San Marcos back in the postseason for the first time since 2022 following San Antonio East Central’s loss to Buda Johnson
Once Jonathan Hatton got going, he was gone.
The Cibolo Steele senior running back and Texas A&M commit ran for 212 yards and two touchdowns including the game-winner Friday night as the Knights defeated the San Marcos Rattlers, 27-21 in District 29-6A football action on homecoming at San Marcos Toyota Rattler Stadium.
“I thought for a quarter and a half, we came out with momentum and everything was going our way,” Head Coach John Walsh said. “We made some big plays. Our defense is what our defense does. We just made way too many mistakes at the end of the second quarter. To win big ball games, you have to be really good in the last four minutes of the half and the next four minutes of the second half. We just didn’t win that piece of it.”
Steele, which trailed 21-3 after Rattlers quarterback Buck Steyn scored on a 5-yard touchdown run late in the second quarter, started its comeback by forcing San Marcos into a safety, then got Hatton into the end zone twice before the half.
Hatton, who was stuffed running the ball as the upback on a fake punt earlier in the game, scored on back-to-back possessions on a 36-yard and 4-yard touchdown reception, the latter with two seconds remaining in the half to cut the San Marcos lead to 2.
San Marcos took the second-half kickoff and advanced as far as the Steele 28 before a holding penalty set the Rattlers behind the chains and ultimately forced a punt.
Hatton scored what turned out to be the game-winning touchdown two plays later on a 73-yard run.
San Marcos, meanwhile, started the game on a hot streak.
After Steele kicked a field goal at the end of its first possession, senior running back Justin Tardy scored on a 65yard touchdown run, Hank Harris returned an interception 60 yards for a touchdown, then Steyn’s score capped the 21-point outburst.
Tardy finished with 100 yards on 13 carries, and Steyn completed 10 of 23 passes for 101 yards and an interception without a touchdown pass.
The loss was not in vain however. Following East Central’s loss to Buda Johnson, the Rattlers have officially clinched a playoff berth. San Marcos currently sits in third place in District 29 behind New Braunfels Canyon with the Cougars set to play Steele next Friday.
The Rattlers will enter their bye week in Week 10.
District 29 Standings Cibolo Steele 4-0 7-1 NB Canyon 3-1 5-3 San Marcos 3-2 5-4 Converse Jud. 2-2 3-5 Schertz Clems. 1-3 3-5 Buda Johnson 1-3 2-6 SA East Central 1-4 2-7
Week 10
Buda Johnson @ Converse Judson New Braunfels Canyon @ Cibolo Steele Schertz Clemens @ SA East Central
