COUNTDOWN TO KICKOFF

SMHS FOOTBALL

Rattlers open district play against Johnson in burgeoning new rivalry

The Countdown to Kickoff series takes a look at the upcoming 2025 season for the San Marcos Rattlers as they prepare to hit the gridiron this year and work their way back into the postseason.

This week’s article will look at the Rattlers’ district opener against Hays County rival Buda Johnson.

The Jaguars are coming off a 6-4 regular season and a fourth place finish in District 29. Johnson was able to beat Converse Judson 38-36 to secure the final playoff spot for the program’s second ever postseason berth.

Against San Marcos, the Jaguars were able to pull away from the Rattlers in the second half for a 4919 win.

In the Bi-District round, Johnson defeated Laredo United 41-14 for the Jaguars’ first ever playoff win. The Jaguars then followed up with a win over Los Fresnos 23-20 in the Area round and advanced to the 6A Division I Regional Semi-finals.

Johnson’s season ended against Austin Westlake where the Jaguars fell 5214 against the Chaparrals.

The Jaguars must rebuild going into the 2025 season, having to replace their leading passer, six leading rushers, six leading receivers and four leading tacklers.

On defense, Buda Johnson returns leading tacklers Dre Giello and Jett Hickson. Giello, a senior linebacker, made 89 total tackles, 34 solo tackles, 10 tackles per loss, 2 sacks and one interception. Hickson, a senior strong safety, made 55 total tackles and 27 solo tackles. Also joining the senior duo on defense is senior Stylz Johnson who made 53 total tackles, 17 solo tackles and 3 tackles for loss.

While the series history between the Rattlers and the Jaguars is short with last season being the first ever meeting, the rivalry between San Marcos and Buda is not.

Dating back to 1988, the San Marcos-Buda rivalry is a hotly contested affair, drawing thousands of fans to each game to see the Hays County neighbors compete at a high level.

One of the most legendary games came during the 1998 season when undefeated San Marcos faced off against undefeated Hays at UFCU Stadium. The game drew a reported attendance of 16,300, making it the second largest attended game in stadium history at that point.

While Hays remains the oldest high school, Johnson has emerged as the center point of high school athletics in Buda with an enrollment of 2,815, competing at the highest classification of UIL.

In the first year of district competition between the Rattlers and the Jaguars, shades of the rivalry between San Marcos and Buda can be seen with every game featuring high level competition and large crowds cheering on their respective teams to see who is the best in Hays County.

Kickoff for San Marcos- Johnson is set for 7:30 p.m. Friday Sep. 26 at Toyota Rattler Stadium.

cmcwilliams @sanmarcosrecord.com Twitter: @ColtonBMc