Rattlers come up short against San Antonio Clark in SO

EDITOR'S NOTE: For a slideshow of the Valley's Region IV-5A participants, click here.

SAN ANTONIO — The soccer season came to a frustrating finish for the short-handed Sharyland Rattlers on Friday after a 1-0 shootout loss to San Antonio Clark in the Region IV-5A Tournament semifinals at Blossom Athletic Center.

The District 30-5A champion Rattlers (27-2-2) were missing one of their top players, junior center midfielder Alex de la Garza, during their regional semifinal match against the District 28-5A champion Cougars (21-1-2). De la Garza had to sit out the game after receiving two yellow cards during Tuesday’s 1-0 regional quarterfinal victory at Brownsville Lopez.

The two teams moved the ball back and forth throughout the match, and each enjoyed some fairly strong chances to score during 100 minutes of regulation and overtime. But neither squad could find the net, and when the match went to a shootout, Clark immediately took control as its first three players scored and Sharyland’s didn’t.

Clark coach Eddie Ashley, whose team was making its first appearance at the regional tournament just like the Rattlers, said his squad hadn’t really spent too much extra time practicing for a shootout, although the Cougars now have won three such playoff matches that way.

"We only practiced it four times (this season)," Ashley said. "The difference was confidence. Our players just feel confident (in a shootout) that they’re going to get the job done. I’ve been the coach here at Clark four years, and during that time, we haven’t ever lost a shootout.

"This win means everything to our program because we haven’t ever been here before," he added. "Teams from our district don’t reach this level of the playoffs too often. I think the last one before us was five years ago. No (boys) team from our district has ever gone to state, and now we’re on the verge of doing it."

Clark went first in the shootout, and each of the Cougars’ first three players coaxed Sharyland goalkeeper Adrian de Luna to come out before sending low shots past him into the goal. Scoring for Clark were Johnny Lawson, Oscar Barboza and Evan Javors. For Sharyland, Scottie Meyer shot wide right, Gerardo Garza sent a ball off the left post and Ricky Mata’s attempt sailed high over the crossbar, bringing the match to an end.

"We just didn’t put it in," Sharyland coach Reveriano Hernandez said. "We had our chances, and there’s nothing more you can ask for.

"It was great for our program to make it to the regional tournament for the first time," he added. "It was another step for us. Life goes on now. We’ve got a lot of people coming back, so we’re going to start working for next season. I’m very proud of our guys."

Sharyland finished with a 9-7 edge in shots on goal during regulation and OT.

To get to San Antonio, the Rattlers defeated Del Rio 6-0 in bi-district, Brownsville Porter 4-2 in the area round and Brownsville Lopez 1-0 in the regional quarterfinals. Clark triumphed over Corpus Christi Carroll 4-1 in bi-district, edged Austin Anderson 3-2 on a shootout in area play and slipped past Austin Bowie 1-0 on a shootout in the regional quarterfinals.

Clark now takes on Friday night’s Laredo United-Austin Westlake winner at 3 p.m. today in the regional final for a chance to advance to next week’s UIL state tournament in Georgetown.

Roy Hess writes for Valley Freedom Newspapers. You can reach him via e-mail at rhess@brownsvilleherald.com.