Even in defeat, Westlake quarterback Lewis Guilbeau answered the one question that haunted the Chaps offense throughout the off-season:

Can the new QB throw the ball?

Well, check the stats against Abilene Cooper: 20-of-38 passing, 304 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions in just the second start for Guilbeau. In comparison, 2009 starter Tanner Price – Westlake’s career leader in passing yards and total offense – never threw for more than 245 yards during last season’s run to the state title game. Price had the last 300-yard passing game in September of 2008 against Bowie.

“Our offense is coming along, and Lewis played a great game,” Westlake coach Darren Allman said. “The exciting thing is that he will just get better and better.”

Guilbeau, a 5-foot-10-inch, 184-pound junior, added 72 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries. He also showed his grit by shaking off a massive hit from blitzing 235-pound linebacker Josh Robinson that sent him cleat over helmet while drawing gasps from the crowd.

“Lewis played extremely tough and came back from that big hit,” Allman said. “He just kept going and going.”

Not-so-special – again

Westlake continued to have problems in its kicking game, which negated a plus-3 turnover differential for the Chaps against Abilene Cooper.

Buckley Willis missed field goals from distances of 31 and 40 yards, although both came against a steady north breeze. He did convert a 25-yard field goal attempt in the fourth quarter. For the season, Willis has made two of five attempts, with one miss resulting from a block.

The biggest special teams blunder proved an unfortunate first for Allman. Cooper’s Khole Jackson slipped several Westlake tacklers and slid down the sidelines for a 64-yard punt return for a touchdown in the first quarter. In his 18 years as a coach, Allman said that had never happened against one of his teams.

Defense giveth, taketh away
Although Westlake’s porous defense gave up 442 yards to the dangerous Abilene Cooper offense, it did force three turnovers. J.R Jackson recovered a fumble as Cooper QB Clayton Nicholas scrambled to avoid pressure, Conor Byrne pounced on a loose ball after a muffed handoff exchange by the Cougars, and Campbell McCrea made a one-handed interception on a pass tipped by Westlake safety Sean Potter.

Westlake’s offense did not commit a turnover.

Consol QB OK after x-rays

According to Larry Bowen of the Bryan-College Station Eagle, A&M Consolidated quarterback Jacob Bronowski should play against Westlake Friday after a trip to the hospital following the Tigers’ won over Cypress Woods last week.

Bronowski was hit by a linebacker after throwing a pass in the second quarter of Consol’s 38-24 victory. Bronowski went to the hospital because of concerns that he may have fractured a rib and injured his liver. He was diagnosed with bruised ribs.

News and notes

Westlake coach Darren Allman had never lost to Abilene Cooper as a coach or player. In his playing days at Odessa Permian, Allman won all three meetings between Permian and District 3-5A rival Cooper. As a coach at Permian from 2005-08, Allman led the Panthers to four wins over Cooper. … Westlake is now 0-2 in games at Abilene’s Shotwell Stadium. The Chaps lost to Abilene High at Shotwell in 2007. … Cooper and Westlake combined for 47 first downs. … Inside linebackers Conor Byrne (18 tackles) and Lance Duran (11 tackles) combined for 29 stops, including 20 solo stops.