San Marcos kicks off 2019 with rivalry game at Hays

San Marcos begins its 2019 season with a rivalry game. 

The Rattlers travel a short 20 miles to take on the Hays Rebels on Friday at Bob Shelton Stadium in Buda at 7:30 p.m. Although this is only the second matchup between the two schools in the last seven years, San Marcos knows how important this game is to the community. 

“It’s definitely a rivalry both community-wise and everything,” head coach Mark Soto said. “You know, the daddies all played each other. So daddies are telling their sons, ‘Hey, this is a big game, this a big game,’ which it is. The first game in 2019, and then it’s a rivalry game. It’s a game that Texas needs quite frankly, you know, it’s just one of those great storied rivalries.”

Hays provides a unique challenge for the Rattlers with its slot-T offense, which relies heavily on misdirection in the run game to create an advantage. Defensive coordinator Bryan Webb said simplicity is key to stopping the slot-T. 

“It’s a long, grinding football game that we’re going to stick around for four quarters and it’s going to be very physical,” Webb said. “We’re going to be sore on Saturday morning and you know, they try to lull you to sleep and then pop it over your head … They’re just going to try to wear you down and I think we’re in pretty good shape and I think we’re going to handle up pretty well.”

Hays returns four starters from last year’s team that went 8-3 during the regular season and lost 49-14 to Converse Judson in the bi-district playoff round. 

Soto said the Rattlers will need to continue to fly to the football on defense, while the offense will need to be consistent to pick up a season-opening victory over the Rebels. 

“I think those two things right there will keep us in the game and then once we get to the end of the game and it’s a tight ball game, hopefully our guts will pull us out,” Soto said. 

With a close rivalry game on the road, Soto hopes the visitors’ stands will be filled with purple.

“I think (the fans will) come out and just give some positive support and some positive energy off the stands,” Soto said. “That’s the biggest thing. I think our community does a great job of backing us and supporting us so that continued support is definitely needed and wanted and the kids can definitely feel that energy. I tell the community often they’re the 12th man out there, they get us going when we were sucked down and we gotta go, so we appreciate it.”