Westlake football coach Tony Salazar has been hitting the film room hard, specifically rewatching his team’s 35-14 bi-district playoff win against Round Rock back in 2023. That game, the last time these squads met, feels like eons ago, especially now that UIL realignment shoved both Westlake and Round Rock into District 25-6A. That means Thursday night, 7 p.m. at Chapparal Stadium, these two giants clash in a contest fans have been buzzing about since the schedule dropped.
These Teams Have Been Through It
Westlake, currently sitting at 3-1 and ranked No. 2 in the Statesman’s Central Texas 6A, just absolutely stomped Midland Lee 49-6 to wrap up their non-district grind. But their season hasn’t been without its gut punches. They kicked things off with a tight 33-26 win over Inglewood, California, only to get smacked 49-40 by Prosper on September 11. That loss, man, it hit hard. Defensive end Colton Fromberg, who’s already got a team-leading eight tackles for loss and four sacks, called it a real “gut check” moment. This defense, after only winning seven games last year,the program’s worst since 2014,is out for redemption. Fromberg put it bluntly: “We came to the realization that we can’t have last year happen again… We studied a lot more film that week, had a lot of player to player talks and I think that just helped raise the morale a little bit after that loss.”
Round Rock, at 4-1 and ranked No. 3, has seen their own share of battles. Their non-district schedule was a gauntlet, facing Weiss, Temple, Dripping Springs, and Vandegrift. They stumbled out of the gate against Weiss, but since then, it’s been nothing but wins, racking up a four-game streak. Round Rock coach Cody Moore, who was actually in his first season the last time they played Westlake, sees a team gelling. “I think we’re playing some really good complementary football,” Moore said. “I think we’re having a good dose of run and pass game on offense, and then also just growing up and gelling better on defense. I think it’s been a growing process each and every week.” They rolled over Stony Point 45-25 to kick off their district play, so they’re coming in hot.
Round Rock’s Air Raid Is Legit
If Westlake’s defense is still having those “player to player talks,” they better be talking about Dov Stickler. Round Rock’s senior quarterback, who took over midway through his junior year, has been flat-out one of the best in the area. This dude has shredded opposing defenses for 1,132 yards, slung 15 touchdowns, and only tossed two interceptions all season. That’s efficiency, folks.
And he’s not doing it alone. His receiving corps is absolutely stacked with Dylan Jaeger, a 6-foot-3 TCU commit, and Simon Sylvani, who brings track speed to the outside. This duo has combined for 34 catches, 879 yards, and 11 touchdowns. They’re averaging more than enough to be a problem, and Westlake’s secondary is going to have their hands full trying to contain that kind of explosiveness.
This Thursday night game isn’t just a district opener for Westlake, it’s a statement game. After a disappointing 2025, Westlake wants to prove they’re back to their standard. But Round Rock, riding a four-game win streak and boasting an explosive offense, is looking to make their own statement in the new district. You won’t want to miss this one.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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