Westwood’s Warriors (0-8) were defeated 14-27 by the Pflugerville Panthers (2-6) in their fifth district game on Oct 23.

During the first quarter, the Warriors were quick to put points on the board with a touchdown by Te’shon McGinnis ’17, with 10:10 left in the first. The defense had a difficult time keeping the Panthers in their own territory, putting the score at 7-14 at the end of the first.

Throughout the second quarter, the defense exhibited more of the same, giving up 21 points by the end of the half. The Warriors’ offense could not overcome the initial momentum and allowed for frequent turnovers—though they showed marked improvement over the previous games, with many great plays by all involved—putting the score at 7-21.

After the half, during which the Westwood Warrior Marching Band performed their show, Let Me Fall, the dynamics of the game shifted.

The defense kicked into overdrive, holding the Panthers and keeping them from scoring. With 3:36 left in the quarter, Kody Clements ’17 blocked a Pflugerville kick, denying them of additional points. However, the offense did not take advantage of these opportunities and struggled to move the ball down the field.

Halfway through the fourth quarter, the Panthers scored yet another touchdown, bringing the score to 7-27, thanks to Ethan Twining ’17 recovering the ball on the Panther’s extra point attempt. The Warriors began to make a comeback late in the quarter—culminating in a touchdown by Prince Ugwu ’17 with five seconds left in the game—but were unable to turn the game around: the final score was 14-27.

Westwood’s Warriors will play Round Rock High School at the Kelly Reeves Athletic Complex on Friday, Oct 30.