Oh Westlake, where to start?

First off, congratulations on a year of second-place finishes in 2009. You were so close in the title game, not so close in the Lake Travis game, and I know, I know, you were technically co-champions of 25-5A. But I think anytime Bowie helps you win a district title, it automatically doesn’t count. Plus, you lost to Bastrop, the one team not even your savior, Ron Schroeder, could resurrect.

Naturally, after making a habit of coming up short, some tweaks were necessary. I get that. However, word on the street is you’re a running team these days. That’s funny. What’s next, the wishbone? Chaps, the 20th century called, it wants its offense back.

I also heard the reason the game was moved to DKR was so that if Lake Travis scored a phantom touchdown, it would be so clear on the jumbotron that the refs would have no choice but to overturn it. If the Alamodome screens aren’t clear enough, that glorified big screen Hitachi at Chaparral Stadium certainly won’t do the trick. I know, Lake Travis doesn’t have a big screen. The Cavs decided not to invest in a new scoreboard when they opted to build that impressive indoor practice facility instead. The choices we make, I suppose. Lake Travis chose to build facilities to benefit their kids with the practice field and the state-of-the-art weight room. Westlake chose to build facilities that impress their friends – a big screen and an extra large press box in which boosters dine in style before games.

Speaking of boosters. There was a “Kick the Cavs” game at the fall scrimmage and carnival? How did that work, exactly? Was there a bunch of people kicking mustachioed swordsmen? I can’t imagine that would go over well. So much for shrugging off the lowly 4A Cavaliers as rivals, huh? I thought you had bigger fish to fry than a 4A guppy? Austin High is so hurt you’ve moved on and found someone else. So hurt that I’m sure the Maroons will fold by 40 points just to bring back the glory days of that rivalry in name only. No wonder you’re confused about how a rivalry works.

One does have to give credit where credit is due – Darren Allman was a tremendous hire. With a mountain of expectations and two tough acts to follow in Schroeder and Derek Long, Allman’s coaching job last year was nothing short of awesome. Of course, I’m sure there are plenty of people in red and blue that have already found some reason not to like him or the job he’s doing. I know, I know, it’s only the parents of the kids who never play, but those 10 people are awfully noisy, much noisier than all the good folks in Westlake that I’m told exist. I’m sure they all know better than the guy the district threw a six-figure salary at.

It also must be tough for you to have to root for Garrett Gilbert now. Rest assured, I’m sure you’ll find a way to give Justin Tucker all the credit for the Longhorns’ success this year.

Everything’s changed, Chap fans, and it’s time for Lake Travis to take the lead in this series. The Chaps’ dominance in Central Texas has ended, and they’ll have to settle for being one of the top three each season now that Lake Travis and Stony Point are around. Sorry they’re spoiling all the fun and ending the monopoly you so dearly loved for so long.

Max Thompson is the sports editor at the Lake Travis View