Central Texas Football: Cedar Ridge and Westlake clash for district title
Unbeaten Cedar Ridge seeks a district crown it has not held since 2017, while Westlake aims to capitalize on a strong defensive season in a pivotal Week 10 matchup.
By Sienna Foster ·
The 2026 high school football season reaches Week 10 in Central Texas with a District 25-6A championship game set for Friday. The contest brings together Cedar Ridge and Westlake, two of the region's top programs competing for the district title.
Cedar Ridge enters the game with a perfect 8-0 overall record and a 4-0 mark in district play. The Raiders have scored more than 60 points in three of their eight games this season. Their defense features multiple playmakers, and a victory on Friday would secure the school's first district championship since 2017.
Westlake, which stands at 7-1 overall and 4-0 in district play, has won its last five contests. The Chaparrals relied on a strong defensive effort to defeat Lake Travis 38-17 last week. During district play, Westlake has allowed only 10 points per game. Cedar Ridge represents the most potent offensive challenge the Chaparrals have faced in that stretch.
High school correspondent Shaun Chornobroff predicts a tight contest, calling for a Westlake 27-24 victory. Other Austin-area games this week include Lake Travis at Round Rock, Rouse at Vandegrift, Austin High at Johnson, and Rosebud-Lott at Thorndale.
Rouse and Vandegrift will battle for third place in District 24-6A. Rouse, which is 4-4 overall, can avoid a final-game playoff spot decider with a win over Vandegrift. Vandegrift made a quarterback change last week, with Collin Williams starting in place of Gavin Koester. Williams completed 12 of 20 passes for 196 yards and two touchdowns in that game.
In District 26-6A, Austin High faces Buda Johnson in a game that will influence playoff seeding. Austin High is 3-5 overall, while Johnson is also 3-5. A Johnson win could create a three-way tie for the final two playoff spots if Hays wins its last two games. In District 13-2A, undefeated Rosebud-Lott (9-0) hosts Thorndale (8-0).
Staff picks for the week were submitted by Colby Gordon, Jay Plotkin, Shaun Chornobroff, and Richard Tijerina. Gordon leads the season-long predictions with a 106-29 record. Plotkin is second with 105-30, Chornobroff is third with 100-35, and Tijerina is fourth with 99-36. Last week, Plotkin went 14-1, while the other three reporters each went 12-3.
Source: Austin American-Statesman
