In their season opener, the Paso Robles High School varsity football team lost to the visiting Westlake Warriors 39-14 in a non-league game on Saturday night at War Memorial Stadium.

“I don’t think it was a lack of effort on our part,” said Paso Robles coach Rich Schimke. “We just had surgery performed on us, a little here and a little there. We stitched up one wound and something else would happen.”

The Warriors scored on their first possession, following three quick first downs that put them on the 10-yard line. Warriors quarterback Ben Conlin handed off to Tavior Mowry to cap the drive with a two-yard touchdown burst.

Bearcat Weston Powell blocked the extra point, as Westlake took a 6-0 lead.

Westlake immediately scored again following an interception by Steve Hagy. That score came on fourth and three at the 39 yard line, when the Warriors looked like they were going to punt but instead threw the ball in for a touchdown. With the extra point good, the Warriors would end the first quarter 13-0.

“We came out with a fake punt and I think that got all of our spirits up,” said Westlake coach Jim Benkert. “We had worked on that. I had told the kids we were going to run that. So when it worked it just kind of lifted our spirits.”

In possession to start the second quarter, the Warriors moved down field quickly. On first down at the 13-yard line, Conlin connected with Nick Isham in the end zone to give his team a 20-0 lead.

The Bearcats took over, and three first downs later, Andy Bridge stormed into the end zone from the five-yard line for a touchdown. With the extra point, the Bearcats were on the board, 20-7.

The Bearcats held the Warriors, and on their next possession marched down field again to score. Bearcats quarterback Thomas Bernal ran the ball in from the 10-yard line. With another extra point, the Bearcats trailed the Warriors 20-14 to end the first half.

Had the Bearcats’ final drive of the half yielded points too, it could have been even closer.

“We had momentum, we were right there,” Schimke said. “We had the ball right before half, 48 seconds to go, drive it down to the 20 [yard line] and it looked good to me, we just missed [the field goal], it could have been 20-17.”

After jumping out early, the Warriors found themselves in a fight with the Bearcats.

“They got right back in the ball game, we weren’t doing the things we should have been doing, and at half time we were kicking off to them,” Benkert said.

Neither team scored on its opening possession of the second half. But as the Bearcats prepared to receive the second time, a fumble on the punt cost them possession. Westlake took full advantage, quickly scoring a touchdown to open up a 27-14 lead.

“We felt that critical series was the opening series of the third quarter,” Benkert said. “In the beginning of that third quarter they could have come down and taken the lead and that could have changed everything.”

On the flip side, the fumble took the wind out of the Bearcats’ sails a bit.

“When momentum was good for us tonight, we were good,” Schimke said. “But I think our defense was on the field for what seemed like forever tonight so we could never really get the big stop, and then when we did get the big stop, we’d give it right back.”

As momentum for the Bearcats stalled, the Warriors picked up speed and scored another touchdown to end the third quarter with a 33-14 lead over the Bearcats.

The Warriors scored a final touchdown, and with eight minutes left to play held the Bearcats scoreless as they claimed a 39-14 victory.

“We’ll rebound, it’s a preseason game,” Schimke said.

The Bearcats are now 0-1 for the season. They host Central High School of Clovis on Friday, Sept. 12 starting at 7:30 p.m.





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