Highland Park 10|Westlake 4
On Sunday afternoon, the Highland Park Scots defeated the highly touted Westlake Chapparals in Dallas 10-4. This early season match-up of two of the state’s best teams had a little extra excitement as both teams were coming off of very close games with IMG Academy from Bradenton, Florida. Westlake lost to the Ascenders by 1 and Highland Park dropped their contest by just 2 goals. Highland Park was led on offense by Sam Wheeler (3g, 1a) and Thomas Mencke (3g) in the win on Sunday. Harrison Key had another massive day for the Scots adding 2 goals and an assist. Rounding out the scoring for HP was Wesley Iversen(1g, 1a) and Brooks Bond(1g).
Sam Wheeler
The scoring got off to a slow start with zeros on the board until 3:12 remaining in the 1st quarter when Mencke squared up a short stick and shot one low from the wing. PSA: Do not let Mencke get a short stick. Westlake responded just 20 seconds later to tie it up at 1’s when Ben Salazar found the back of the net on an assist in transition from Carter Barksdale. Bond scored his only marker of the day for HP with 35 seconds remaining in the first to give HP a 2-1 lead headed into the 2nd quarter.
Thomas Mencke
The back and forth scoring continued for most of the 2nd quarter. Christian Fournier is a serious playmaker for the Chaps between the boxes and sparked the 2nd quarter action with a caused turn over and assist to Cam Lynch in transition. Lynch pulled up, set his feet, and banged one from deep off the pipe and in to tie the game at 2. Highland Park’s Harrison Key would match Lynch from 14 yards out to give the Scots a 3-2 lead headed into halftime.
Cam Lynch
The 3rd quarter of this game was riddled with penalties, defensive stops, and excellent goalie play on both sides from Hayden Kern(WL) and Ben Abel(HP). Each team scored once in the 3rd and Highland Park maintained their one goal lead with a score of 4-3 headed into the 4th.
It is no secret that Highland Park’s offense is explosive. When they get hot, they can go on a serious run and play make it, take it with Ghobriel taking face-offs. Well, they got hot in the 4th quarter on Sunday and outscored the Chaps 6-1 in the final quarter en route to the 10-4 victory.
Highland Park’s defensive unit has played excellent early on. They are athletic, skilled with the ball, able to match-up with any offense in Texas, and Ben Abel in cage has been excellent. Sunday was no different as the Scots were able to give up 0 man-down goals on 5 Westlake attempts and hold the Chaps’ loaded offense to just 4 goals.
Sunday was an excellent game despite the elements and Highland Park running away with it in the 4th. Westlake is loaded and played with the Scots for 3 and a half quarters. Westlake looks to rebound from the loss against The Woodlands and Memorial this Saturday and Sunday on the road in Houston. Highland Park had a 2 day turn around before heading over to North District rival, ESD last night. More to come on that game really soon.
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