Football: Rattlers Debut New Stadium

BY: KEFF CIARDELLO, EXECUTIVE EDITOR

@Keff_C

The San Marcos Rattlers may have lost last night to the Kerrville-Tivy Antlers, 48-14, but the story wasn’t on the field as much as it was about it.

San Marcos High School cut the ribbon and opened the doors for their inaugural game at the Toyota Rattler Stadium. The state of the art facility was built as part of a multimillion-dollar project voted on in May, 2013 to build a multipurpose stadium and new student activity center for SMHS.

Last night was considered by many as SMHS’s first “home” game in the football program’s history. They have played all of their previous home football games on Texas State’s field.

The stadium seats a total of 8,000 fans, 5,000 on the home side and 3,000 for the visitors. The home side was packed last night with well over 5,000 excited Rattlers fans. The ones unable to find an available seat stood on the concourse, leaning on a rail that overlooks the end zone.

On top of the home side seats is a 4,500 square-foot pressbox that comes stocked with a large film deck, coaches and scouting booths, radio and announcement booths, and a large open multi-purpose area. Synthetic turf with purple boundary lines and the third largest high school stadium Jumbotron in Texas was also introduced last night.

Feeding off the energy from the crowd, the Rattlers matched scores with the Antlers in the first half before Kerrville pulled away with their fifth victory on the season. The Rattlers now own a 2-5 overall record while the Antlers improved to 5-1.

The Rattlers will be on the road for their next game, as the travel to San Antonio to take the John F. Kennedy Rockets. Their next home will be the following week, October 31, against the leaders of the 5A Region IV District 27, the Boerne-Champion Chargers.