If Westlake’s boys team must endure a rebuilding year in 2010, then the young team laid down a solid foundation at the season-opening Austin ISD Invitational Friday at Decker Lake.

Freshman Ben Jepson captured the individual bronze medal with a time of 16 minutes, 52.30 seconds on the 3-mile course while helping the Chaps to a second-place finish. As a team, Westlake compiled 69 points to finish behind parochial power St. Andrew’s (32 points).

Sophomore Reece Marrero added an eighth-place time of 17:31.50 for Westlake, and classmate Ben Zuker finished 11th in 17:48.28.

Freshman Bonner Garrison (23rd, 18:23.80) and sophomore Michael Schumaker (24th, 18:37.78) completed the scoring for Westlake, which leaned on their inexperienced but gifted runners in the race’s top division.

Roberto Diaz of St. Andrew’s won the race with a time of 16:21.52.

Girls nipped by Bulldogs

In what turned into a probable preview of the District 15-5A race, Bowie edged out Westlake’s girls for first place at the Austin ISD Invitational.

The Bulldogs captured four of the top six spots while tallying 27 points. Westlake had five runners in the top 12 but ended the meet with 43 points, 35 points ahead of third-place San Antonio East Central.

Freshman Rebecca Little had an impressive debut for the Chaps with a fifth-place time of 13:24.01 on the 2-mile course. Emma Lee clocked a time of 13:32.81 to finish seventh, and Jessica Ellis placed eighth in 13:34.82.

Adrienne Dodd (13:54.19) and Hannah Priddy (13:55.19) placed 11th and 12th, respectively.

Marissa Lee of Bowie won the meet in 12:12.97.