SMHS FOOTBALL
One of the strengths for the Rattlers last season was the domination of the patented ‘Purple Thunder’ defense, which held opponents to an average of 18.07 points per game during the 2026 season..
Despite losing two Division I players in Darrius Davis and I’zayah Young, the Rattlers retain a good majority of their roster while looking to continue the expectation of what last year’s team did.
“They all saw on the sideline how the defense can dictate that whole ball game,” Head Coach John Walsh said. “So they know the expectation. They’re not going to put pressure on themselves. They’re just going to keep that expectation on themselves.”
A key starter from last year’s team is junior linebacker Cameron Bundage.
Having made 72 total tackles, 27 solo tackles and 14.5 tackles for loss, Bundage has become one of the team leaders of the Purple Thunder defense.
“He was a starter from day one,” Walsh said. “With all that star talent we had out there, especially with Darius going to Texas State, I think Cam was as good as we had on the field. He was way ahead of his game, as a sophomore. To have him back, he gives the rest of the guys the expectation that they’re supposed to have.”
Another strength the Rattlers will have going into the season is the secondary led by juniors Kaden Joseph and Luke Pactanac.
Joseph returns having made three interceptions along with 44 total tackles and 13 solo tackles while Pactanac made 26 total tackles and 12 solo tackles.
Along with senior Jordan Lampkin, juniors Braylon Gatewood and Darrian Cruz, the Rattler secondary will look to build on from last season.
“It’s going to be a lot of the same guys, but that’s going to be spearheaded by Kaden Joseph,” Walsh said. “He was a unanimous first-team, all district selection as a sophomore and he’s done nothing but grow and get better. So he’ll lead the way back there along with Jordan Lampkin, Braylon Gatewood and Darrian Cruz. They’re all guys that played last year back there in the secondary and got plenty of experience.. … [Pactance] took the lead on the leadership of our program. He’s definitely the leader of our defense, him and Cameron Bundage.”
Down in the trenches, the duo of junior Jay Adams and senior Robert Mayo will look to lead a young defensive line in putting pressure on the quarterback.
With the amount of youthfulness set to play on the defensive line, Walsh is relying on his two upperclassmen to help lead the way.
[Adams] is going to major in defense,” Walsh said. “He’s almost 6’4”, 240 lbs. and has a good motor. He’s physical and mean.Then we’re going to use Robert Mayo in the middle, who’s had two years of varsity experience. So those guys are the two that really have to lead the way with a bunch of young guys.”
With the defense learning from some of the best defensive players the program has seen from last season, Walsh is confident that this year’s defense will be able to maintain the standard set from last season.
“We have a philosophy that we’re going to stop the run,” Walsh said. “That’s going to be first and defending the pass will be something that’s just secondary because you still have to protect, throw accurately and catch whether you’re getting defended or not. But it’s a lot easier just to hand that ball off and run the football. So they took that to heart and they made it really hard for anybody to run the football on us. They were disciplined, filling their gaps and we have one of the best run defenses in the state.”
