Atascocita football pulls off statement win over Westlake: 3 takeaways

Cardae Mack looks comfortable at QB, again, and Atascocita puts stamp on momentous road win late

Atascosita's Cardae Mack (14) carries the ball on Westlake late in a non-district Texas 6A football game between two of the state's top six teams on Friday, Sept 13. / John Gutierrez/Special to American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Atascocita bussed back to the Houston area over the weekend with a signature win to add to its hot start to the 2024 Texas high school football season.

On Friday night, the Houston area power, handed nationally ranked Westlake its first loss of the season, 29-21, in Austin — a win that will shake up the top of SBLive's Texas high school football rankings.

• GAME RECAP | TOP 25 TRACKER

As a reward, Westlake (2-1) faces No. 1 Cibolo-Steele next in a Week 4 Central Texas showdown while Atascocita faces a quick turnaround before a Thursday home game against C.E. King.

Here are three takeaways from No. 6 Atascocita's win over No. 4 Westlake:

Westlake's six-year home win streak ends

Atascosita's Ta'von Bolden (25) intercepts a pass intended for Lawson Grimes (1) late in a 39-21 upset of Austin Westlake. / John Gutierrez/Special to American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Atascocita's win wasn't just impressive because it came against a nationally ranked team ranked two slots above it in the statewide rankings.

Westlake is also a famously hard place to play.

The Eagles handed Westlake its first home loss in 44 games, which pencils out to more than six years.

• How Austin Westlake, national high school football power, prepares for another photo finish

The last time the Chaps lost at home came in Week 2 of the 2018 season, a 25-21 loss to another Houston area team in Cypress Ranch.

According to UIL records, it's the 21st longest home win streak ever.

Atascocita bent, broke vaunted Westlake defense

Westlake's defensive unit looked on its way to shutting down one of the state's most potent offenses in Atascocita's two-headed rush attack.

At least in the early goings — until Cardae Mack and Tory Blaylock got settled.

On the game's two opening drives, the Chaparrals forced back-to-back three-and-outs, then pinning the Eagles inside its own 10 with an impressive gunned-down 56-yard punt.

By the second quarter it was the Eagles' defense swinging momentum.

After Rayvon Sauls sacked Wise for a loss of four to bring up 3rd and 8, the Eagles picked Wise off on the next play — senior safety Hunter Sowell to set up its first lead with a field goal to make it 17-14.

Atascocita would end up picking off Wise, one of the best quarterbacks of the early 2024 Texas high school football season, three times.

Wise finished with 238 passing yards, a rushing touchdown and three interceptions.

Atascocita grabbed second half momentum

Westlake QB Rees Wise (9) battles Atascosita defenders in a Texas 6A football game on Friday at Westlake High School. / John Gutierrez/Special to American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Rees Wise has a deep ball in his bag, but had taken a couple of unsuccessful shots in the first half. Until the Chaps entered Eagle territory in the final minute and Wise threw a dart over the top of the defense to junior Lawson Grimes for a 43-yard TD.

Westlake entered halftime with a 21-17 lead and momentum.

Atascocita reclaimed the lead when Mack hit Brodrick Malone for a 28-yard TD pass midway through the third quarter.

In the fourth, Atascocita strengthened its grip. Jaden Jenkins picked off Wise in Eagle territory, then Mack responded in kind.

The three-star running-back-turned wideout broke off a 60-yard touchdown early in the fourth quarter. Mack put the nail in the Chaps' coffin in the final two minutes with a 20-yard TD pass to Kyran Pate.

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More Texas high school football Week 3:

• Duncanville fends off St. Frances Academy: 4 takeaways

• How a former Texas high school football star found his groove in the junior college ranks

• North Crowley backs up hype with win over Guyer

• Highland Park runs past Dallas Jesuit

• Flower Mound 3-0 thanks to dramatic late drive against Lake Highlands: 5 takeaways

• A&M Consolidated holds off Pflugerville Weiss in 6A showdown

• Texas high school football team on its third coach in same week

• Top 100 Texas high school football players: PART 1 | PART 2

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-- Andy Buhler | andy@scorebooklive.com | @sblivetx