Rattlers and Eagles to compete for final playoff spot

San Marcos is still fighting to keep its coaches' words fact. 

Head coach John Walsh uttered a promise in the first week of the season that has lingered in the air since.

“I told the team right there, I will not let us not miss the playoffs. I just won't do it,” Walsh said on Aug. 27, following the team’s first game of the year against New Braunfels.

After dropping a 42-0 loss last week to Austin Bowie in what would’ve been a playoff clincher for San Marcos (4-5, 3-3 District 26-6A), the Rattlers’ performance forced them into a must-win situation this week against Austin Akins (4-5, 2-4) this Friday.

The Rattlers hold their own fate in their own hands. Austin Akins was the only team San Marcos defeated last season in district play and with playoff hopes on the line this year, it creates even more motivation for the Eagles to steal a win at home in the regular season finale. With both teams playing to keep its season alive, the district opponents will be leaving everything on the field.

But even with the added pressure, players and coaches are confident in the promise their head coach made.

“(Walsh) has been painting that picture for so long. And us trusting the process and believing in it and in that promise and it's true, it's gonna be true,” offensive coordinator Lee Vallejo said. “Usually, when he says something, it usually comes out the truth. I mean, the right way. So we're all in. So I think things are going to work out. I know it's gonna work out. He said it, so we're good.”

“There's a certain extent of pressure. I mean, this team hasn’t been to the playoffs in four years,” junior defensive end Jake Darling said. “I feel like, with our team and our camaraderie, that we're definitely gonna win this game. I feel like on Friday night when we go to Akins, we can basically back up what was said. And we know that we can show what we’ve got and give them all that we have.”

The Rattlers and Eagles take the field at Burger Stadium at 7:30 p.m. on Nov. 5. Vallejo described the team's season in a couple of words ahead of the last game of regular season play.

“I think of adversity and a roller coaster,” Vallejo said. “I think we've had some ups and some downs, injuries and then back to ups. Last week was a little hiccup and they kind of hit us in the mouth a little bit. But these kids have sure come back from a lot of stuff and they've known there's nothing they haven't seen in this game. We came back against Del Valle, we've been down, we've been ahead. So I think it's gonna be a great game and it's fun to watch these guys compete and come back from some adversity.”

A win for San Marcos clinches a playoff berth for the first time since 2017. But a loss would force a tiebreaker between the Rattlers and Eagles.