Good morning and welcome back. That was the charge of the public address announcer at Gilbert High on Saturday as the host Tigers and Mesa Westwood resumed their lightning-delayed prep football season opener.

VIDEO: Watch highlights from the game

SLIDESHOW: Gilbert vs. Westwood

Lightning stalls Gilbert’s night

Other than a brief stretch in the second quarter, Gilbert maintained the domination it displayed in the quarter of action played Friday night. The Tigers ended up breezing to a 47-17 victory as each school’s debut is officially in the books.

“I thought our kids did a good job executing a very complicated first-game offense,” Gilbert coach Jesse Parker said. “And our defense did a very good job. I’m letting other guys (assistants Angelo Paffumi and Jeff Wallace) run our defense. They deserve the credit.”

Gilbert won pretty much every phase of the contest, one in which it led 13-0 when play was halted Friday night late in the first quarter by lightning. The Tigers outgained Westwood rushing (228 yards to 125), passing (191-106) and captured the turnover battle 2-0. Both turnovers Gilbert garnered led to touchdowns.

“They kicked our butts last night,” Westwood coach Greg Mendez, who made his debut as Warriors coach, said. “We came out a little better this morning, and maybe they had a little letdown. We got within two scores and were driving and then they get the interception return. We had a small window and then it was gone.”

Gilbert held a 19-0 lead with 11:45 left in the second period after it scored its third touchdown in three possessions on Trey Fulton’s second touchdown run of the game.

But after Westwood stopped Gilbert on downs at the Gilbert 25, Westwood used the short field and scored with 2:06 left in the first half. A 6-yard TD pass from quarterback Marshall Davis to running back Brian Kelley cut the deficit to 19-7.

Westwood got one more possession before halftime and marched to near midfield with a minute left.

Davis, however, tried for a big play over the middle and Gilbert safety Bret Crowe made the interception. Crowe zigzagged his way to a 65-yard TD return, making it 27-7 as the half ended.

Two quick scores in the third period, one set up by a recovery of a Westwood fumble on a kickoff, boosted the margin to 40-7 with 7:21 left in the third.

“They just whipped us up front,” Mendez said. “They were bigger in person than on film and physical. We had three of four guys banged up (Friday night). They took it to us.”