Over the weekend, the Westlake Rugby Club headed north to Irving to play in the Texas State High School Rugby Tournament. The Chaps ended a great season by playing in the finals on Sunday afternoon and grabbing a second place trophy. They were beaten in the finals by St. Thomas Houston, one of the best high school rugby teams in the nation.
Getting to the state tournament was no easy task but the Chaps continued their string of four undefeated years in District Cup play and entered the state tournament as one of the favorites. The Chaps showed why they were one of the favorites in the Saturday morning semifinal match against Dallas Jesuit.
The Westlake ruggers started strong against the larger Jesuit team and the speedy Chaps loose forwards made a number of breakaway runs. Wing forward Charlie Swann got the first try after picking up a loose ball and making a long, weaving run into the try zone. This was followed up later in the first half by a try from 8-man, Justin Miller who took advantage of some good second phase play to pound the ball into the try zone. Miller had a number of bone-crushing runs throughout the match and his power running posed a real problem for the Jesuit loose forwards.
With a 10-0 lead, it looked like Westlake might run away with the game but a plethora of penalties slowed the Chaps down. Also, a spectacular run by the Jesuit hooker made the score 10-7. A late first half penalty kick by Alex Rees gave Westlake a 13-7 cushion at half time.
The second half remained a defensive struggle until an amazing 90-yard run by Justin Miller essentially broke the back of Dallas Jesuit. Jesuit had been poised to score themselves until Miller picked up a loose ball, plowed over a couple of the Jesuit forwards and then out ran the rest of the team for the long try. Alex Rees added a conversion to make the score, 20-7. Jesuit had a last second try to make the score 20-12 but it was too little too late and the Chaps had earned their way into the state championship match on Sunday.
The finals match on Sunday was a different affair.
Westlake was pitted against one of the best high school rugby teams in the nation. St. Thomas Houston was not only undefeated but they were ranked 5th in the entire nation. Westlake, ranked 24th in the nation, had not played St Thomas in 2012 so the Chaps were curious as to whether St. Thomas deserved their lofty national ranking.
It turned out that St. Thomas was as good as advertised.
The Sunday finals match opened up under beautiful clear skies with excitement in the air as the two best high school rugby teams in the state of Texas squared off against one another. St. Thomas struck first with a quick try. However, Westlake then struck back with one of the best plays of the season. Winger Alex Rees streaked down the sideline and just before a likely tackle, Rees hit a perfect grubber kick into the try zone and then outran the Jesuit backline to pounce on the ball for the score. Rees then added the conversion and Westlake had a 7-5 lead.
At this point, St. Thomas began to put on a show that was truly impressive. The St. Thomas forwards rucked and mauled beautifully and kept the Chaps on the defensive for the remainder of the match. When the St. Thomas forwards weren’t advancing with their second or third phase play, the St. Thomas backs were running wild against the Chaps backline. The Chaps had played great defense all year long with superb tackling, but St. Thomas came at them so often with so many different looks that the Chaps defense was overwhelmed, and St. Thomas scored 42 unanswered points to win the state title with a convincing 47-7 win.
Despite the lopsided score, the Chaps never gave up and they played aggressively the entire game. Westlake’s two first team All-State players, hooker Drew Nelson and scrum-half Justin Brown (also backline MVP), were all over the field and were seen urging the team on until the bitter end.
Coach Jason Spodick praised the boys after the match and congratulated them on a very successful season.
“The boys played their hearts out and made it to the finals of Division 1 rugby in the state of Texas,” Spodick said. “That is a great achievement, and I’m very proud of them. I’m also very proud of the way they handled the defeat to St. Thomas. They kept hitting and scrapping, and they never gave up. We’ll get them next year”.
Back line coach Aaron Cahoon was also proud of the Chaps team.
“St. Thomas played an almost perfect game, and I congratulate them,” Cahoon said. “There is a reason why they are considered one of the best teams in the country. We just need to keep working and elevating our program. We are losing some great seniors, but we’ve got a core of underclass men and Westlake Rugby will be a force over the next couple of years.”

From left, Westlake High School juniors Dana Capotosto, Raina Kishan, Angela Jin and Andrea Núñez-Smith get into the spirit of the evening prior to the school prom Saturday.

By Jessica Stenglein
Special to the Picayune

Westlake High School students dressed in some of their fanciest clothes Saturday and gathered at the Austin Convention Center for the annual junior and senior prom. This year’s theme, Somewhere Over the Rainbow, was chosen by Chemistry II teacher Denise DeMartino.
Prom was put together in part by the prom committee, a group of juniors who were selected to give their input and come up with ideas for decorations and invitations. This year, the committee was headed by junior Angela Jin who was selected by DeMartino. Other student volunteers made up the rest of the committee.
“[My job on the committee was] to oversee the progress, give input to design ideas, make the prom posters with other committee members and make the prom playlist,” Jin said.
The prom committee met several times throughout the year and hired a designer and carpenter to help make their ideas a reality. Music was provided by a DJ and a playlist created by Jin. The committee worked hard to make this year’s event successful.
“The best part about being on prom committee was getting to give my input on what I thought would be good ideas for decorations and other aspects of prom, and then getting to see all of the ideas that the committee came up with come to life,” junior Mary Travis said. “My favorite thing about prom was coming in the morning of the dance with the rest of the committee [to set up] the decorations and getting a sneak peak of what was to come.”
Before attending prom, many students took pictures with their friends, rented limos and went to eat at some of Austin’s more upscale restaurants. Getting ready for all of this starts hours before for many students however.
“Getting ready for prom is a really crazy and long process, but it’s fun,” junior Casey Sutton said. “My mom and I made a day out of it, so it turned into a good mother-daughter bonding experience. Every girl loves to feel like a princess so the prom preparation process is incredible.”
After parties are an important part of prom night and students continue their fun after leaving the dance.
“After prom was by far my favorite part of the night,” Sutton said. “I made some new friends and became closer with old friends, and everyone just had an all-around great time. It was by far a night that I will never forget.”
Throughout the night, students made memories that will last a lifetime. They were able to focus solely on having fun especially after many students took Advance Placement exams over the previous two weeks.
“My favorite thing about prom was seeing everyone all dressed up and having [fun],” Jin said. “For once, there wasn’t any stress about school, and we were all just there for a good time.”
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PhotoS by Esther Robards-Forbes

P. Terry’s burger stand is set to open June 1 in the Village at Westlake shopping center. Photo by Esther Robards-Forbes

Representatives of two long-awaited restaurant in the Westbank have set opening dates and are in high gear to prepare for their big days.
First on the menu is the newest location of P. Terry’s burger stand in the Village at Westlake shopping center, 701 S. Capital of Texas Highway. It is set to open June 1.
The new location will be the company’s largest at 3,500 square feet and will feature two drive-through lanes and seating for 100.
“We have a lot of friends, a lot of good customers that have been asking for this store for almost seven years and to be able to finally land a great location in West Lake is incredibly exciting,” said owner and founder Patrick Terry.
The restaurant has faced a few challenges over the past few months to prepare a former bank location to become a restaurant, everything from parking to staffing.
As for opening-day plans, Terry said, “We always have some surprises on opening day and June 1 at Westlake will have plenty of fun things going on. I’ll give you a hint on one surprise -we’ve added two things to this menu that are currently not at any other P. Terry’s.”
For more information, visit pterrys.com.
Just down the street at the new location of Blue Dahlia Bistro, which made a name for itself with its popular 11th street location. Crews are hard at work to prepare for the June 8 opening. The restaurant is opening in the former Wild Wood Art Café location in West Lake Court shopping center near the intersection of Westbank Drive and Bee Cave Road.
“It is the coolest thing to watch our dream of a second restaurant unfold and become a reality,” said owner Amy Ramirez.
The French-inspired bistro features elegantly simple food that uses organic and local ingredients whenever possible. The menu features breakfast, lunch and dinner options, as well as beer and wine.
“It’s been quite a rollercoaster of emotions, equally exciting and exhausting,” Ramirez said of the construction process. “We spend so much time working on the place, at some point, we broke down and bought an air mattress to keep at the location so we could get naps in.”
There will be a ribbon cutting with champagne at 5 p.m. June 8 to celebrate the grand opening, Ramirez said.
“I’m most looking forward to feeding and greeting the many people that have popped their head in throughout construction to tell us how excited they are for us to be here in Westlake,” she said.
For more information and a peek at the menu, visit bluedahliabistro.com.

BELOW: Blue Dahlia Bistro is set to open June 8 in West Lake Court shopping center near the intersection of Westbank Drive and Bee Cave Road.

By Trina Bolfing
Special to the Picayune

The Westbank libraries are excited to present the 2012 Summer Reading Program for the whole family. Starting June 2, parents can register children and teens for the program by visiting westbanklibrary.com or by coming in to either branch. Aside from reading, we’ll also have tons of events for every age group.
On June 5, come to Laura’s Library and witness Venus Transit, a once-in-a-lifetime eclipse event. Visitors can see Venus pass directly between the sun and the earth. The Austin Astronomical Society and the library will host this event, so look forward to trying out telescopes and solar glasses. Venus Transit will not happen again until 2117.
The normal storytime schedule will continue for the younger set, but also look for special performers every Thursday morning, crafts for kids at least twice a week, a weekly bookclub and series of events for middle-school students, weekly programs and a lock-in for teens, guest speakers for adults, and more. The very popular riddle contest for children, and the prize drawing contest for adults is also back; stop by the library in person to participate. We cannot wait to see you and your family this summer.

The seeds have sprouted. Now what?
How do you establish newly planted seeds once they have sprouted? Come to Laura’s Library on June 9 at 1:30 p.m. and hear guest-speaker George Cates from Native American Seed Company talk about how to be successful in maintaining native prairies. This program is sponsored by the library and by Commons Ford Prairies Restoration Organization.

Raising financially responsible children
Come to Laura’s Library on June 11 or Westbank on June 13, both at 6 p.m., to attend a free, educational seminar that aims to teach parents how to communicate the value of money to their children. Learn age-appropriate methods to discuss allowance, savings habits, disciplined shopping, and identifying the difference between a need and a want. Light snacks will be provided.

Libraries closed for Memorial Day
Please be aware that both branches will be closed May 28 for Memorial Day. We will open with our normal hours on May 29.

Regularly Scheduled Programs
Check our Web site for up-to-date information on programs such as book selections and special programs. Over the summer, some groups may take a break, so check out your favorite group on our website.

Adult book groups
Regularly scheduled meetings of adult book groups are: Booktalk Book Group on the last Tuesday of the month, 1 p.m. at Westbank; Mysteries & More Book Club on the third Wednesday of the month, 1 p.m. at Westbank; and Third Tuesday Book Club on the third Tuesday of the month, 6:30 p.m. at Laura’s.

Craft Groups
Regularly scheduled meetings of adult craft groups are:
The Bag Ladies (sew up some super cute bags) on the second and third Fridays of the month, 11 a.m. at Laura’s; Knit Wits on Fridays, noon at Westbank; First Monday Knitters on the first Monday of the month (note that this group no longer meets weekly), 6 p.m. at Laura’s; and Quilters on the second and fourth Thursdays of the month, 1 p.m. at Westbank.

Groups that defy definitions
Other adult groups that meet regularly are: Meditation on Tuesdays, noon at Westbank; Technology Tutorials with iTeens on the first Wednesday of the month at Westbank and third Tuesday of the month at Laura’s, both at 6 p.m.; French Film Club (watch the film selection at home, then come discuss in French at the library) on the third Wednesday of the month, 7 p.m. at Westbank; and First Friday Genealogy Group on the first Friday of the month, 10 a.m. at Laura’s.

Kids, tweens and teens
Please remember that all children under age 8 need to be within sight distance of a parent at all times. It is both a library policy and a state law. Events for teens and younger children include: First Wednesday, Krafty Kids (all ages) 6:30 p.m. at Westbank; Second Tuesday, Krafty Kids (all ages) 6:30 p.m. at Laura’s; Third Wednesday, Pajama Storytime (all ages) 6:30 p.m. at Westbank; Fourth Tuesday, Pajama Storytime (all ages) 6:30 p.m. at Laura’s; Mondays, Dragon Eggs Storytime (ages 0-1) 10:30 a.m. at Westbank; Little Dragons Storytime (ages 3-5) 12:30 p.m. at Laura’s; Open Chess Play (all ages) 5 p.m. at Laura’s; Tuesdays, Little Dragons Storytime (ages 3-5) 10:30 a.m. at Westbank; Family Storytime (all ages) 3:30 p.m. at Westbank; Wednesdays, Tot Time Storytime (ages 1-3) 10:30 a.m. at both branches; Family Storytime (all ages) 4 p.m. at Laura’s; Thursdays, Dragon Eggs Storytime (ages 0-1) 10:30 a.m. at Laura’s; and Fridays, Friday Film Series (all ages) third Fridays of the month, 4 p.m. at Laura’s.

The Westbank Community Library District, 1309 Westbank Drive, is the first-ever library district created in Texas. Revenue is derived from a one-half cent sales tax. For more information, call 327.3045. Please visit the District’s Web site at westbanklibrary.com to find out more about current library happenings.

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Thank you so much for your May 17 editorial comments regarding Mayor Bill Hamilton. Rollingwood citizens certainly owe Bill much appreciation for his many years of service to our city.

I have lived in Rollingwood for 36 years and served as a city alderman for eight years, so I know Bill very well. Your editorial clearly describes Bill and his hard work and dedication to Rollingwood.
Mayor Hamilton’s skills have positioned the city to conclude the purchase of the Rollingwood wastewater system from the Lower Colorado River Authority, and have led to a successful bond election to make this purchase possible. It is now up to the new mayor, Barry Bone, and the City Council to finish the job.

John Lindell
Rollingwood Drive

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Gaddis will return to color commentary for Fox Sports Southwest, joining Lincoln Rose and Nicole Neuerburg to broadcast the tournament held at the University of Texas’ McCombs Field.

For those wanting to catch Gaddis’ commentary, Fox Sports Southwest is airing the Class 4A and Class 5a title games. The Texas Channel (available to Time Warner Cable digital cable customers in Austin on Channel 888) is broadcasting the 1A, 2A and 3A title games as well as all semifinal games. Games on the Texas Channel will also air on FoxSportsSouthwest.com.

Then, a one-hour spotlight highlight show recapping the tournament will run at noon June 23 on FSS.

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Lindsey Harris was named to the TASCO all-state second team, and she also landed on the all-region II first team along with teammate Katherine Noonan.

Teammates Christy Goldberg and Hannah Meyer were named to the all-region II second team.

Furthermore, six players were honored as TASCO academic all-state – Sarah Case, Alexis Erthal, Caroline Furst, Harris, Noonan and Rachel Quigley.

The Westlake boys soccer team reeled in some more honors after its highly successful season and trip to the state tournament.

Senior brothers Walker and Tucker Hume were both named first team all-state and first team all-region, and in addition senior Brien Twomey was named second team all-region.

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Both junior second baseman Aaron Black and senior center fielder Lewis Guilbeau were unanimous selections to the all-district first team after their strong seasons.

Senior pitcher Carson Viglione, junior third baseman Gordy Taylor and senior designated hitter Corbin Benavides landed on the first team as did sophomore Tate Shaw in the first team utility spot.

Senior shortstop Hayden Ross made the all-district second team as did junior outfielder Alex Cabezas, while junior catcher Zach Suarez was named honorable mention.

Also, 12 Chaps made the academic all-district list – Chris Bybee, Daniel Gremaud, Sean LaBaw, Cameron Bishop, Ryan Cunningham, Duncan Brown, Black, Ross, Viglione, Guilbeau, Cabezas and Shaw.

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