Published: October 04, 2008 02:25 pm         

Miscues, Denson hurt Rattlers

High School Football

San Marcos — The Return of the Nightmare.

It may sound like the title of some old horror flick, but it’s an apt description of the San Marcos Rattlers’ 48-14 loss to New Braunfels-Canyon Friday night.

One week after watching three turnovers help Steele secure a blowout win, the fumble bug reared its ugly head again against the Cougars. The Rattlers fumbled the ball seven times, losing five.

“It’s hard to figure out. The kids are out here battling as hard as they can, trying hard, it just seems that bad things keep happening,” San Marcos head coach Steve Van Nest said. “We fought hard, but things just wouldn’t go our way.”

If that wasn’t enough, the Rattler defense couldn’t find a way to stop Canyon quarterback Tyler Denson, either. The senior rushed for 155 yards and two touchdowns on the ground, while completing 10-of-21 passes for 148 yards and a score, allowing the Cougars (4-1) to improve to 2-0 in District 27-4A. San Marcos (2-3, 0-2) suffered its second consecutive loss.

Like the week before, the Snakes gave up an early fumble that set up a Canyon touchdown, and botched another kickoff return to open the second half. And Each time San Marcos seemed to get something rolling, a fumble or penalty would halt the drive.

“We’re definitely pressing,” Van Nest said. “The kids, they want to win and they want to play hard. And sometimes you strive too hard. You over pursue, you jump offside or commit a facemask. Sometimes over-aggression can lead to problems.”

San Marcos fumbled on its first play from scrimmage, allowing the Cougars to recover at the Rattlers’ 23-yard line. Four plays later, Canyon’s Robert Clay carried the ball in for a 7-yard touchdown to give Canyon a 7-0 lead less than three minutes into the game.

San Marcos answered on its next drive when Andre Ray took advantage of a big hole on the right side and broke free for a 74-yard score, evening the game at 7-all, but the Cougars recaptured the lead moments later when Denson found Tyler Figol for a 17-yard scoring strike. Figol reached over a Rattler defender in the end zone and somehow came down with the ball. Jeremiah Moeller bulled his way in for the two-point conversion, giving Canyon a 15-7 lead.

San Marcos responded on its next drive, thanks in part to a 38-yard catch by Andre Ray from quarterback Aaron Canady. The play set up a 3-yard run from Tyler Walker and trimmed Canyon's lead to 15-14. However, it would be the last play of the game for Ray, who seemingly suffered a shoulder injury after making the diving catch.

That would be as close as the Rattlers would get, as Canyon scored twice before half time and rolled off 35 unanswered points.

San Marcos hopes of getting back into the game in the second half were quickly dashed on the opening kickoff. Rene Hernandez’ deep kick landed inside the one-yard line, as the Rattlers failed to fall on the ball and allowed Canyon's Thomas Spitzer to recover in the end zone for a touchdown. That upped the Cougars’ lead to 35-14.

“We got a couple of big bounces,” Canyon head coach Les Davis said. “That kickoff to open the third quarter, you talk about getting sucker punched right in the gut when something like that happens to you. That took a lot of wind out of their sails.”

Denson continued to pick the Rattler defense apart in the fourth quarter, and increased the Cougars’ lead to 41-14 with a 7-yard scoring run with 8:18 left in the game.

And when Denson and most of the Cougars’ starters had left the game, Canyon still thrived. Back-up quarterback Lane Fife broke free for a 38-yard keeper that set up a 13-yard touchdown run for J.R. Sauceda.

For Davis, who grew up in San Marcos and graduated from SMHS, the win was slightly bittersweet.

“I’m proud that I grew up in San Marcos and I’ve always got a little Rattler in me, but I wanted to win this one,” Davis said. “I got to come home and win.”

Van Nest said the loss is a gut-check for his team, as the Rattlers having nothing but tough district opponents ahead.

“We’re facing adversity and this is the time when characters reveal themselves. And we’re going to see who has character. We have a lot of great kids and I still believe in them,” Van Nest said. “I’m going to work hard to put them into a position to be successful and we’re all going to keep battling away.”

San Marcos is back in action Friday night when the Rattlers visit Kerrville-Tivy.

     

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