MARIO AGUIRRE | STAFF WRITER
For a third consecutive season, Sharyland High will face a Laredo opponent in non-district action. This time, it comes against Laredo United, led by coach David Sanchez, who guided Sharyland’s Ron Adame at Mercedes.
Friday’s matchup doesn’t lack in storylines.
It pits Adame and Sanchez on opposing sidelines for the first time in the regular season; their last meeting came in 2012, Adame’s first year at the helm, with Sharyland posting a 72-30 victory at home in the opening round of the playoffs.
Both team’s offense is spearheaded by tandem quarterbacks. Each won its season opener.
And perhaps least important to Adame — despite the team’s hope of another 10-0 mark — is the possibility that its 24-game regular-season winning streak could be threatened.
The Rattlers, however, are thinking long-term, hoping that United helps prepare them district with teams that boast strong quarterbacks, like Mission Veterans Memorial’s Santos Villarreal and Edinburg Vela’s Ebher Lopez.
United’s Ignazio Tellez and David Sanchez II, the coach’s son, combined for a 519 passing yards in a 34-27 win over Schertz Clemens.
“We got our work cut out for us,” Adame said. “It’s a different type of challenge for our defense. Last week (against McAllen Memorial) it was run-heavy. This week, it’s pass-heavy.
“There’s a reason we chose them for pre-district. Eventually, you’re going to face some of those passing teams. It’s an opportunity for us to get better and be exposed to a heavy passing attack.”
Sharyland doesn’t have to look far to see the payoff in facing a Laredo opponent. In 2012, the Rattlers beat Laredo Alexander 59-21 in non-district before topping United in the postseason. Last year, Sharyland beat Alexander again, 22-14, before knocking off Laredo United South in the first round.
Like Sharyland, United runs a spread offense. It also lines up a 3-4 formation designed to slow down Sharyland’s attack. Adame called it “a good challenge” for both teams.
The Rattlers have their known commodities on defense, but they have found another contributor in Tristan Garcia, who made his high school football debut last week. The senior defensive end, who also competes in basketball and track & field, provided a spark as the Sharyland defense put McAllen Memorial away last week midway through the third quarter.
While admitting that United offers “a stiff challenge,” Adame said the Rattlers would take the same approach as do every week with their opponents. And as far as his team’s winning streak is concerned?
“It’s not anything that we get caught up on,” he said.
What the third-year coach hopes to see is whether his team can compete away from home. After all, the Rattlers have competed on the road in the playoffs. In 2011, Sharyland lost to United 60-42 in the first round under then-head coach Fred Sanchez. Last year, the Rattlers trounced United South 42-13 with Adame.
It’s that experience that inspired Adame to schedule this Week 2 matchup, and it’s a theme that he’s seen with some upper-Valley teams.
“When you look at what Mission Vets is doing, you’ve got to admire them, because they’re going all the way to West Texas to face a storied program (in Odessa Permian),” Adame said. “They’re approaching that the same way we are: it’s different type of competition and they’re going to face a team that’s going to challenge you.”