SMHS FOOTBALL
In the first ever meeting between the Hays County schools, the Rattlers fell to the Buda Johnson Jaguars 49-19.
Despite the loss, Head Coach John Walsh is still in firm belief the team is improving under the current situation.
“I still believe that we are getting better,” Walsh said. “It was a two-score game for three quarters, so we are close. We are just limited by numbers given our circumstances. I’m proud of the way we are fighting and getting better each week. We are just going to do the same thing next week.”
The Rattler defense came up with their first big play of the night by forcing and recovering a Johnson fumble, giving the San Marcos offense excellent field position.
“We have not had a game changing turnover like that all year,” Walsh said. “To start the game and get that [turnover] is huge.”
The offense responded by scoring six points as running back Donovan Garcia scored from 19 yards and gave the Rattlers a 7-0 lead.
The Jaguars responded by going on a 61-yard scoring drive before finding the endzone on a Zac Isaak five yard run to tie the game at 7-7.
The Rattlers were forced to punt after a fumble and penalties hurt the drive, but the San Marcos defense forced the Jaguars to punt after two critical tackles for losses.
With the ball on their own 25 yard line to start the second quarter, the Rattlers drove all the way down to the Johnson 26 yard line with five minutes remaining in the half. However, the Rattlers were unable to punch the ball into the endzone, as the Jaguar defense came up with the stop on fourth down.
Johnson then drove down the field before Isaak scored from five yards out to give the Jaguars the lead at 14-7.
The Rattler offense tried to answer back but went three and out. A shanked punt attempt gave Johnson the ball at their own 25.
The Jaguars scored with 21 seconds left in the second quarter, as Isaak found Kael Hatnot on the eight yard screen pass to extend the lead 21-7 going into halftime.
Receiving the ball to start the second half, the Rattlers drove down to midfield following two big passing plays from quarterback Kane Hernandez. This included throwing a pass to Jordan Lampkin, who made a Randy Mossesque catch over the defender for the first down.
Facing third down with four yards to go, San Marcos opted to run the ball only for Johnson to make the tackle for a loss of four yards and force a punt.
Johnson then scored a 69-yard touchdown from Hatnot to extend the lead 28-7.
The Rattlers responded by going on a 75-yard scoring drive, ending with Garcia running for a 35-yard touchdown to cut the lead down to 2813 following a blocked extra point.
The Jaguars answered back on their next drive and scored on a 15-yard passing touchdown to push their lead out to 35-13.
The Rattlers didn’t bow out however. San Marcos once again drove the ball down the field to Johnson’s six-yard with the help of two Jaguar personal penalties as the game went into the fourth quarter.
Lampkin punched it in from six yards out on the rushing touchdown to make it 35-19.
The Rattlers went for the onside kick and recovered the ball but were flagged for illegal touching despite the coaches and the fans insisting the ball touched a Jaguar player first.
Being forced to rekick the ball, the Jaguars scored again on a Hatnot 10-yard rushing touchdown to extend the lead 42-19.
San Marcos attempted to answer with another touchdown drive but an interception on fourth down ended the Rattlers hopes. The Jaguars tacked on another score to make the final 49-19.
San Marcos returns home next Friday for a homecoming showdown with the Schertz Clemens Buffaloes.
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