Coming off one of the best seasons in program history, the Lady Rattlers are back for an encore season after reaching the regional final for the first time since 1992.
Head Coach Cooper Haralson is excited about this season as San Marcos looks to prove last season was not just a one-shot wonder.
“I feel great about our team going into this year,” Haralson said. “Obviously losing some of the people we did last year who were important parts of the team can have an impact, but you know the great thing is basically four starters back and seven returners are all altogether.
“We have a lot of continuity with the team from last year and the standards have been set. Those girls understand what it takes to get to that and our goal this year is put ourselves in a position to win district, which is to me very realistic, and make another deeper run in the playoffs.”
The Lady Rattlers return three starters and eight returners from last season’s 27-9 team that finished tied for second place before advancing to the 6A D2 Regional Final.
San Marcos, who enters the season ranked No. 16 in the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches Preseason Poll, returns three of their top four scorers from last season in senior Azariah Fennell, senior Melayna Perkins and junior Rileigh Good.
Fennell was the Lady Rattlers leading scorer, leading rebounder and leader in steals averaging 13.1 points, 5.7 rebounds and 3.3 steals per game. Perkins also averaged double figures in scoring with 10.3 points per game along with 4.2 rebounds. Good averaged 9.3 points per game with 2.7 assists and 2.9 steals.
With the core of last year’s team returning along with a talented group of players looking to step up, Haralson’s main focus going into this season is being consistent on a daily basis.
“The biggest thing you know for us is consistency,” Haralson said. “I think that is an issue with a lot of teams that have experienced success at times, subconsciously against maybe certain teams you go to the gym and think all we got this, then it ends up being a close game that shouldn’t be because the focus isn’t there.
“For our girls over the course of the summer, going from the showcase through fall ball, the biggest thing for me was we have to develop a consistency where [each game] is treated the same way. You’re going to compete, execute and you’re going to win no matter who you’re playing.”
That level of consistency Haralson believes will help the Lady Rattlers navigate both a tough non-district and district schedule that will test the team.
“That’s the biggest thing for us is to just have that mindset that we’re going to be consistent, grow and become better as the year goes on,” Haralson said. “I’ve explained to them in practice you know we can’t take steps back. We have to be consistent on a daily basis in our practice habits and make practice create those practice habits so they become game habits.”
But the path to the Lady Rattlers winning their first district championship in over a decade will not be easy.
Cibolo Steele and Converse Judson both enter the season ranked in the Top 25 with Knights ranked No. 6 and the Rockets ranked No. 14 along with non-district games with Cedar Park Vista Ridge, No. 6 Liberty Hill, No. 18 San Antonio Pieper and No. 12 San Antonio Davenport.
For Haralson, the tough non-district schedule, similar to what the Lady Rattlers had last season, will give the team an opportunity to face adversity and allow themselves to be pressured before going into another tough district.
“In order to be ready for this district, you have to be put through the fire,” Haralson said. “We’ll be tested early and often. The biggest thing for us last year was the ability to overcome adversity. Obviously started the season really well, starting out 7-0 last year then losing in the tournament championship in Corpus Christi. We lost because we didn’t do well with our free throws. We missed a lot of free throws in the game and it’s those learning moments in that adversity where we didn’t lose another game all season because of free throws.
“So it’s taking those lessons as you learn them, sticking together and everybody coming together to play through that adversity.”
San Marcos opens the season on the road against the arch-rival New Braunfels Unicorns.
Tip-off for San Marcos New Braunfels is set for 6:30 p.m. Friday in New Braunfels.
2025-2026 Schedule 11/7 @ New Braunfels 11/11 vs. Cedar Park Vista Ridge 11/13-15 Corpus Christi Texas Riviera Roundup 11/18 vs. San Antonio Reagan 11/20-22 Allen Hoopfest 11/25-26 Thanksgiving Showdown 12/2 vs. Liberty Hill 12/5 @ San Antonio Pieper 12/9 @ San Antonio Davenport 12/12 vs. Pflugerville 12/19 @ New Braunfels Canyon* 12/29 @ San Antonio McCollum 1/2 @ Buda Johnson 1/6 vs. Schertz Clemens 1/9 @ San Antonio East Central 1/13 vs. Converse Judson 1/16 @ Cibolo Steele 1/23 vs. New Braunfels Canyon 1/27 vs. Buda Johnson 1/30 @ Schertz Clemens 2/3 vs. San Antonio East Central 2/6 @ Converse Judson 2/10 vs. Cibolo Steele
The Lady Rattlers return three of their top four scorers last season in senior Azariah Fennell, senior Melayna Perkins and junior Rileigh Good. Fennell and Perkins both averaged over ten points last season while Good averaged 9.3 points per game. Daily Record photo by Gerald Castillo
The Lady Rattlers open the season on the road against arch-rival New Braunfels this Friday. San Marcos is set to face three teams ranked in the Top 25 in non-district along with several district champion and playoff qualifying teams. Daily Record photo by Gerald Castillo
