HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL: Westlake down by 21 at half vs. De La Salle

It's rough for Westlake.

Westlake fell behind 21-0 at halftime, as the Warriors did a good job moving the football but continually self-destructed in the red zone. Three times Westlake penetrated the De La Salle 20, but the Warriors had nothing to show for it.

De La Salle took the opening kickoff and drove 58 yards on four plays, scoring on Tiapepe Vitale's 37-yard touchdown run for a quick 7-0 lead.

Westlake then went three-and-out on its first possession, followed by a 58-yard pass from De La Salle's Bart Houston to Joshua Jenkins to the 2, and Houston scored on a 2-yard run to make it 14-0.'

With the game quickly getting out of hand, Westlake showed some life on its next possession, driving from its own 26 to the De La Salle 9, as Justin Moore completed two passes for 13 yards while adding 24 yards on three carries. But then Moore tried to force a fourth-down pass to Cody Tuttle that fell incomplete.

Westlake got a break a few moments later when Bradley Wellman recovered a De La Salle fumble at the Westlake 13.

Westlake drove to the De La Salle 42, but the series stalled on Moore's incomplete pass on fourth-and-4, and De La Salle cashed in again, driving 58 yards on six plays, scoring on Michael Hutchings' 27-yard reception on fourth-and-11. Houston completed two passes for 60 yards on the drive.

It still was not too late for Westlake to make a game of it. Moore completed a 14-yard pass to Tuttle, followed by a 27-yard strike to Wellman, but two plays later Moore was intercepted by Anthony Williams in the end zone.

After De La Salle went three-and-out - the first time - the first time Westlake stopped the Spartans - the Warriors had another opportunity to put some points on the board before halftime. Starting from his own 33, Moore hit Connor Cook for 10 yards, then Tuttle for a 13-yard completion, followed by another pass to Tuttle for 8 yards to the De La Salle 24.
Moore gained 12 yards on two rushes to push the ball to the 13, but Moore was again intercepted in the end zone, this time by linebacker David Moffitt.

Overall, Westlake gained 211 yards in the first half but surrendered 275 while committing three turnovers.

In a pregame speech, Westlake coach Jim Benkert, knowing his Warriors were an underdog, implored his players to do everything possible to win the game - even if it meant playing above their head.

"I'm so proud of you and proud of what you've accomplished so far as a band of brothers, and now you have to do everything possible," Benkert said. "We have a chance to rewrite history. We've earned that right to play to prove who is the best in California if not the whole darn nation. So give it everything you have. I love you guys. Now let's play some football."