Cantu: Proud Lake Travis to host Westlake, and awaits possible Cavalier Stadium upgrades
Of all the high school football rivalries in Central Texas, the hottest ticket running for nearly two decades is Westlake-Lake Travis.
Consider this: General admission tickets for Friday's rivalry game at Cavalier Stadium sold out in three minutes. Three minutes. That's what happens when two schools from the same part of town combine for 10 state championships, a Heisman Trophy winner and two Super Bowl MVPs.
It's such a big event, the 2010 and 2011 season-opening games were played at palatial Royal-Memorial Stadium with crowds that measured about 30,000 both times. It's a given that every game at Westlake's and Lake Travis' stadiums is a sellout. Westlake-Lake Travis provides a college atmosphere. There are roars from one side or the other after every play.
Soon, though, the noise level at Cavalier Stadium might rise in intensity.
While Lake Travis has been a model program for high school football in Texas, the Cavaliers play in a stadium that's not worthy of a team with this much success. The campus field holds 7,400 fans. Head football coach/athletic director Hank Carter said his department fielded countless calls this week from disappointed fans who couldn't get tickets for Friday's game.
When it comes to seating capacity, Lake Travis takes a back seat to Burger Stadium (15,600), Georgetown Athletic Complex (12,422), Kelly Reeves Stadium (11,000), Bible Stadium (12,000), The Pfield in Pflugerville (10,000) and even Chaparral Stadium (10,000).
On Nov. 7, though, Lake Travis might be in line for a massive upgrade. The district will have a $143.1 million bond election aimed at building new facilities for a new high school that will open in 2027 and to upgrade the current facilities at Lake Travis.
If voters approve, the new-and-improved Cavalier Stadium would seat 12,000 with upgrades for TV and radio broadcast rooms, a new scoreboard operations room, a renovated observation deck and installation of multipurpose turf fields.
The bond includes renovations to the women's field house, new outdoor amenities for golf, new fencing and a multipurpose field turf for the track stadium. All facilities would have LED lighting replacements and restroom facilities.
More: Lake Travis bounces Dripping Springs in volleyball
The tale of two teams: both strong, both loaded
As for this week, Carter is more concerned about stopping a Westlake squad that has won Class 6A titles in three of the last four years. Recent wins by the Chaps have narrowed Lake Travis' series lead to 11-6.
"It's a really fun game for the two communities," he said. "On the football side of it, it's a great opportunity to see where our teams are. Westlake has had a really incredible run the last few years and we know they're a great, great team. ... Both teams have other games down the road, but it's important to get geared up for the one we have this Friday."
Carter added that he has "great respect" for Westlake football and second-year Chaparrals head coach Tony Salazar. He noted that he and Salazar were both longtime defensive coordinators before becoming head coaches at their respective schools.
And while Salazar would like nothing better than to beat Lake Travis, he agreed with Carter that bigger days lie ahead for both. Salazar said both programs are "accustomed to playing 15- or 16-game seasons" and a victory Friday will give one team better playoff seeding.
District showdown ahead of 'benchmark' moment
Being able to play in December means a team has had a successful year, Salazar said. At Westlake, sub-varsity teams participate in their annual Turkey Bowl on Thanksgiving morning. It's always a "benchmark" moment when the varsity practices on the holiday because that means December football is about to arrive.
More: Westlake still reigns in 6A in latest football poll
Salazar had high praise for his opponent, saying the Cavaliers deserve to be recognized as one of the state's best programs.
"Anytime you have a team that's won six state championships, that doesn't happen by happenstance," Salazar said. "We lived here (at Westlake) in this hallway with just one state championship (in 1996) for a long, long time before we won the second one in 2019. We had something like seven runner-up finishes. Hank and I understand the importance of defense and running the football."
Salazar went on to say Westlake-Lake Travis is a smaller version of ESPN's College Gameday. In the latest AP poll for Class 6A football in Texas, Westlake sits at No. 4, Lake Travis at No. 8.
"It's the biggest game in our area this week," he said. "It's fun for the fans, it's fun for the communities, it's fun for everybody who's a fan of high school football. You get two quality programs locking horns."
It's a blast for everybody ... as long as they can find a ticket.
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Rivalry week: Westlake, Lake Travis renew their rivalry Friday night
