By MARIO AGUIRRE | STAFF WRITER
MISSION — Earlier this year, Sharyland Pioneer coach Jason Wheeler walked into a gymnasium, unbeknownst to him filled with 300 players and a couple dozen coaches. In impromptu fashion, Sharyland High coach Ron Adame introduced Wheeler as the Diamondbacks’ incoming coach.
“Everyone’s sitting in the stands and I said, ‘Hey, we’re rooting for the Rattlers nine times a year,’” Wheeler said, drawing laughs from the crowd. “I told them Sharyland’s got a lot of history winning championships and I don’t expect things to change because we’re splitting.
“There’s enough talent for both of us to be successful.”
As the two square off for the first time tonight, both teams, naturally, are on opposite ends of the spectrum.
Sharyland (6-1, 3-0) is chasing its third consecutive title and third straight perfect district record. Pioneer (3-5, 1-3) is a fringe playoff team, battling two other programs for the fourth seed.
The connection between the two are bountiful. Both share a similar color in red. Each calls Richard Thompson Stadium their home field. (Tonight, Pioneer is the designated home team.) They even shared practice facilities through the summer, until the Diamondbacks’ fieldhouse was ready. And aside from the Sharyland players that were zoned to Pioneer — the Rattlers lost seven seniors in addition to starting linebacker Joe Garza — there’s two sibling rivalries in this matchup.
Sharyland’s Aaron Serna, a senior defensive end, has a younger in sophomore Marcos Serna, who’s a running back at Pioneer. And perhaps even more interestingly, Sharyland wide receiver Loredo Guerra will go up against younger brother Tristan Guerra, a junior cornerback, in tonight’s game.
“It’s going to be fun,” Loredo Guerra said. “We’re going to wake up the same morning and put on different jerseys and go to different schools and prepare for each other. It’s going to be interesting.”
Aaron Serna added: “I’m kind of expected to play against him. We’ll see how they do against us.”
Siblings aside, Adame very much feels a connection with the Pioneer, having had a chunk of them with the Rattlers.
“It’s going to be a special night for the Sharyland ISD and the Sharyland community,” Adame said. “We knew this day was coming and our boys are looking forward to it. They guys are going to be lined up across from them are guys they’ve sweated with, gone with some growing pains with and have shared a locker room with them.
“Those kids that are over there, especially those seniors that left, we’ve worked with those individuals in junior high. You may not see that influence on the field, but I would hope to think that the lessons that we learned and the character building that we went through in our offseason, Sharyland’s still a part of them.”
Pioneer has taken its lumps this season, while Sharyland has established itself as the top team in the Valley. Trying to narrow that gap is certainly the goal for the Diamondbacks, who are in the running for the fourth seed for the playoffs.
“Those guys aren’t wet behind the ears anymore. They have nine games of experience,” Adame said. “Getting those Friday night experiences is going to do wonder for those individuals. Next year, the majority of their team is going to be back and they’re going to be proven. They’re going to be battle-tested.”
The winner of tonight’s game will receive a trophy and, of course, bragging rights.
“I think a lot of our kids probably want to prove that we’re a good varsity football program,” Wheeler said. “The longer the game goes, the more pressure goes on them. Really, I think, it’s helped us play better. Just understanding it’s still a game. You have to enjoy it, you have to have fun, but don’t put too much pressure on yourself. Just get loose and let the chips fall where they may.”