By MARIO AGUIRRE | STAFF WRITER
As Sharyland High coach Ron Adame and Mercedes’ Roger Adame Jr. met last week to iron out the details of their Class 5A bi-district matchup, Roger Sr. brought out a coin that had been in the family for generations.
It was a silver medal dollar, dated 1879. Ron inspected it, to make certain it wasn’t a double-sided coin, he joked. Such is the ribbing between the two cousins, who will face against one another for the first time, when their respective teams meet at 7:30 tonight at Richard Thompson Stadium in Mission.
The matchup has the Adame DNA all over it, with Ron having played for the Tigers in the mid 1980s, and his uncle, Roger Sr., having served as an offensive line coach there.
Now Roger Jr. is in his second season at the helm, with younger brother Joe Alex Adame on his staff, and Ron is in his fourth season leading the Rattlers.
“It’s really exciting,” Roger Jr. said. “He’s got a great program there, and so do we. It’s something the kids are going to be excited about and ourselves, too. We know it’s going to be an exciting game, and one that was inevitable.”
Ron and Roger Jr. had a feeling they’d face off against each other one day. How soon, they didn’t know. But when both program moved into Class 5A, they knew it’d be a matter of time before it’d happen.
Last year, they missed a chance of meeting in the playoffs, with Mercedes and Sharyland High nabbing the top seeds in their respective district’s divisions.
With the Tigers (7-3, 6-1) as the No. 1 seed in District 32-5A and the Rattlers (6-4, 4-2) in the No. 2 spot in 31-5A this year, everything lined up perfectly for tonight’s collision.
Initially, Ron said he wasn’t looking forward to it because of the relationship and the bond. But as the days wore on, he said he was excited for both teams involved, and the strategic adjustments he anticipates throughout the course of the game.
“We both realize that it’s our profession and that it’s a game,” Ron said. “During the game, we’re opponents, and after the game I’ll hug him and congratulate him.”
Roger Jr. had similar reservations, saying, “obviously in the back of my mind it’s going to be disappointing to see one of us go home.” But by the same token, Roger Jr. said he’s focused on trying to make sure he doesn’t over-coach his players tonight.
“I know Ron, and he’s one of those coaches who’s going to be prepared and watch film, and he’s going to have his team ready to go,” Roger Jr. said. “To have two successful programs with the Adame name, it speaks volumes to the football background.
“My dad was a coach 25 years, and he had a huge impact on us. He coached Ron, too. So I just think the overall excitement is going to be there (tonight).”