I was unable to attend this game as we were with my youngest son and daughter-in-law out-of-state. The play-by-play and comments are based on listening to the internet broadcast, talking to a few friends and reading the newspaper accounts.

Hart came into this game 1-2, losing badly in the first two games and winning big in the third game. Based on Westlake's poor showing the last two seasons, I think I, along with a lot of other Hart fans, was expecting more of the same. What a surprise! That 5-0 Westlake record was/is no fluke (I wrote this a couple of weeks after the game). The Warrior defense has been particularly effective.

Here's the play-by-play.

Westlake kicked off, Howell dropped the ball, picked it up and returned it to the 11: pass to Arndt for 7, run by Howell for 2, incomplete and punt.

Westlake started the Westlake 44 (no return): Campbell, the QB, pitched to Woodward, who handed off to Peterson who pitched to Owens (the backup QB) who threw to Campbell for a 56-yard TD. Westlake 7-0 at 10:20 of the first quarter.

Hart started at the 20: INTERCEPTION.

Westlake at the Hart 21: run for 5 and FUMBLE (recovered by Holbrook).

Hart at the 10: Pass to Davis for 90 yards and a TD. 7-7 at 9:12.

Westlake got 17 yards on the return: pass for 27, pass for 15, run for 2, pass for 4, run for 16, run for 4, run for-2, run for3 (QB), run for 1 and the TD (QB). Westlake 14-7 4:40 of the first quarter.

Hart at the 20 (no return): pass to Vairo for 18, run by Pettee for 7, pass by Arndt for 11, SACK for -2, run by Howell for 0, incomplete and punt.

Westlake at the 18 (no return): run for 14, incomplete, incomplete, penalty pass interference +15, run for 2, run for 8 [END OF QUARTER], incomplete, run for 0, run for 6 (QB), run for 9 (QB), penalty holding -11, incomplete, incomplete, run by QB for 1 and punt.

Hart at the 6 (no return): pass to Davis for 5, incomplete, pass to Heirshberg for 75, pass to Howell for 5, run by Pettee for 8, run by Howell for 0 and run by Howell for 1 and the TD. 14-14 at 6:32 of the second quarter.

Westlake got 14 on the return and started at 22: pass for , run for 3, run for 1, incomplete, run for 2, incomplete (knockdown) and punt.

Hart at the 33: pass to Howell for 5, incomplete (drop), pass to Ardnt for 28, FUMBLE by Howell.

Westlake at the Westlake 47: incomplete, run for 1, incomplete, bad snap on the punt and tackle by Luster at the Westlake 36.

Hart: run by Pettee for 10 and then FUMBLE (according to the announcer and some of the fans, this was a very bad call. Pettee was clearly down before losing the ball.

Westlake at the 23: run for 5, run for 0, run for 4 and punt.

Hart at the Hart 40: incomplete, incomplete, pass to Davis for 4 and punt.

Westlake took a knee to end the half.

Stats: Pettee was 10 of 17 for 248 yards, a TD and an INT. He had 23 yards on 4 carries and a fumble. Howell had 7 yards on 5 carries and a fumble.

The Westlake QBs (including the pass by the backup) were 5 of 14 for 108 yards and 1 TD. Westlake at 79 rushing on 20 carries, 1 TD and 1 fumble.

Clearly, from the Hart perspective, the turnovers were killers.

Second half.

Westlake got a 7-yard return and started at the 22: pass for 13, incomplete, run for 3, incomplete and punt.

The returner dropped the punt but recovered it and Hart started at the 26: incomplete (drop), incomplete, pass to Heirshberg for 27, pass to Vairo for 34, run by Pettee for 11, run by Howell for 0, run by Howell for 2 and the TD. Hart 21-14 at 8:48 in the third.

Westlake to a 24-yard return and started at the 34: incomplete, run by the QB for 9, run by the QB for 1, penalty illegal procedure -5, pass for 5, run by the QB (flush) for 10, run for 7, run for 3, pass for 21, run for -3, run for 6 by the QB (flush), run for 10 and run for 1 by the QB and the TD. 21-21 at 2:57.

Hart at the 20: incomplete, pass to Vairo for 5, incomplete (drop), punt (shank).

Westlake at the Hart 34: INTERCEPTION by Ardnt (arguably in the endzone but not according to the refs)

Hart at the 2, run by Howell for 3, run by Pettee for 16, incomplete, pass to Vairo for 16 [END OF QUARTER], penalty offensive pass interference (the ball was caught at the Westlake 29 by Vairo so this was real killer) -5 and loss of down, incomplete, pass to Howell for 8 and punt.

Westlake started at the 32 after a penalty on the return for blocking in the back: New QB came and pass for 18, pass for 11, pass for 6 and SACK for -9, incomplete and punt (holding penalty declined).

Hart at the 20: penalty illegal procedure -5, pass to Davis for 13, run by Howell for 7, run by Howell for 0, pass to Arndt for 17, pass to Arndt for 1, run by Howell for 1 and then, just when things were going so well, SACK for -4 and FUMBLE (another questionable call at least in the radio announcer's view the QB was down before he lost the ball).

Westlake at the Hart 49, run by QB Campbell for 6, run by QB for 2, run by QB for 6, run by QB for 14, pass for 19 and the TD. Westlake 28-21 with 2:40 left in the fourth.

Hart at the 20: pass to Arndt for 9, pass to Heirshberg for 10, pass to Vairo for 13, run by Howell for 33, run by Howell for 15 and the TD. Hart went for 2 on the PAT. Pettee rolled right on a play action pass and apparently threw back toward the middle. The pass was intercepted. Westlake 28-27 at 1:20 left.

Hart tried an onside kick but Westlake recovered at the 43: run by QB for 5, run by QB for 4, run by QB for 7 and the first down. One knee and it was over.

Second half stats: Howell carried 8 times for 61 yards and two TDs. He had a total of 13 carries, 68 yards, 3 TDs and 1 fumble. Pettee was 11-17, 153 yards and no TDs or Ints in the second half. He also had 3 carries for net 23 yards including a sack and a fumble. His totals for the game were 21 of 34 for 401 yards, 1TD and 1 INT.

The Westlake QBs were 7 of 12, 93 yards, 1 TD and INT in the second half and had a total of 12 of 26, 191 yards, 3 TDs and 1 INT. Westlake rushed for 84 yards on 19 carries in the second half and 39 carries, 163 yards and 1 TD for the game.

Comments: The impact of turnovers was pretty plain to see in this game. Hart had a total of 469 yards to Westlake's 364 which would point to a Hart victory. But Hart also had 3 fumbles and 1 INT, Westlake only 1 fumble and 1 INT. Alas, that differential is reflected in the final score.

Delano Howell was comparatively ineffective both as a runner and a receiver, at least compared to his first three games which were absolutely stellar.

I'm told Delano had been violently ill for a few days and one can only guess that the loss of his father two weeks earlier also caught up to him. I met Mr. Howell on only one occasion and by all accounts he was a terrific father, husband and man. While his passing is certainly a grievous loss to his family, I trust that they will be forever thankful for the blessing of having such a man in their lives.