Rattlers go to Georgetown, hope to bring running game
Bill Peterson
Football, San Marcos High School, Sports, sports
Dripping Springs Tigers, Georgetown ISD, Hays Rebels, Jonoah Fabian, Killeen Ellison, Lehman Lobos, Les Davis, San Marcos Academy Bears, San Marcos Rattlers, Wimberley Texans
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The San Marcos High School football team is playing in Georgetown tonight (7:30 p.m.), and everyone knows that Friday night travel to Williamson County is painful for Hays County fans.
But what about the ride home for the Rattlers? It can be glorious, if the Rattlers can win their third straight to begin the season.
The Rattlers and Georgetown profile as similar teams two weeks into the season. Both teams are 2-0. The Rattlers beat Dripping Springs, 35-22, and Victoria East, 38-12. Georgetown beat Killeen Ellison, 35-14, and Austin McNeil,36-13. So, the scores are similar. Georgetown so far has 428 rushing yards and 324 passing yards, according to the Austin American-Statesman, which credits the Rattlers with 598 rushing yards and 300 passing yards.
But when we look at the defensive stats, our little tale of the tape tilts toward Georgetown. The Rattlers have allowed 521 rushing yards and 299 passing yards. Georgetown has allowed but 21 rushing yards and 204 passing yards in two games.
So, the question becomes one of how the Rattlers will move the ball against a Georgetown defense that is allowing barely more than 100 yards per game. The stronger Georgetown performance came against Ellison, which lost 46 yards in 21 carries (many of those, undoubtedly, are quarterback sacks) and passed for zero yards despite completing 18 of 24 passes. That's what the statistics in the newspaper tell us.
But they also tell us that San Marcos running back Jonoah Fabian has rushed for 333 yards in two games.
On the very little information outstanding — two games for each team — we probably can predict that Georgetown will rush for 200-250 yards and pass for about 150 yards against the Rattlers. The question to be answered Friday night concerns whether the Rattlers' offensive statistics or Georgetown's defensive numbers are more real. The number say the Rattlers will rush for about 300 yards and pass for 150. The Georgetown defensive numbers say it's going to be more like 20 yards rushing and 100 yards passing.
Somehow, the San Marcos offensive numbers sound more accurate. But it's up to the Rattlers to make that so.
Also around Hays County tonight, Dripping Springs and Wimberley are taking up their annual rivalry in Wimberley (7:30 p.m.). The Texans, 2-0, have become a perennial Class 3A power across Texas. Dripping Springs, 0-2, continues in its struggle to find firm footing as a local Class 4A contender.
The Hays Rebels also are wheeling up to Williamson County to play Leander Rouse at A.C. Bible Jr. Stadium, formerly the home of the Odessa Permian dynasty before it was moved down to Leander. The Rebels are 2-0 after beating Anderson, 21-7, at House Park in downtown Austin last Friday. Rouse is 1-1.
Lehman, 0-2, looks for its first win of the season Friday night at Bob Shelton Stadium, where it will play Anderson. The Lobos have fallen twice by lopsided margins — 49-7 to Cedar Ridge and 55-10 to Elgin.
Les Davis and his San Marcos Academy Bears are another 0-2 team looking for their first win tonight. The Bears will entertain St. Stephen's at Ingram/A+FCU Stadium (7:30 p.m.).
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09/14/2013 Rattlers fall at No. 8 Georgetown
09/14/2013 Dripping Springs bests Wimberley; Rebels lose at Leander
09/03/2010 SMA wins home football opener
09/18/2010 Rattler rally falls short, SMA, Lehman and Wimberley keep streaking
09/05/2013 2-0? Could happen for Rattlers