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Westview has started the season 3-0 for the first time since 2004. The reason for their early-season success is no secret.
“We’re all close. We’ve bonded really well,” said junior quarterback Tommy Hansen.
Playing as a team helped Westview overcome sticky situations in their first two games of the season. Against Francis Parker on Sept. 5, the Wolverines trailed 17-0 to start the game and scored 10 points in the final quarter for a 27-24 win.
“The first couple of games could have went either way. Fortunately for us our kids have a lot of resiliency and they just keep battling,” said Westview head coach Mike Woodward.
The following week against Granite Hills, Westview trailed 20-7 in the first quarter. They quickly overcame that deficit to take a 21-20 halftime lead, but again had to rally in the fourth quarter, outscoring the Eagles 16-0 en route to a 37-27 victory.
“Westview teams of the past have just given up when they got behind. We haven’t. We’ve come back from two big deficits,” said senior wide receiver Steven Sousa.
Sousa is Westview’s leading receiver, with 15 catches for 343 yards and five touchdowns in only three games. As impressive as his numbers are, they don’t tell the whole story.
“His stats don’t show what he has done with the football once it’s in his hands,” Woodward said. “A lot of those big touchdown catches or big plays that he’s had have been passes where he has caught the ball behind the line of scrimmage on a screen and made some guys miss.”
Sousa has been Hansen’s favorite target, but the junior quarterback has also spread the ball around, completing five or more passes to five different players.
“We’ve got a lot of kids that are capable of making big plays,” Woodward said.
After the two dramatic wins, Westview crushed University City 59-13 on Sept. 19. Though each of the Wolverines wins has been distinctly different, they do have one thing in common – they were all played at home.
“It’s going to be strange going on the road this week,” Woodward said about Westview’s game at Orange Glen next Friday.
Opening the season with three wins at home has given Westview a fan base it hasn’t had in years past.
“It showed our school what we can do. I think that’s our biggest confidence builder. We know our fans are behind us all the way,” Hansen said.
Gaining home support will only help Westview when league play rolls around, with their toughest Valley League games – against Oceanside, Valley Center and Ramona – all played at their place.
“Those are three big big home games. It helps not having to travel when you play teams like that,” Woodward said. Home or away, the realignment of the Valley League does not make things easy for the Wolverines.
“I guarantee that there are not a lot of Palomar and Avocado League coaches that would be getting exicted about playing these teams,” Woodward said. “This is an outstanding league.”
Somewhat of an afterthought at the beginning of the year, Westview is now in the mix in what could be the most competitive league in the county. Just ask Sousa.
“They should be looking out for us,” he said. After their bye week, Westview travels to Orange Glen Oct. 3 to kick off their Valley League campaign.
Westview has started the season 3-0 for the first time since 2004. The reason for their early-season success is no secret.
“We’re all close. We’ve bonded really well,” said junior quarterback Tommy Hansen.
Playing as a team helped Westview overcome sticky situations in their first two games of the season. Against Francis Parker on Sept. 5, the Wolverines trailed 17-0 to start the game and scored 10 points in the final quarter for a 27-24 win.
“The first couple of games could have went either way. Fortunately for us our kids have a lot of resiliency and they just keep battling,” said Westview head coach Mike Woodward.
The following week against Granite Hills, Westview trailed 20-7 in the first quarter. They quickly overcame that deficit to take a 21-20 halftime lead, but again had to rally in the fourth quarter, outscoring the Eagles 16-0 en route to a 37-27 victory.
“Westview teams of the past have just given up when they got behind. We haven’t. We’ve come back from two big deficits,” said senior wide receiver Steven Sousa.
Sousa is Westview’s leading receiver, with 15 catches for 343 yards and five touchdowns in only three games. As impressive as his numbers are, they don’t tell the whole story.
“His stats don’t show what he has done with the football once it’s in his hands,” Woodward said. “A lot of those big touchdown catches or big plays that he’s had have been passes where he has caught the ball behind the line of scrimmage on a screen and made some guys miss.”
Sousa has been Hansen’s favorite target, but the junior quarterback has also spread the ball around, completing five or more passes to five different players.
“We’ve got a lot of kids that are capable of making big plays,” Woodward said.
After the two dramatic wins, Westview crushed University City 59-13 on Sept. 19. Though each of the Wolverines wins has been distinctly different, they do have one thing in common – they were all played at home.
“It’s going to be strange going on the road this week,” Woodward said about Westview’s game at Orange Glen next Friday.
Opening the season with three wins at home has given Westview a fan base it hasn’t had in years past.
“It showed our school what we can do. I think that’s our biggest confidence builder. We know our fans are behind us all the way,” Hansen said.
Gaining home support will only help Westview when league play rolls around, with their toughest Valley League games – against Oceanside, Valley Center and Ramona – all played at their place.
“Those are three big big home games. It helps not having to travel when you play teams like that,” Woodward said. Home or away, the realignment of the Valley League does not make things easy for the Wolverines.
“I guarantee that there are not a lot of Palomar and Avocado League coaches that would be getting exicted about playing these teams,” Woodward said. “This is an outstanding league.”
Somewhat of an afterthought at the beginning of the year, Westview is now in the mix in what could be the most competitive league in the county. Just ask Sousa.
“They should be looking out for us,” he said. After their bye week, Westview travels to Orange Glen Oct. 3 to kick off their Valley League campaign.