Rattlers scrimmage with SA Holmes

San Marcos’ defense flew to the football throughout the Rattlers’ scrimmage against San Antonio Holmes. 

San Marcos’ defense kept the Huskies’ running game in check on Friday. Head coach Mark Soto said the team has been working all summer on making sure every Rattler runs to the ball. 

“When you run to the ball, good things happen,” Soto said, “and we're trying to get as many hats to the ball because we're not big. So we've got to be able to pepper the ball as much as we can.”

The Rattler offense had its ups and downs inside San Marcos Toyota Rattler Stadium. San Marcos scored touchdowns on an 11-yard run, a 35-yard strike and an 81-yard screen pass. 

“Offensively, we made we worked in spurts,” Soto said. “As long as we don't get behind the sticks, we move the ball efficiently. When we got behind the sticks, we need to have those plays, those gut-check plays, to make us get that first down.”

Overall, Soto was pleased with how San Marcos performed in its lone scrimmage of the year. 

“I thought our kids played hard,” Soto said. “We put them in a tough situation where they had to make the tough choice, and I think they made the tough choice today.”

Soto said he learned that his team knows how to grind on the field after Friday’s scrimmage. 

“I learned that we do have a team that chooses the tough way of doing things and that's a good thing,” Soto said. “They stayed in the game when it came to a part of the game where they could have just said, ‘You know what, I don't love football that much. I'm going to take it off.’ They didn't do that. They said, ‘You know what, I love football,’ and they kept grinding.”

San Marcos travels to take on the Hays Rebels on Friday, Aug. 30 in its season opener at 7:30 p.m. at Bob Shelton Stadium in Buda. 

“These guys are ready for (game week),” Soto said. “They've been working all summer. Since January on it all the way through the summer. They're ready, go get after this season and put the best foot forward.”