After win over Akins, Westlake boys soccer stunned by Austin High

Westlake’s boys soccer team had a week of mixed feelings with the start of District 25-6A play

The Chaps (9-1-1, 1-1-0 District 25-6A) took care of business against Akins (3-5-0) Jan. 14 in a 4-0 win, in which there were four different scorers as well as two different players with assists.

Zach Burd, filling in the attacking-mid position, opened the scoring early with an assist from left winger Ty Jarrett. The Chaps eagerly welcomed captain Oscar Nordfjell back to the field for the first time this season, and he slotted a beautiful free kick to up the score to 2-0 by halftime.

When asked how he felt to be back, Nordfell responded, “It feels great. I mean, I missed it. For two weeks, I watched us play 10 games of soccer. To just sit there was, it was pretty painful but, it happens. At least I’m here for district.”

Right back Jason Jones joined his teammates on the score sheet by pushing a bottom-left strike off a beautiful cross from winger David Leadbetter. The night’s events were capped on a loose-ball finish by attacking mid Graham Jatinen.

“We were out the gates fast, and the first half was a bit of a struggle, but we came through,” Jatinen said. “In the second half, we had good possession.”

The Chaps returned to Chaparral Stadium Friday, where they were shocked Austin High, 4-3.

The Maroons (5-5-2, 1-1-0) opened the scoring fast after capitalizing off a defensive error and finishing with a side-volley that went top-left in the first few minutes of the game. Westlake responded with a header from striker Raghav Sharma off the cross from Jones, leaving the score at half 1-1. Austin High went ahead again early in the second half with two more strikes to build a 3-1 lead.

Just as the game seemed to getting out of reach, another signature free kick from Nordfjell brought the game to 3-2. Not long after, a counterattack from Sharma down the wing led to the equalizing cross-face tap-in from Landon Evans. With about five minutes left in the game, the Maroons tapped in a loose ball in the box to reclaim the lead and eventually win the game.

Coach James Baker and the Chaps look to bounce back Jan. 21 when they take on defending District 25-6A champion Lehman at 7:45 p.m. at Chaparral Stadium. On Jan. 28, the Chaps host Lake Travis in the first of this season’s Great Lakes derby.