Call it a 3-Peat: Austin Westlake fends off Denton Guyer for their third-straight title, 40th-straight win
The tone was set in the first quarter as Westlake began the scoring on a blocked punt returned for a touchdown. Will Magids ran the touchdown in and from there, a battle was on! The PAT was missed, but the Chaparrals took a 6-0 lead over the Wildcats. It wasn't until midway through the first quarter that Denton Guyer answered back with a score of their own on a Jackson Arnold 15-yard rush. With a PAT through the uprights, the Wildcats had the 7-6 lead.
Klubnik found eventual offensive MVP Jaden Greathouse for a 62-yard touchdown pass late in the first quarter before Arnold found Jace Wilson for a 9-yarder to once again take a one-point lead- 14-13 over Westlake. The second quarter saw nearly flawless defense as the teams went into halftime without scoring again.
In the third quarter a 15-yard touchdown pass from Klubnik to Bryce Chambers was followed by Guyer continuing their own scoring with a six-yard rush from Arnold for a Guyer 21-20 lead. The touchdown would be the last for the Wildcats as Westlake's defense took charge the rest of the game. Behind a strong defense figuring out Guyer's offensive push, the Chaparrals offense began throwing the punches that Westlake fans are used to seeing. Barnett came onto the field in the fourth quarter and hit a state-record breaking 53-yard field goal for the Chaparrals before Klubnik tossed a 71-yard touchdown to Greathouse for a 37-21 lead over Guyer before senior kicker Mark Seyegh finished the scoring for the night with a field goal of his own to seal the 40-21 win.
