NATHANIEL MATA | STAFF WRITER
MISSION — The Sharyland High Rattlers were on their heels during the first few minutes of their bi-district match against the Brownsville Veterans Chargers on Friday at Richard Thompson Stadium. But the Rattlers shook off any early blemishes to power past the Chargers 6-1.
Sharyland forward Kaitie Watson had a statement performance in the first playoff game of her senior season, posting a hat trick. The striker used strength, breakaway speed and finishing touch to guide the District 31-5A champions through the first round.
“We have a pretty young team. I think the first couple minutes, we were a little nervous,” Watson said. “Everybody was settling. We’re missing a couple starters. After a while, I think they realized they could play, and they settled down. And the rest of the game, we dominated.”
A tense moment near the net in the opening five minutes didn’t produce a shot for the Chargers. Shortly after, Veterans midfielder Ana Karen Garcia attempted a shot that just missed over the crossbar.
The tide turned over the course of the next 10 minutes of play. Long balls to Sharyland forward Watson gave way to more sustained pressure for the home side.
“It made a big difference once we started moving the ball around,” Watson said. “We felt more comfortable, got a little confidence. Then, we started scoring.
As the first period of play progressed, the Rattlers’ fluidity grew on offense, and so did the influence of freshman forward Xochitl Nguma.
Her first shot was high and wide, but then she began to find the target. She was saved once at 12:35, then again on a weaker shot.
Nguma made her mark on the scoresheet with a goal from the edge of the penalty area. Her shot arched over Chargers goalie Sofia Cortez for the first strike of the match at 22:16.
“Being able to pass the ball and keep better possession helped us score,” Nguma said. “When I finally took a shot and it went in, I felt all this weight being lifted off my shoulders. Everyone was tired. We needed a break, and it felt amazing to score the first goal.”
The freshman’s night was cut short when she went down on a tackle that earned Sharyland a penalty kick. She suffered a head injury and was kept out of the game as a precaution.
Watson stepped up to the penalty spot and put the Rattlers ahead two scores — firmly in control of the match.
First-year Sharyland coach Mario Ribera was pleased to see his midfielders and forwards sharing and creating with short passes.
“We liked the passing game. I’m from South America, so I really like short passes,” Ribera said. “When Xochitl (Nguma) got more possession, we started connecting with each other. It’s a privilege to have them. Xochitl and Kaitie have done so much for our program this year. They’re the real thing. They can finish any time up front, and they did it tonight.”
After halftime, the Rattlers continued to be the team in control.
Elise Townsend played an efficient, clean game as the deepest Sharyland defender, keeping the ball moving or stepping in with an interception when Veterans tried for long passes.
Sharyland’s possession turned into a goal five minutes after the break. Watson’s initial blast was saved, but the Chargers had trouble corralling the ball in the box, and the Rattlers’ Caeli Sullivan tapped home a rebound.
A former Monitor All-Area Player of the Year, Watson continued her dangerous runs toward the net, scoring her second and third goals of the night with 24:43 and 15:22 to play, respectively. Her hat-trick goal was another display of skill, as she fit the ball between the arm and body of the Vets keeper.
Sandwiched between those tallies, Brownsville Vets got on the board to break Ana de la Torre’s shutout. Freshman midfielder Camila Trevino sent the ball past Sharyland’s sprawling keeper.
Sharyland added a second penalty-kick goal when Aneli Pena knocked one in with 16 seconds remaining to make the score 6-1.
The Rattlers will play their second home playoff game Tuesday night when the Corpus Christi Veterans Memorial Eagles visit for an area-round battle.
“I think it’s coming full circle. All our hard work is paying off,” Watson said. “We’re finally getting the chances we might have missed early in the season. The whole team is coming together as one, and our chemistry is much better. It’s adding up at the end now.”