'I trust this team': Trio of Austin-area programs punch tickets to state championship games

Sports
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Austin-area programs Westlake, Liberty Hill and Lyndon B. Johnson have advanced to their respective state championship games. | Unsplash

Austin-area programs Westlake, Liberty Hill and Lyndon B. Johnson have advanced to their respective state championship games.

"I told them in our team meeting yesterday that our coaching staff was going to try to do the very best we could to put them in position to make plays, and that we [coaches] were going to get the hell out of the way, and let them go play, I trust this team," Head Coach of Westlake Todd Dodge said after the game. "They've played their hearts out all year long and we did again today."

Westlake continued its streak of perfection by defeating previously unbeaten Katy 45-14 in the 6A state semifinal. It has been 39 games since the Chaparrals last suffered a loss.

Liberty Hill avenged their 2020 playoff loss to Crosby with a 42-14 victory to earn a berth in the 5A Division II state championship game, the Panthers' first since 2018.

Riding an emotional wave prompted by the passing of head coach Jahmal Finner's son, LBJ dispatched Chapel Hill 38-35 to advance to its first state title game.