BY MARIO AGUIRRE | STAFF WRITER
SAN ANTONIO — So much seemed unusual about Friday’s 52-24 loss to Cedar Park — the manner in which Sharyland High was dominated, the way in which their athleticism was dwarfed.
And yet in some respects, judging by the Rattlers’ recent postseason history, it wasn’t all too dissimilar from the past couple of years.
Sharyland hit the regional-quarterfinal wall once again, this time against Cedar Park, after two years of losing to San Antonio Madison.
The Rattlers (11-2) fell behind early, giving up a couple big runs on consecutive possessions to start the game, and soon they found themselves trailing by double digits — something they hadn’t experienced all season.
“That’s the best team we’ve seen this year, by far,” Rattlers coach Ron Adame said. “We lost to a real good team. Our boys have nothing to feel ashamed of. They battled.”
For all its weapons and defensive stand the past couple of games, Sharyland came up short against a team that very much mirror what it tried to do offensively.
Thomas Hutchings scored on the very first play on a 58-yard burst to the end zone. And on the next series, quarterback Amir Alzer broke out for a 56-yard score to take a 14-0 lead.
It was a back-breaking sequence for a Sharyland defense that had shutout its previous three opponents, including two in the playoffs.
The Rattlers responded with a field goal and a Lance Madden 19-yard score, narrowing the deficit 14-10. But the Timberwolves (10-3) broke through in the second quarter scoring 24 unanswered, with three touchdowns and a safety, to go up 38-10.
“We didn’t execute,” Sharyland’s Sean Landez said. “They executed very well overall. That’s just how the ball rolls. We tried 100 percent. That’s how life is.”
For the Rattlers, it marked their third regional quarterfinal exit in as many years, after losing to Madison 40-13 and 45-21, respectively.
The narrowing of that margin gave Adame hope to start the year. In fact, quarterback Diego Chrysler said he was hoping “the third time’s a charm,” referring to the Rattlers’ chances of breaking through the third round in 2014.
But on the heels of thwarting a third-round quality opponent in Calallen the previous week, Sharyland was simply outmatched Friday.
“It’s a shame that we felt short,” nose guard Marcelo Martinez said, “but throughout the years it’s been great.
“The brotherhood that we had with the team and the coaches, it was special.”
LOOKING AHEAD
At the start of the season, Adame said he welcomed the opening of sister school Sharyland Pioneer, despite losing underclassmen in the split, saying it would give other players a chance to compete.
In the days leading up to Friday’s contest, Adame held that same stance, even as he prepares now to roll out a new-look squad next year.
“There’s things that you can control, there’s things that you can’t,” Adame said. “We can’t control the split. All we can control is the kids that are in our program, and I know that they learned a lot from the seniors leaving.
“We’re going to work with who we have. Our program’s going to keep going and I think our program’s going to be pretty good.”
BIDDING ADIEU
Next semester, Sharyland will graduate more than 50 seniors. It’ll mark the end of what has been arguably the Rattlers’ best years in recent memory.
As freshmen, the group went 10-0 on the JV. In the ensuing two years, they were undefeated, as well, on varsity before falling one point shy in a game against Laredo Alexander of going unbeaten again.
In the end, the group put together two perfect regular seasons, three perfect district records to go with three district titles and three successive trips to the regional quarters.
“That’s a real special group in terms of their ability level, but also the closeness and the bond,” Adame said. “Coaches talk a lot about chemistry, but you know what, I think this team is a true reflection of that because of what good leaders can do to unite a group. And for that, I’m proud of them.”