A brawl breaks out as the Rattlers fall short against East Central  

Jonathan Marin 

KTSW Sports Reporter

SAN MARCOS, Texas– The San Marcos Rattlers came up short against the East Central Hornets on Friday, Oct. 11, with a final score of 28-24. 

Rattler Stadium was electric as the San Marcos Rattlers looked to continue their two-game winning streak against the 2-4 East Central Hornets.  

The first quarter kicked off, and the defense on both sides showed its presence early. 2 minutes into the 1st quarter, the Rattlers picked up a tone-setting sack on Hornets quarterback Isiah Gonzalez. The stalemate would remain throughout the first quarter despite some explosive offense, specifically a 36-yard rush from Rattlers Justin Tardy.  

The 2nd quarter began, and off the bat, the San Marcos offense was relentless. Quarterback Buck Steyn rushed in for the first touchdown of the game. This opened the door for two more touchdowns late in the quarter, gaining them a substantial 21-point lead, and continued to show clear dominance on the defensive side of the ball. 

Throughout the quarter, it was clear tensions began to mount between the two sides. This rising frustration led to a scuffle that was broken apart by the respective sidelines for the time being. 

The second half kicked off after a hectic second quarter. A strategy shift was clear as the Hornets began to show signs of life. They scored two touchdowns in the third quarter alone despite two failed onside kick attempts, which seemed to rattle the San Marcos side. The momentum shift was evident at the end of the third quarter, with the score 21-14.  

The tension between the two teams remained from the second-quarter altercation, and as the momentum shifted in the game, it only seemed to stoke the flames.  

With 6 minutes left in the 4th quarter, everything came to a head as a physical defensive play from East Central seemed to be the final straw. This created a scene with multiple players and coaches rushing the field, with helmets off and punches being thrown without an end in sight. The officials were attempting to regain some sort of control over the situation, which only got worse as more players became involved. Ultimately, they were successful, and the chaos settled. 

The officials discussed how to deal with the situation, as the Rattlers dealt with the aftermath on the sidelines. Both crowds were completely enraged, yelling to seek justice for their players. It was a hectic scene, and after 10 minutes, the officials announced their decisions. All Players and coaches involved in the altercation were ejected from the game. Rattlers’ star corner/receiver Hank Harris was among them.  

The decision riled the students and parents in the crowd to a whole new level, but the decision was final, and it was once again time to play. 

The game finally proceeded, and the teams lined up once again. Immediately, East Central came up big with a touchdown pass from Isiah Gonzalez. For the first time, the Hornets were within striking distance of taking the lead. The score was now 24-21.  

The East Central defense, after a lackluster first half, refused to let the Rattlers get going all quarter. The two-minute warning arrived. The Hornets had mounted an impressive drive all the way into the Rattler endzone. Ultimately, San Marcos could not get a stop, and with 12 seconds left, the Hornets rushed into the endzone to cap off their magical comeback. 

The final score was 28-24 in a heartbreaking loss for San Marcos High School. “It’s just something I have to deal with in the locker room,” Rattlers Coach John Walsh said after the game. 

The Rattlers will hopefully look forward to a more positive outcome next week against the Judson Rockets on Oct 17.