the total of Cinco Ranch workhorse K.C. Nlemchi, who managed just 86 yards against a swarming defense led by linebackers Bryce Hager (12 tackles) and Lance Duran (12).
Nlemchi had 2,307 yards and 32 total touchdowns entering the game.
“We flew to the ball,” Chap linebacker Conor Byrne said. “We take a lot of pride in shutting down anyone’s running game, and that’s what it took to win today.”
After the Cougars’ early touchdown, Westlake quickly seized control of the game by scoring four unanswered touchdowns to take a 28-7 halftime lead. Price had scoring runs of 1 yard and 4 yards, and he tossed a 13-yard touchdown pass to Charlie Copa and a 12-yard score to Miles Berger.
However, the Region III champion Cougars refused to fade. They opened the second half with a touchdown on their first possession and eventually cut the lead to 35-27 with 5:18 left in the game. Only a blocked point-after attempt by Sean Potter kept the Cougars from pulling within seven points.
The Cinco Ranch rally came as no surprise to Westlake coach Darren Allman.
“Even though we had a big lead [at halftime], we knew that it would be a battle,” he said. “Cinco Ranch is a very talented team with a very good coaching staff, and they made a few adjustments to get back into it.”
Cinco Ranch, which had just 85 yards in the first half, leaned away from its running game while ending the contest with 329 yards of offense, including 155 through the air. However, Westlake’s defense held when it mattered most.
After a quick kick by Price pinned the Cougars at their own 5-yard line with 3:33 left in the game, the Chaps refused to bend beyond their own territory with a 35-27 lead. Cinco Ranch managed to reach its own 31-yard line, but Alex Putnam teamed with Hager to stop Nlemchi short of the first-down marker on fourth-and-4.
On the next play, Gramann squeezed to the edge of the Cinco Ranch defense and sealed the win with a 33-yard touchdown burst.
“I usually have to go between the tackles, but I was able to bounce out on that play,” said Gramann, who had two touchdown runs in the second half while galloping to 127 yards. “Our line did a great job all game.”
Because of Gramann’s score, the Chaps were able to savor the closing moments before approximately 9,000 Westlake fans who poured into the home side of the field. Allman called the experience of reaching state in his first season as Westlake’s coach as “surreal,” and Byrne said “it’s been a dream since I was 5 years old.”
But for one of the Chaps’ primary offensive weapons, the spot at Saturday’s game comes as no surprise.
“We thought all along we had a chance to get to state,” receiver Collin Shaw said. “Now we just have to win one more game.”
Woo-Hooooooooooooo!
The football team CAN win without a covered practice field. Woo-Hoo!
I Wish we (Lake Travis) could play in the 5a championship seeing we beat Westlake without a problem…. and whats with Darren Allman thinking hes too good for a 4a team? Bet he was surprised when we put his team’s face in the dirt.
Dear “Go Chaps Go”—what a sad, petty, little soul you must be.
#3 — what is with the football bullying? Wow. Be nice.
#4 — #2 is entitled to an opinion just like you are.
Congratulations to the Chaps!
Dear “Westlake mom”—doesn’t your post contradict itself??
Classy statement LT. Seems like you guys should have been over this “nobody respects us” thing by now. I mean, about to win your 3rd state championship and still looking for haters? Grow up youngster. (So the Picayune is going to start letting classless arrogance like this be spewed on their message boards?)
Congrats to the Chaps…what an unbelievable season. Hats off to the kids and coaches.
And “Go Chaps Go”, take the covered athletic complex talk to one of the other several articles that has exploded on the topic.
It’s Christmas! We ought to all congratulate some outstanding students and athletes and wish them all the luck in the world Saturday!
Everything else can wait until later.
I’m with you #8..lets focus on the success of this football team ! Was proud of the Westlake fans showing up in full force on Saturday! and to #3…we wish you could play 5A also … but in the meantime enjoy your teams success and try to enjoy ours also
Y. Maraner, no my statement doesn’t contradict itself. Opinions can be nice without name calling and insults. I am surprised the Picayune posts your comments.
I agree #8. Merry Christmas!
LTmom – thanks for waying in but you must really be obessed with Westlake (get over us) I see you posting everywhere (statesman, pic). LT is a great team enjoy it – a rilvary is forming and will go on for years as both teams will be competitive and both will win at times…. The only way you are 4A is in name, your enrollment is just a few off from the cutoff…so what if you could win 5A, go out and win what is in front of you this weekend… most chap fans root for you when you are not playing us – so chill and have a great weekend and Christmas!
Just one more to go! Go get em Chaps!
Y. Maraner, Your posts appear as little bitty temper tantrums. Again, how do you survive in a world full of diverse opinions? Please stop the name-calling. It doesn’t help your cause and those you insult could care less about your opinion of them.
Thats the way it goes. LT wins a few games, the parents feel like the team is next to God and they will win forever. Guess what it won’t happen!! I am proud of the LT and Westlake players and coaches. Go CHAPS & Cavs. LT we will see you next year!!
Trash me all you like…you know, the old I’m rubber you’re glue thing…rrrrruff…anything to distract you from trashing the teams and the kids…just save it for that discussion…not when the boys are being recognized for a great accomplishment. Of course you and your EISD, Staff, Athletics and Athlete bashing, I’ve got “HOPE” contingent of sad, pittiful whiners are not likely to change that…no, not for the kids. So sad…so pittiful. By the way, tell your kids my son can’t tutor them in Math and Science this week…he’ll be playing for a State Championship in the Alamodome.
Y. Maraner, How old are you? If you are old enough to have kids, you should control yourself so that they don’t imitate you. It is your behavior that needs to be checked. Stop rippin’ other people apart when they post a political opinion that you don’t like. No one is trashing the “boys” or their effort to win a football game. Settle down boy.
Oh, so Y. Maraner’s kid is one of the WHS football players! Well, that helps explain his attitude. (It’s all about Y. Maraner’s boy.) Right.
Dear “Surprise, Surprise”—no…obviously it’s all about you.
S.S. I agree. From his posts and tone, I suspected that Y. M. is a football parent. He’s one of those guys who yell at their kids from the stands and tries to intimidate others. (Remember the guy in Friday Night Lights? Great example!) Some football parents like Y.M. think that the world revolves around football but even worse, around their own kid who plays football. So much pressure in an effort to satisfy the adult parent’s ego. That is saddest of all for the kid.
LT is a great program. Coming on strong the last few years without a doubt. Thing is, they’re still 4A. When LT gets to 5A, assuming they don’t add another high school to split up the population, they’ll have to play 5A schools every week. Kinda like the WAC does in college, they beat each other up but when they play with the big boys on a regular basis they get whupped.
Westlake is proud. LT is a wannabe.
GO CHAPS!!! We’re so proud of you!
I disagree DR. The difference between 5A and the top teams in 4A isn’t all that much. Lake Travis would do very well playing in the 5A bracket right now. I watched them last year and this year. The just kick the crud out of everyone they play. If Westlake had to lose to someone this year, I’m glad it was LT because they’re very good.
That said. GO CHAPS. WIN STATE.