BY NATHANIEL MATA | SPECIAL TO THE MONITOR
MISSION — On a rain-soaked Friday at Richard Thompson Stadium, Sharyland High (11-4) prevailed 2-1 over the visiting Laredo Nixon Mustangs (9-5).
The Rattlers suffered a 4-1 defeat in Laredo during the teams’ first matchup. Rattlers senior Mark Stephens said the first game provided motivation for the rematch.
“I don’t think it was that indicative of how well we play, but also I think we took this game more seriously because of the loss before,” Stephens said. “We put more effort in the practice leading up to it, so I think that’s why we had a better result.”
The first half was dominated by the home side. Sharyland spent most of the first half in the attacking zone, establishing offense with quick passes.
“It’s what we practice every day,” Stephens said. “We try to do like 1-2 touch passes so each person doesn’t have the ball for too long, so we can move the ball quickly.”
With 23 minutes to play in the first half, Sharyland earned a free kick after an unsuccessful corner kick. Alberto Martinez’s ensuing attempt threatened to break the tie, but Nixon goalkeeper Luis Garay made a lunging save.
Only a few minutes later, with 20:26 to play, Martinez made no mistake from outside of the box. His long-distance strike rolled passed Garay, giving Sharyland the 1-0 edge.
With 17:28 to play, Stephens created a great scoring opportunity inside the box. Nixon made the initial save, but Garay was assessed a yellow card.
Senior Edgar Garza stepped up to the spot and doubled the Rattlers lead to 2-0.
Foul stoppages and yellow cards were a theme of the evening. Each team was shown four yellows.
The first half continued to be all Sharyland, as the team continued to pepper the Nixon keeper with shots and chances.
The second half started slow offensively as the trend of yellow cards continued. Nixon’s physicality was a factor, but not a deterrent, for Sharyland’s ball movement.
Despite creating virtually no pressure, Nixon scored on a set play from distance. With 27 minutes to play, Nixon’s Julio Vasquez shot the ball directly at Sharyland goalie Gabriel Tamez. The ball slipped through his arms, and the misplay got the Mustangs on the scoreboard.
Sharyland navigated the conceded goal without allowing a momentum swing to the visitors.
“Everybody makes mistakes, and honestly I think the keeper is one of the best goalkeepers in South Texas,” Garza, whose second goal ended up the game-winner, said. “We knew that 2-0 is a tricky score, so even if they scored, we had to keep going hard to finish the game with a win.”
During the final quarter hour of the match, Sharyland had a pair of opportunities to go back up two. Sophomore Carlos Rodriguez had a shot saved from inside of the box, and Javier Gonzalez took a curving shot that was also kept out during the same sequence.
With 5:11 to play, Nixon had its best chance to even the score. A leading pass sent a Mustangs forward in alone. Rattlers goalie Tamez took the aggressive approach and charged the ball. The move paid off with a big clear that secured the victory.
The contest ended in fireworks, with a shoving match as time expired. The two players were given matching red cards after the final whistle.
Sharyland High coach Reveriano Hernandez said his team played improved compared to the last meeting. The Rattlers coach alluded to the playoffs that loom around the corner.
“We’re just getting ready for what’s coming. I think we’re on the right path,” Hernandez said. “We’re moving forward little by little. Everybody was doing their part, everybody was communicating, which is very important.”
Sharyland now has 33 points — six clear of Nixon but out of reach of District 31-5A champion Valley View, which has 40.
Sharyland has two more district matches left, traveling to face Mission Veterans on Tuesday and hosting Rio Grande City on Friday.