Westlake Ties Buena, 35-35, in First Game at New Venue

New stadium, new season, same Westlake High football.

Score gobs of points. Surrender gobs of points.

Entertain the masses, win, lose, or in this case, tie.

Westlake’s big-play electricity and Buena’s workmanlike ball control were worlds apart in style, but the result was a 35-35 nonleague deadlock Friday night at Westlake.

The capacity crowd of 4,500 that showed up to witness the Warriors’ first game in their gleaming stadium won’t soon forget the spectacle. A quartet of skydivers landed on the field moments before the game, but who needs theatrics with a game like this?

Jamal Harris, Westlake’s senior tailback, scored on a 33-yard run with 8 minutes 40 seconds to play to produce the final score. Buena controlled the ball for 33 minutes, but with Harris breaking away for three touchdowns and 142 yards in 11 carries and receiver Jason Victor scoring on a 24-yard reception and gaining 96 yards in five catches, Westlake was able to make up for lost time.

Buena’s bruising style was a distinct departure from most Rick Scott-coached teams, but the Bulldog offensive line opened gaping holes from the team’s first possession.

“We played our game and they played theirs,” Scott said. “We wanted to control the ball and we did it well.”

Buena scored on each of its three first-half possessions, rushing for 228 yards in the half and 396 in the game. Brady Phelps, a 5-foot-9, 175-pound tailback, rushed for 201 yards in 26 carries, including 122 in the second half.

Phelps scored Buena’s first touchdown on a 13-yard run, added a 26-yard scoring run late in the first half and scored again from four yards to give Buena a 35-28 lead with 9:37 to play.

“Phelps really ran hard, especially in the second half,” Scott said.

Each team had two possessions after the final points were scored, but the defenses finally toughened.

Buena was forced to make the game’s only punt with one minute to play, and Steve Aylsworth returned it 36 yards to the Buena 29-yard line. Three plays and a Westlake penalty later, the Warriors hurriedly tried a 45-yard field goal as time expired, but the snap was high.

“We put 35 points on the board and our defense played well late in the game,” Westlake Coach Jim Benkert said. “Our kids have something to build their season on.”

Aylsworth, making his first start at quarterback, completed 11 of 15 for 138 yards. He also rushed for 45 yards.

Buena quarterback Glenn Dudley finished five of nine for 79 yards and rushed for 93 yards in 15 carries.