2008 - Westlake

Another disappointing performance by Hart. What was particularly distressing is that the offense actually played fairly well but it seems about half the team pulled out a semi-auto and shot themselves repeatedly in the collective Indian feet.

A couple of asides first. There was a lot of complaining about the refs in the Westlake-Saugus matchup last week. In this game, there was one -- count it, one - flag in the entire first half; on the opening kickoff Westlake was called for an incidental face mask. In the second half, Hart was called for one illegal procedure, the only Indian penalty of the night and Westlake was called for an illegal block in the back on a kickoff and a pass interference. There was no squawking about missed calls by the coaches or the fans.

Westlake program: nice program but for five bucks, I expect to see the Hart roster, not Saugus!

The jumbotron: seems to me the money could have been spent better elsewhere but it's your money. And turn the #$%^&*(@ speakers down before the game, halftime etc.

Now to the game.

The first drive said it all for Hart. Hart started at the 27 and 12 plays later had moved down to the Westlake 20. Souza was 3 for 3. At that point, he dropped back and let one fly over the middle. It hit the Hart receiver in the hands but bounced off, intercepted at about the 10 and returned 85 yards to the Hart 5. Mowry took it in on the next play and it was 7-0 at 4:25.

Hart got out to the 34 on the second drive before punting-- the problem, a dropped pass by a wide open receiver (running before he caught it).

Westlake to the Hart 45 when the QB was popped while rolling out and fumbled the ball. Hart recovered at the Westlake 43 (the only miscue by the Westlake starters).

Hart got down to the Westlake 32 before turning it over on downs. The problems: a fumbled exchange (no Westlake player was involved) which lost some yards and a couple of passes that were off the mark to open receivers.

Westlake: 3 and out.

Hart, starting at the 32, went on an 8-play 68-yard scoring drive. The big play was a 35-yard pass to Ty McArthur. Souza scored on a 7-yard run and it was 7-7 with 5:13 left in the half.

Then the wheels sort of came off -- or Hart loosed a few more rounds into their feet, not sure which.

Westlake's Lilley dropped the Hart kickoff, had a little trouble picking it up and then went straight up the left sideline 46 yards to the 50-yard line. Westlake then went on 8-play drive. The critical plays were a 3-yard run by the QB on fourth down (it may have been Isham by this point, as Conlin went out, apparently with an injury) followed by a 6-yard pass to Mowry for the TD. Westlake 14-7 at 3:43 left in the half.

Hart started the next series at the 17 but went 3 and out following two drops by open receivers.

Westlake started at the Warrior 49. The first play was a 6-yard screen to Mowry followed by a 43-yard run by Isham, the sophomore backup QB almost straight up the middle (that was the first really bad defensive play by Hart). Westlake 21-7 at :57 left in the half.

More foot-shooting: Hart started at the 25 and very quickly moved to the Westlake 30 on a 10-yard run, an 18-yard pass and a 17-yard pass -- then -- another wholly unforced fumble and it was Westlake's ball to run out the half.

First Half Stats

Almond had 24 yards on 4 carries, Souza 18 yards on 12 carries including the fumbles for losses and Stevens 47 yards on 9 carries. Souza was 7 of 15 for 90 yards and an interception.

Westlake's QBs (some of these may be Isham's passes and/or runs) was 6 of 10 for 43 yards and a TD. He ran for 59 yards on 7 carries and a TD including a fumble for a big loss and a sack. Mowry had 18 yards on 4 carries and 1 rushing and 1 receiving TD. I believe Hagy had one carry for 8 yards.

Overall Hart had considerably more offense from scrimmage but Westlake more than made up for it on a short field derived from turnovers and great returns.

Westlake started the second half with another great return, 45 yards out to the Westlake 46. Westlake scored 9 plays later on a 2-yard run by Mowry. The critical (actually "killer" play for Hart) came when Isham, on 4th and 11 at the 30 was flushed and ran 13 yards for a first down. 28-7 at 8:37 in the third.

Starting on the 18, Hart scored on a 13-play drive with Souza taking it in from the 1. The PAT snap was off and Borland, the holder, was unable to run it in. 28-13 at 3:54 in the third.

Two comments about this drive. Hart again fumbled but recovered (again, no Westlake player involved) and Hart's sole penalty of the game. It was a very impressive drive from a passing perspective. Souza was 5 of 7 for 58 yards, the first time this season where passing predominated on a scoring drive.

The happy feeling didn't last long. Following a block in the back penalty on the kickoff, Westlake started at the 9 and scored on a 10-play drive when Cisi (Lazar?) caught a 20-yard TD pass (longest Westlake pass of the night!). 35-13 1:04 in the third.

Hart went three and out to end the third quarter.

Westlake got the ball on the 42 and scored -- easily -- on a 6-play drive. The TD was on a 5-yard pass to Dunaj. 42-13 at 10:02.

Hart started at the 20 and got down to the Westlake 30 (due in part to a pass interference penalty, only the fourth flag of the night) but Souza was sacked on fourth down to end the drive.

Westlake brought in some subs on offense and got to the Hart 37 before turning the ball over on downs.

Souza completed a 12-yard pass to Borland but a fumble at the end of the run ended the drive.

Westlake went 3 and out.

Hart got down to the 22 but then turned the ball over on downs on an inexplicable dive that was about 2 yards short of the first down.

On the next series, the Westlake third string QB threw an interception that was returned by Cox about 40 yards for the TD. 42-20 at 1:29 left.

Final Stats for Hart (my Westlake stats stopped when the subs started coming in):

Souza was 15 of 32 for 185 yards and 1 interception. He ran for 68 yards on 17 carries (fumbles and a sack really hurt those numbers). Stevens had 80 yards on 14 carries. Almond had 23 yards on 4 carries. Borland was the leading receiver with 8 catches for 77 yards. Almond had 3 for 15, McArthur had 3 for 76 and Glasnow had 1 for 17.

I believe that the Westlake QB (Conlin/Isham-I'm not sure when the change occurred) finished the night at 17 of 23 for 170 yards and 3 TDs. He/they also had 86 yards on 12 carries (including 2 sacks and fumble for losses) and a TD. I think Mowry had 50 yards on 11 carries, 2 rushing and 1 receiving TD. I may be wrong on the last few carries as I wasn't sure who had the ball in the fourth quarter when the subs started coming in.

Comments: