BY GREG LUCA | STAFF WRITER
MISSION — At about the midway point of the season, Sharyland High girls soccer sophomore Vanessa Guevara put it on herself to step up.
“I flipped a switch, saying I need to start working hard,” Guevara said. “Ever since halfway through the season, I was like, ‘I need to get it together.’”
Guevara was hardly struggling, following up the six goals she scored as a freshman with another strong campaign. But becoming more aggressive, a key for all of the Rattlers this season under first-year coach Aaron Clemons, took her to another level. Guevara scored a district-best 18 goals as Sharyland High secured a district title and a No. 1 seed in the playoffs.
“It’s amazing, honestly,” Guevara said of her goal total. “I couldn’t believe it. When I saw the paper, I was like, ‘Wow.’”
Clemons said Guevara used to “slow-play” everything. Whenever she received a pass, she would look up and try to locate the defense, reacting to their movements.
Now, the natural lefty makes quick and decisive moves to set up scoring opportunities from her position on the left wing. Clemons’ instructions to Guevara were simple.
“’Start running up and down the field with authority,’” Clemons said. “We worked on some drills where we have her come down the field, and if it’s there, she takes it as far as she can.”
The change in approach maximizes Guevara’s physical skills. Clemons said she has deceptive speed given her size and strength. She has one of the biggest legs on the roster, even scoring twice on corner kicks this season.
With that natural ability, Clemons has frequently reminded Guevara of the old adage: “You miss 100 percent of the shots you don’t take.”
“I said that I don’t know how many times this year to the girls, and I think it sunk in,” Clemons said. “Especially with Vanessa.”
Bringing more of an aggressive, attacking style has been one of Clemons’ central focuses. He had always coached that way, and with four players who run the 40-yard dash in less than 5.3 seconds, he felt the Rattlers had the speed to make it work.
Still, constantly pressuring the ball and getting inside the opposition was a major change from previous seasons. Clemons said he had to “break some of their habits” from former coach J.J. Lopez, who preferred a different style of play.
“The reputation with Sharyland was very, very good, but you can kind of push them around,” said Clemons, who coached at Mission High before this season. “Now, these girls, you can’t push us around.”
Clemons said he put the team through aggression drills, using padding so that the players can go body-to-body without risk of injury. He also described himself as a “yeller,” honed through his experiences coaching football.
Senior Nikki Gonzalez said she’s seen the impact the new style has had on herself and her teammates.
“I saw a big difference from the years before and now,” Gonzalez said. “Sometimes when we’re playing the games I’m like, ‘Oooh, we are aggressive.’”
With a bulk of talent and a newfound aggression, the Rattlers believe they are primed for a deep playoff run. Sharyland High opens the postseason at 6 tonight against Brownsville Pace at Boggus Stadium in Harlingen.
“I told the girls, ‘I’ve been to the regional quarterfinals three times, and I think this is the team right here to get me in the semifinals as a coach,’” Clemons said. “I’ve talked to them and I’ve told them, ‘Hey, you can be as good as you want to be. And I think they believe it.”