Facing an unfortunate 26-7 loss to the Hutto Hippos, the JV football team gave their all on Oct. 3 under bright sunny skies. As the Warriors were at home, a sense of familiarity gave Westwood unwavering confidence, but this confidence did not shake up Hutto as they played in one unified front.

The game began slowly as each team scored points here and there with the Warriors managing to drive down the field with cohesion, paramount to their success. But soon, not allowing for any rest, Hutto matched that energy, making the game a neck-in-neck battle as both teams were tied at seven until the third quarter.

“They were tough and they played with a lot of physicality,” Jesus Vasquez ‘26 said.

During the third quarter, looking to pull ahead, Gavin Pless ‘26 caught a 25-yard pass that gave the players the momentum they needed to take risks on the field. Unfortunately, in a stark shift in their momentum, the Warriors’ executions became sloppy as missed opportunities began to add up. This change in energy not only stopped the Warriors but gave the Hippos what they needed to take the lead at 14-7 toward the end of the quarter.

To start the fourth quarter, Hutto wasted no time, racking points on the Warriors. This energy never shifted as the fourth quarter ended, and the Westwood defense started to weaken. However, after the game, the players held their heads up high and focused their energy on taking back their next game. 

“We are going to watch the film and try to fix our mistakes from the last game,” Coach Wesley Moss said. “We will prepare to have a better outcome next week.” 

JV will play their next game on Thursday, Oct. 17, against the Round Rock Dragons for their biggest rivalry game of the season.