MISSION — Sharyland High’s boys soccer team was among the best not only in the Valley this season, but in the state.
The Rattlers captured a share of the District 31-5A title during the regular season, adding a Region IV-5A championship and a state tournament appearance for the first time since 2012.
Leading the Rattlers’ historic run was a group of talented seniors, three of whom are set to compete at the next level this coming fall.
Jose Sanchez, Edward Morales and Kevin Zepeda each signed to continue playing soccer during ceremonies this week at the Sharyland High Auditorium.
“It is no surprise,” Morales said. “We knew the talent we had. It was just a matter of us putting in the work and putting in the effort. I love these guys with all my heart. I am just happy to see us all excel. It was a great ride. I’m happy for all of us.”
Sanchez was the first of the three to sign this week. The senior midfielder penned his commitment to the University of Houston-Victoria during a ceremony Wednesday at the Sharyland High Auditorium.
UHV is an NAIA Division I program in Victoria that competes in the Red River Athletic Conference.
“It has been a few weeks of preparation to get here,” Sanchez said. “I got to see the coaches a few weeks ago during the RGVSCO All-Star game. I talked to the coaches after the game, and we’ve just been preparing for this moment. It has been an exciting week for the team in general. I’m just really happy to make it official and join this university. I know they’re going to get the best out of me, so I’m really excited.”
Sanchez’s impact on the Rattlers was almost instant from the moment he arrived as a freshman, cracking the varsity roster.
By his sophomore season, Sanchez was named team captain, holding the rank for the rest of his high school career.
The four-year letterwinner did a little bit of everything for the Rattlers during his final season, lining up wherever needed.
No matter where he played, Sanchez shone on the pitch, netting 16 goals and 11 assists to wrap up his final year at Sharyland en route to his third straight first-team all-district selection.
“I had the responsibility of being the team captain and team leader,” Sanchez said. “This year, I took the role of playing a few positions. I just told the coach to play me wherever he needed me because we had a lot of good players. I got to play a lot of positions this year. I was happy to do that.”
Midfielder Edward Morales was the second soccer signing of the week for the Rattlers, officially joining the Creighton Bluejays during a ceremony Thursday.
Creighton is an NCAA Division I school in Omaha, Nebraska, that competes in the Big East.
“It was great having all my friends and family out here together to celebrate this big moment,” Morales said. “It was nice seeing all the hard work pay off. The visits to Creighton always felt welcoming. I felt at peace and at home there. I didn’t feel that with a lot of other schools, and I just knew for the get-go that this would be my home.”
Morales only played one season with the Rattlers, but that didn’t stop him from leaving his mark on the program.
The crafty midfielder was the cog that moved Sharyland High’s dominant offensive machine, dishing out a team-high 25 assists. Morales didn’t just set up his teammates for goals, however, creating opportunities of his own to net 16 goals.
Morales’ dominant season helped the Rattlers advance all the way to the Class 5A state semifinals for the first time since 2012, and also earned him District 31-5A co-MVP honors.
“Really, I’m just all about the team,” Morales said. “I think my assist numbers say that well. I’m mainly for the team, and I love to see others do well. I love to see the team win, and I know I can’t do it by myself. It was just a team effort. I think I bring the intensity and it is contagious, so I think that is what I brought to the table.”
The final signing of the week came Friday, with forward Kevin Zepeda officially committing to take his talents to Texas A&M San Antonio.
TAMU-SA, an NAIA Division I program in San Antonio, competes in the Red River Athletic Conference with UHV, making Zepeda a conference rival with Sanchez next fall.
“It is a lot of nerves and excitement,” Zepeda said. “This is a big step for me. My process to signing was very last minute. Going into the playoffs I didn’t have any offers. Nobody had talked to me, so I found all the colleges from Texas and sent them an email. Texas A&M San Antonio, they knew my situation and they were willing to fight for me. They made a great offer, and now I’m going to play with them. Now it is time to keep working hard and get to the next level from there.”
Zepeda’s journey to a collegiate opportunity was littered with obstacles after moving from Georgia to South Texas this year.
Clearing hurdles from the UIL kept Zepeda off the field for all of non-district play and the first four games of district play. Once cleared, however, Zepeda came out with a vengeance.
The speedy winger netted two goals during his season debut, a District 31-5A contest against Valley View, giving the Rattlers a victory over their rival for the first time in seven years.
“There were times where I started doubting I would be able to play this year,” Zepeda said. “Then that first game, I came on as a substitute. I ended up scoring two goals and it was just a great time.”
From there on, Zepeda dominated on the pitch, leading the team in scoring with 24 goals, including four goals during the Rattlers’ postseason run to the state semis.
Zepeda added six assists to go along with his scoring, earning him the District 31-5A offensive player of the year award.
“I’ve always been pretty fast since I was little,” Zepeda said. “I’ve also always had the dribbling skills It just came naturally. I just have an eye for the goal. I always want to score and give the best for the team. Whether that was scoring or assisting, I just wanted the ball to finish in the back of the net. I think I did a great job at scoring this year and helped the team a lot.”
