SMHS FOOTBALL
Rattlers take on Cibolo Steele in district action
The Countdown to Kickoff series takes a look at the upcoming 2024 season for the San Marcos Rattlers.
This week will preview the Rattlers district game against the Cibolo Steele Knights.
The Knights are coming off a 9-1 regular season and captured the district championship last year. Steele’s lone regular season loss of the season came against the Lake Travis Cavaliers 20-10.
In the Knights game against San Marcos, the Rattlers fell to Steele 45-7 despite the Rattlers holding the Knights to just 7 points in the first quarter and 21 points in the first half.
Steele made a deep playoff run and defeated Dripping Springs 28-21 for the Region IV Division II.
The Knights’ season came to an end during the State Semifinals against Humble Summer Creek 38-14.
Steele returns nine offensive starters from last year’s team that averaged 40.7 points per game.
The Knights’ offense is expected to be not only the best in the district but perhaps in Region IV. They are led by the trio of quarterback Chad Warner, wide receiver Jalen Cooper and wide receiver Royal Capell.
Warner passed for 3,688 yards last season along with 37 touchdown passes. Warner also rushed for 199 yards on 27 carries and four touchdowns.
Cooper caught 63 passes for 1,578 yards and 23 touchdowns. Capell caught 59 passes for 788 yards and five touchdowns.
On the ground, the Knights return running back Jonathan Hatton Jr.
Hatton Jr. ran for 1,222 yards on 242 carries and 21 touchdowns. Samuel Harris also returns, having run for 791 yards on 77 carries and 11 touchdowns.
While the offense returns a slew of returning starters who made major contributions, the same cannot be said for the defense.
The Knights only return three defensive starters from last year’s team that allowed an average of 18.8 points per game.
Defensive lineman Julian Hugo will look to lead the defense, having made 44 total tackles, nine solo tackles and four sacks last season.
Defensive back Christian Watson also returns having made 36 total tackles and four interceptions.
The history of the San Marcos-Steele series is a brief one with the Knights first playing football in 2006.
The first ever meeting between San Marcos and Steele took place during the 2008 season when both teams were placed in the same district.
The Knights took their first win of the series 4117.
San Marcos and Steele would play each other for the next five seasons with the Knights winning each one in blowout fashion.
The series went on hiatus after the 2013 season with the two teams meeting up once again in 2018 due to being placed in the same district.
The series took a short break for 2020 and 2021 seasons due to UIL Realignment before being revived for the 2022 and 2023 seasons.
Steele leads the overall series 10-0.
Kickoff for San Marcos- Steele is set for Friday Oct. 25 at 7:30 p.m. from Robert and Glenda Lehnhoff Stadium in Schertz.
cmcwilliams @sanmarcosrecord.com Twitter: @ColtonBMc
