For the first time this season, Hart had an offense and defense in the same game and had an edge in turnovers. What a marked difference in the outcome.

The injury bug continues to chomp -- viciously and repeatedly -- on Hart. As I watched the JV game I started to suspect something was amiss when the JV starting quarterback, Brent Holbrooke, was not out there. Then I saw the Hart varsity backs and receivers come out for warm-ups and there was a new kid out there with no name on his jersey and his number was not in the program. I started asking questions and sure enough, was advised that Tyler Lyon injured his shoulder last week and was not going to play.

Those of us who watched the JV team last year and the passing tournaments this summer knew that Hart had a very able backup in Alex Pettee. He acquitted himself well in his first varsity start and Holbrooke, as Pettee's backup, performed well too.

But there were more injury bugs: starting MLB Patrick Larimore was sidelined with an injury; starting defensive end and punter, Steve Burton remains sidelined by a broken thumb. Last week it was a dearth of running backs. This week the Indians were missing a QB and MLB but were not forced to dip so deep in the depth chart.

I think Hart fans should have a great deal of empathy for Westlake. The Warriors are not exactly a talent-rich team this season. First they lost their best football player in Miller. Then they lost the Bills kid, a two-way starter and probably their best receiver. Then tonight, they lost their best athlete in Jeff Rapoport. When he went out, Westlake was done.

My final preliminary comment: for the Fox TV guys: what a mess regarding the picture, but since I had already seen the game, I didn't miss the sound at all.

Here's the summary. Hart took the opening kickoff and got a 33-yard return out to the 40 by James Wheeler. Lyon had gingerly warmed up and was a team captain for the week and went out to mid-field in uniform to handle the coin flip. I suspect the Westlake guys were confused on the first offensive play when some unknown was at quarterback

On the first play, Pettee hit Wheeler (now back in his slot spot after last week's fill-in at RB) for 7. In a 6-play scoring drive, the big play for Hart was a 14-yard pass to Cannon with a late hit penalty tacked on the end which moved Hart down to the Westlake 16. Howell ran it in from there and it was 7-0 Hart at 9:04 (the snap on that running play was from the shotgun by the way).

Westlake started on the 20 and moved down the field and scored on a 13-play drive, the TD coming on a pass from Campbell to Christiansen at 4:42.

Westlake's Erik Schneider had a "Fotbol" moment in the series. Campbell threw a nice pass to him in the end zone and Schneider stretched to catch it, trying to keep his feet inbounds. Only one problem: he was about 5 yards from the back of the end zone. The line that he was trying to avoid crossing was not the back line of the end zone but rather one of the yellow soccer end-lines. I've seen that problem -- mistaking the futbol lines for the football lines -- about a dozen times now in the last couple seasons. Wish the soccer lines could be removed until futbol season.

Hart scored on a 3-play 75-yard drive on the next possession. The big play was a Pettee to Casselberry pass for 61 yards and a TD. Hart 14-7 at 3:13 in the first quarter. Pettee was 4 for 4, 96 yards and a TD, not a bad a debut for the junior.

Westlake went three and out and Hart started on the Westlake 40 after another nice 11-yard return by Wheeler. Hart promptly moved down the field and "scored" in 4 plays but the TD pass was called back for holding which moved the ball back 18 yards and Hart had to punt after two more incompletions. [First of several TDs called back this night.]

Hart buried Westlake on the 10 with the punt. On the second play from scrimmage, Hart's Griffin Cannon intercepted a pass at the 18 and Hart scored three plays later on an 18-yard pass to Yudin. Hart 21-7 at 9:20.

Westlake once again started at the 20 and moved smartly out to the 49 in three plays. On the next play, Griffin Cannon intercepted his second pass of the night and Hart started at the Hart 30: a run for a loss, a blitz for a loss and incomplete and Hart punted.

The next series was the coup de grace for Westlake. The Warriors, starting at the 50, drove down to the Hart 7. On that play, Rapoport was hurt, apparently breaking his leg in a pileup between the tackles at about the 5 [post-game reports indicate it may be only a very severe contusion]. He was carried off the field. On the next play, his replacement ran it in for a "TD" which was called back because of a holding penalty (2nd TD of the night called back).

On the next play, Campbell threw a screen to the running back in the middle of the field. He took off to the left, was hit and coughed up the ball that bounced right into James Wheeler's hands who returned it 88 yards for a touchdown. Hart 28-7 at 2:22 in the second.

There was a funny incident during the return by Wheeler. Casselberry was running with Wheeler and saw Westlake's Campbell out in front. Casselberry blocked Campbell very solidly and both went down. Campbell almost immediately jumped on top of the prostrate Casselberry and started pummeling him. I don't know what set him off but it got an unsportsmanlike call.

Following another kickoff to the end zone, Westlake started at the 20 and ran one play, a pass, which was intercepted by James Wheeler (a fumble recovery and an INT on consecutive plays!).

Hart scored in one play, a nifty 27-yard run (QB under center!) by Howell. Hart 35-7 at 2:02 in the second.

Westlake once again started at the 20 and managed to move out to the 47 but was once again snakebite and fumbled (Sarkissian's helmet on the ball was the cause and Chris Hickok -- filling in for Sarkissian at OLB who filled in for Larimore at MLB -- recovered.)

Hart moved it down to the 23 and Weinstein kicked a field goal as time expired. Hart 38-7 at half.

Pettee finished the half at 7 for 13, 136 yards and 2 TDs. Howell had 60 yards rushing on 11 carries.

There was no scoring in the second half but here's the summary anyway:

Westlake 3 and out.

Hart went on an 11-play drive down to the Westlake one but a fumble ended that series.

Westlake started at the 6, got to the 35 before punting. Wheeler got another decent return and Hart started at the Hart 45. Hart got down to the Westlake 36 and then "scored" on the first play of the 4th quarter on a pass to Yudin, only to have it called back on a holding and eventually punted. (Third TD called back.)

Westlake fumbled on the first play (Ardnt recovered). At this point, the "second" string, JV quarterback entered the game. The team moved down to the 9 where the JV QB ran it in for a TD that, once again was called back on a holding penalty. (Fourth TD called back.) Hart tried a 30-yard FG that missed.

Starting at the 20, Westlake got to the 44 before punting.

Hart started at the 12 and ran 6 plays before punting which ended the game.

Some comments: Hope Lyon and Larimore are quick for recovery.

There were some improvements. First in turnovers: Hart coughed up four fumbles in the first two games, two which were very costly. There was only one in this game but it deprived Hart of a TD. Still need stickier fingers.

The QB threw one INT in the first two games. None tonight.

Hart intercepted 4 tonight with none in the first two weeks.

It appeared to me that the receivers were much more responsible in their routes. The Casselberry TD is a classic example. The OLB rushed. Casselberry stepped into the spot the LB vacated, about 2 yards off the line of scrimmage. It appears on the books as a 61-yard pass to Casselberry. Actually it was a 5-yard pass to Robbie and a very nice 58-yard run after the catch. Yudin had a great catch on a quick slant/hot route across the middle. As a result a lot of pressure on the QB was relieved and there was only one sack.

While Pettee started out great (4-4 in the first quarter), things tapered off considerably in the second half where he was 6 of 9 for 52 yards. He finished the night at 13-20 for 188 yards and 2 TDs. Clearly, the receivers were far more conscious of running the proper routes, particularly with regard to the blitz. It really showed!

Howell finished the night with 19 carries for 74 yards, 2 TDs and 1 fumble. Interestingly, he had 60 yards on 10 carries when the QB was under center (6 yards a carry). He had only 14 yards on 9 carries from the shotgun (1.45 yards per carry -- a number fairly consistent with the first two games, actually a little higher). Either Hart has to figure out better blocking schemes for runs out of the shotgun or more plays have to start under center.

Westlake is a decent, well-coached team but with so many good players on the casualty list, it's still hard to gauge just how good this Hart team really is. I'm starting to see all the good signs of more cohesiveness and more unbridled enthusiasm. On the technical side, the blocking and route-running is improving each week and the defense is playing far headier ball than we saw much of last season.

Next week Birmingham.

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