BY GREG LUCA | STAFF WRITER
MISSION — The biggest thing Sharyland High defensive end Beto Ruiz learned during his first two years on varsity was how to get by offensive tackles of different styles, sizes and speeds. Through exposure to all types of matchups, Ruiz developed his signature move — a head fake to the outside before diving back in.
“You’ll learn little tricks to juke out that tackle,” Ruiz said. “Just little movements that get you faster to the quarterback.”
That type of insight — the kind that can only come from experience — is what the Rattlers will miss most in Week 1. Sharyland High enters its season opener at 7 tonight against McAllen Memorial with just two returning starters on defense: Ruiz and linebacker Dylan Salinas. That duo, along with another senior linebacker in Edgar Gomez, make up the nucleus of an otherwise inexperienced Sharyland defense.
“They’re familiar with the calls and all, it’s just a matter of them getting their feet wet and getting used to the speed of the game,” coach Ron Adame said. “Memorial is certainly one of the tougher tests to get these new kids some game experience.”
Some of those players, like Gomez, are hoping to bridge the gap to a starting role by drawing on lessons from last year’s seniors. Gomez stuck closely to Rudy Tornero, a senior linebacker for the Rattlers last season who racked up 130 tackles and 8.5 sacks en route to becoming the All-Valley Defensive Player of the Year.
Adame likened their relationship to an apprenticeship.
“He was like Rudy’s shadow,” Adame said of Gomez. “Wherever Rudy went, whatever Rudy did, whatever Rudy said, he digested everything. I think Rudy left a lasting mark on him.”
Adame said Gomez is filling in Tornero’s leadership role in addition to taking his spot at Sam linebacker.
While last year’s defense was one of many strong points for a team that went 11-2, Gomez said the 2015 group is looking to form its own identity.
“We’re not here to fill in their shoes,” Gomez said. “We’re here to tie our own laces as a defense.”
Sharyland High will have to do so with less depth — the first tangible effect of the split to form Sharyland Pioneer last season. Despite the change, the Rattlers will stick with their core defensive principles: pressuring the quarterback and creating havoc out of a 3-4 set.
“Talent wise, we’re there,” Gomez said. “We keep on saying it.”
That claim will be tested right off the bat, as Sharyland faces the Valley’s preseason No. 1 team in McAllen Memorial and the reigning All-Valley Player of the Year in Speights.
The Rattlers have held down the No. 1 ranking for most of the past three seasons, but Speights says the Mustangs are ready to prove that they deserve the spot.
“I think it’s about time we made our statement and showed the Valley fans that we’re the best team in the Valley,” Speights said. “So we’ll start with Sharyland.”
The Rattlers haven’t lost to a Valley team since 2011, including a 59-28 win against the Mustangs to open last season.
Salinas said he isn’t ready to see Sharyland hand over the mantle just yet.
“We were established a long time ago to be the top program,” Salinas said. “We have that standard, so we want to continue that standard for as long as we can.”
The Rattlers will require a lot out of an inexperienced defense to make that possible. Last season, Speights ran for 2,655 yards and 30 touchdowns, including 257 yards and three scores against Sharyland High in the opener.
To compensate, the Rattlers will be sliding extra bodies into the box.
“McAllen Memorial is certainly one of those tests that will let us know where we’re at,” Adame said. “If we come away with a victory, I think that’ll say a lot about our kids and our abilities, and pretty much the capability of our team as a whole.”