Roughly 60 miles separated both Lake Travis and Westlake’s respective games. Still, fans of both teams were paying attention to the opposite outcome, willing another chapter in the fabled “Battle of the Lakes” rivalry.
Just as the Chaps took care of business at Burger Stadium, Lake Travis did the same at Matador Stadium, clobbering San Antonio East Central 52-7.
It will be the second straight time both teams meet in the playoffs, with the Chaps eking out a victory last year 21-14. In their meeting in October, Westlake pulled out a close one, winning 28-16 with a swing of 14 points resulting from numerous Lake Travis miscues. The game was the sole blemish on the Cavs 12-1 record. The Chaps also come into the contest with an identical record and haven’t lost since September.
“I’ll probably remember the amount of the penalties we had and the dropped catches,” coach Hank Carter admitted to the Austin American-Statesman. “I know our kids are capable of so much so we have high expectations for them.”
Although East Central claimed the 7-3 lead briefly against LT, it was short lived, and the Hornets scoring stopped there. By halftime, the Cavs had blown it open, leading by 38-7 at halftime behind four touchdowns through that span.
Running back Van Hopping scored on a remarkable 95 yard run in the second quarter, accounting for one of his four scores in the game. He finished with a game-high 195 rushing yards, including 180 in the first half, as well as scoring three times in a two-and-a-half minute span. In the third quarter, backup running back Wesley Glass took Hopping’s spot in the backfield, scrambling for his own 118 yards.
Quarterback Chaston Ditta also had himself a game, throwing for a game-high 317 passing yards and two scores.
The Lake Travis offense is heading into next week’s Westlake showdown with a ton of confidence, coming off a whopping 709 total yards in their latest matchup.
They haven’t defeated the Chaparrals since 2019.
Lake Travis Cavaliers vs. East Central Hornets
Date: November 29, 2024
Location: Matador Stadium, Seguin, TX
Final Score:
| Team | 1Q | 2Q | 3Q | 4Q | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Travis | 14 | 24 | 7 | 7 | 52 |
| East Central | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
Scoring Summary:
- 1st Quarter:
- LT: Van Hopping 95-yard run (PAT good)
- EC: Touchdown (PAT good)
- LT: Touchdown (PAT good)
- 2nd Quarter:
- LT: Touchdown (PAT good)
- LT: Touchdown (PAT good)
- LT: Field Goal
- 3rd Quarter:
- LT: Touchdown (PAT good)
- 4th Quarter:
- LT: Touchdown (PAT good)
Individual Leaders:
- Passing:
- LT: Chaston Ditta – 317 yards, 2 TDs
- Rushing:
- LT: Van Hopping – 195 yards, 4 TDs
- LT: Wesley Glass – 118 yards
