The San Marcos 12U All Stars celebrate with their championship rings after the completion of their season. The Rattlers became the first team in the history of the 12U Program to take third place at the CenTexas Tournament Series.
Photo submitted by Ronnie Barret
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The Rattlers take a group prayer before taking the field.
Photo submitted by Ronnie Barrett
The San Marcos 12 and under All Star team made history by placing third at the CenTex Tournament Series, despite entering the tournament as the 7th seed.
Regardless of their record in pool play, both the Rattler All-Stars and Head Coach Jerry Riojas knew they were capable of much more.
“We were definitely the underdogs,” Riojas said. “We just came together and pulled it off.”
The team was made up of players selected from the two 12 and under teams based in San Marcos, so Riojas and the coaching staff had a difficult test on their hands.
“It was very challenging,” Riojas said. “We took six kids from one team and six from the other, and it was more challenging with the coaches. We had to come together, because we have our set ways as grown ups.”
What wasn’t a challenge for the team was the chemistry between the players.
With many of the players having played with each other through the local leagues in San Marcos, the team was able to gel quickly.
“The kids worked great together,” Riojas said. “They were able to click. Being from a small town, a lot of them go to school together and all know each other. They have been playing together for about six years with different teams and age groups.”
San Marcos entered the CenTex Pool League as one of 12 teams competing to win the championship. Many of the teams were made up of All-Star teams representing Liberty Hill, Cedar Park, Dripping Springs, Round Rock and Leander.
As the tournament play included all 12 teams, pool play allowed Riojas and the coaching staff to better understand how to strategize.
“We were trying to figure out who can do what and where,” Riojas said. “We used that pool play to see what we had, what we did and what changes we needed to make in different scenarios. The coaches worked great together, and we finally came together towards the end of pool play.”
One of the factors that helped the Rattlers through the tournament was the players’ team chemistry.
San Marcos was one of the teams furthest away with the games being played at Round Rock, the longest distance travel allowed the players to bond.
“Getting to together at Mr. Gatti’s, the kids were growing and making relationships,” Riojas said. “That might have been the breakthrough to go the distance.”
While the players were coming together off the field, Riojas wanted the Rattlers to focus on one thing.
“We encouraged the kids to take it one play at a time,” Riojas said. “We told them to just push it with one more play, one more out and one more at-bat. We broke it down to just playing one play at a time. That’s what they kept pushing for.”
The team’s one play mentality paid dividends for the group during tournament play.
In San Marcos first game of the tournament, the Rattlers knocked off the Cedar Park Mavericks 9-8 to set up a showdown with the No. 2 Oak Hill Vipers.
In a high scoring affair, the Rattlers out slugged the Vipers 11-10 and advanced to the third round.
“We were both excited and nervous at the same time,” Riojas said. “Our bats came alive. The top of our lineup was strong but the bottom of the lineup came alive, especially in the bracket pool. To beat the No. 2 seed in the second round, we didn’t know what to think. They were on fire.”
San Marcos’ hot offensive performance continued in their next game against Liberty Hill Lighting. In another offensive battle, the Rattlers once again racked up another victory, beating Liberty Hill 1110 and advanced to the semifinals.
Though the Rattlers fell in their final two games, San Marcos captured third place in the tournament for the first time in the history of San Marcos 12U All Stars.
The Rattlers celebrated the moment in the closing ceremonies at Dell Diamond in Round Rock.
cmcwilliams@sanmarcosrecord.com Twitter: @ColtonBMc
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