I had my sons with me at the game so I had better things to do with the post-game time than to write up a summary but here are a couple of quick thoughts with the details left for tomorrow.

I had Lyon at 17 of 29 for 256 yards and 3 TDs and most importantly no INTs. Surratt had 7 receptions for 160 yards and two TDs. Wolfe had 83 yards on 6 passes. Toledo had the other TD reception on a 27-yard shuffle pass. Best/worst catch of the night: the center caught a deflected pass and managed to get an 18-yard loss before being dragged down (now which way is it to the goal?).

The line had some trouble protecting Lyon once again. Most of the problems come from the right or on a delay up the middle. I'll bet there's gonna be some discussion about that. Lyon got sacked 5 times but also turned in some really nice runs (net 52 yards on 13 carries and that includes 37 negative yards on the sacks). There were times when Lyon was a little off the mark but the receivers also flat dropped a few again. Lyon had 4 or 5 passes deflected as well -- a combination of a couple of tall d-ends and a low release point.

The Hart defense was generally in control of the game. In the first half, Westlake had 39 yards rushing on 17 carries -- barely 2 yards a play. The Warriors passed 11 times and completed 5 for 24 yards in the first half and of course zero points.

The Westlake QB finished at 13 of 25 for 139 yards and 2 INTs. The tailback had 69 yards on 27 carries and the quarterback had 23 yards on 4 carries and scored both TDs on broken plays (flushed), running to the left. The Westlake numbers are a little deceiving in that over 50 of the passing yards and about a dozen of the rushing yards came on the last drive with under 4 minutes to play when a portion of the Hart defense was populated by second team players.

Things looked better in some respects for Hart but there are still a number of kinks to work out. I think the main problems are: (1) poor co-ordination of blocking assignments on offense, (2) continued weak special teams play [tonight: two missed PATs and a couple of stinko punts] and (3) lack of emotion.

Here's the blow by blow of the game and some of my thoughts.

Westlake won the toss and deferred. Hart got a 19-yard return by Leigh and started at the 23: run by Casselbury ("RC") for 7, incomplete, pass [from under center] to Surratt about 10 yards or so down the left sideline and in the parlance of the young, he took it 70 yards to the house. The PAT missed and it was 6-0 Hart at 11:03.

Westlake got about a 20-yard return on the kickoff and started at the 22: run by Rapoport (all runs, except by the QB, were by Rapoport) for 3, pass for 3, pass for 8, run for 3, run for 1, incomplete and punt.

Hart got 9 yards on the return by Wolfe and started at the 29: inc, run by Lyon for 21 [out of the shotgun], pass to Surratt for 19, pass to Wolfe for 1, inc (dropped), pass to Surratt for 4, run by Lyon for 16, pass to Surratt for 5, inc (drop) [Hart was at the Westlake 5 at this point], SACK (# 1) for -7 followed by a 29-yard field goal. Hart 9-0 at 3:39.

Westlake got a big boost from a 42-yard return out to the Hart 48 but went nowhere: inc, run for 2, a SACK for -2 (the only one of the night) and punt.

Wolfe fair caught the ball and Hart started the 19: pass to Wolfe for 25, run by RC for 6, run by Lyon for 9 [flushed], a 10 yard penalty for holding, inc, SACK (# 2 and a fumble recovered by Hart), pass to Surratt for 13 [END OF QUARTER], punt.

Westlake got no return on the punt and started at the 17: run for 3, inc (over the middle, tipped and almost intercepted), inc, punt (close to a block, close to a roughing call!).

Hart started at the 44: inc (Leigh got nailed on a hot route right as the ball got to him), inc. Then the bizarre play of the game: Lyon started in the shotgun, took the snap and dropped back a little more. He tried to pass but the rushers tipped the ball up into the air and the center caught it [Knock it down! Knock it down!]. He ran around with it for awhile but eventually was tackled for an 18-yard loss [Knock it down!]. Hart punted.

Westlake started at the 32: run for 3, run for 5, run for 4, pass for 8, pass for 6, run for 2, inc., QB run for 6 and, on fourth down at the Hart 34, run for 0 and Hart took over on downs.

Hart: draw to RC for 18 [under center], run by RC for 2 [under center], pass to Wolfe for 17 [under center], pass to Leigh for 9 [under center], pass to Yudin for -4 [under center], inc (knocked down) [shotgun], and on 4th down at the 24 [shotgun], inc.

Westlake: run for 1, pass for -1, inc and punt.

Hart got no return and started at the 30: draw by RC for 47 [under center], run by Lyon for 2, inc (knock down #2), SACK (#3) for -13 and inc (tipped pass #3) on 4th down at the 33.

Westlake: run for 2, run for 0, run for 8, run for 0. HALF TIME.

Hart's defense was terrific, giving up no big plays other than 1 fairly long kickoff return. At halftime, Westlake was 5 for 11 and 24 yards passing and 37 yards rushing on 17 attempts. 60 yards of offense in a half is pretty enemic but I understand that Westlake struggled even more last week.

Hart's first half offense was sometimes spectacular followed by some very inconsistent play. In the first half Lyon was 11 for 20, 140 yards and 1 TD (including the center's 18-yard reception for a loss). A pattern is starting to emerge in the Hart passing: its incredibly streaky: several really briskly executed plays followed by a few poorly thrown balls, drops, imprecise routes, fouled up blocking assignments, etc. Improved consistency is going to be an important factor for Hart. Hart's first half rushing was solid: 103 yards on 12 carries and that includes the 3 sacks.

Second half.

Westlake got about a 20 yard return and started at the 23: run (fumble) for -1, run for 10 (the first double digit yardage from scrimmage), run for 3, run for -1, penalty (don't know what it was) for -5, run for 5 and then an INT by Surratt. He made a nice return but a really terrible call on Casselbury for a hit in the back moved the ball back to the Hart 47.

Hart: SACK (#4) for -2, penalty for delay, inc., SACK (#5) for -7 and then a very short punt following a bad snap. (Note the streakiness: every play was kind of stinky in this series; not only does it bring Hart down, it really invigorates the opposition. The next series is great evidence of that problem.)

Westlake started at the WL 47: pass for 35, run/fumble for 0, run by the QB after he was flushed for 12 and the TD. 9-7 Hart at 5:36 in the third.

Now we see the other side of the Hart streaky side. Hart started at the 35 as the ball was kicked out of bounds: run by RC [under center] for 9, sneak by Lyon for 4, run by RC on a pitch [under center] for -4, a spectacular run by Lyon for 30 yards after he was flushed out of the pocket. Best block: kudos to the back judge. Next play was another great run by RC for 26 yards and the TD. What a display of balance and agility!. Hart 16-7 at 3:20. Note that the entire series was running: 65 yards in 5 plays.

Westlake started at the 23: pass for 8, pass for 10, run for 4 (sweep -- one of the few times WL went outside the tackles), run for -2, inc (knocked down) and punt.

Hart started at the 13: a pass to RC was nullified by a holding, run by RC for 0 [QUARTER], pass to Wolfe for 19, pass to Surratt for 9, sneak by Lyon for 2, run by RC for 9, run by RC for 4, pass to Surratt for 48 and a TD. Hart 22-9 (PAT pass was no good) at 9:17.

Westlake started at the 27: Inc, inc, penalty(?) and INT by Hetman.

Hart started at the WL 21: pass to Wolfe for 12, run by Lyon for 4, inc (knock down), inc and 22-yard FG. Hart 25-7 at 7:17.

Westlake started at the 26: inc, run for 8, run for 0, run for 1.

Hart took over on downs at the 35: pass to Wolfe for 9, penalty illegal shift, run by Toledo by 4 [at this point both RC and guard Dusty Green were out of the game. Both appeared to be injured. Any one with the story on that?], shuffle/shuttle/shovel pass to Toledo for 27 yards and a TD. Hart 32-7 at 4:00.

Westlake: pass for 3, pass for 9, pass for 11 (as one might guess, Hart was subbing in some of the second stringers at this point, while the DBs were starters, some of the linemen were subs giving the WL QB more time), pass for 7, run for 6, run for 0, pass for 32, run by the QB, once again around the left for 7 yards and a TD. 32-14. Hart took a knee after the kickoff and it was over.

Some comments. First, the defense is getting more consistent and is proving really tough against the run. Every once in awhile it seems like the pass defense loses some concentration.

The Hart offense sometimes looks absolutely spectacular and then looks like a bunch of JV players. The problem is that its not just one problem, its sometimes several, and sometimes several at the same time.

The offensive line has some trouble picking up blitzes. The right side seems unusually vulnerable. A second problem that showed up last week and a little bit more last night was that the defense sometimes delays a little bit, allows the blockers to commit and then blitzes someone, usually right up the middle. It seems like the center may be a little quick to commit to a block. In any event, this creates additional problems because the QB now has problems stepping into the pocket and/or stepping into his throw because the defense is in his face (when all goes well Lyon steps into the pocket very well).

The receivers have to latch onto the ball better. There are just too many drops by kids who have terrific hands. Some of the passing is a little dangerous. A couple of the tosses to the outside were dangerously close to rushing linemen or backers. Lyon has to work on a quicker release, keeping the ball higher and throwing it from a higher, more overhand position as opposed to what appears to be a bit of a sidearm throwing motion. No one ought to be knocking down passes by a 6'5" QB.

The big improvement this week: Lyon's running was terrific. He's really pretty fast once he gets rolling. Its another dimension that the opponent now has to worry about. I liked the idea that Hart did not run hardly any plays with an empty backfield and also ran a lot from under center which, I think, greatly aids the running game.

The kicking game is still a little on the anemic side. The Hart punter got off a nice punt but he also had a very weak one too. The bad snap certainly didn't help. Punt returns were better in the sense there were no screwups. Kickoffs surprise me. I thought that Christiansen would have remained the kicker and would be booting it to the endzone. He is not kicking. The PAT thing needs to improve to: 1 miss in each game which in turn invited failed running/passing PATs.

My last beef is with the level of energy. Seems like too many are too laid back too often. Get fired up!

The "no turnovers" stat was a terrific improvement from last week. Hope the kids keep that up.

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