Sharyland survives La Joya comeback for 42-41 overtime win

MISSION — For one half, Sharyland looked like it was going to run away with Friday night’s game against La Joya.

By the end of the fourth quarter, the Rattlers were just trying to survive.

Sharyland watched a 28-point halftime lead disappear before sophomore quarterback William Taylor delivered again in overtime, helping the Rattlers escape with a 42-41 win over the Coyotes at Richard Thompson Stadium.

“The game is never over until the clock hits zero,” Taylor said. “It’s never over. Gotta fight every single play, going 100 percent.”

Taylor threw five touchdown passes in the first half as Sharyland built a 35-7 lead.

Senior Oscar Cantu caught the first two, giving the Rattlers a 14-0 advantage in the first quarter. Junior Asdrubal Flores added another touchdown reception in the second quarter before sophomore Austelio Mendoza scored to make it 28-7.

Senior Francisco Gomez caught Taylor’s fifth touchdown pass late in the half, sending Sharyland into the locker room ahead 35-7.

Taylor finished the night with six touchdown passes.

La Joya, however, was far from finished.

Quarterback Owen Benoit scored on a short rushing touchdown in the third quarter to begin the comeback. Later in the period, sophomore running back Fabian Arjona powered through the Sharyland defense for another score.

The Coyotes continued leaning on their running game in the fourth quarter.

Benoit scored again to bring La Joya within one touchdown before another rushing score tied the game at 35-35.

The Coyotes had scored 28 unanswered points, while Sharyland went the entire second half without scoring.

Gomez said the Rattlers may have become too comfortable after building the big halftime lead.

“I mean realistically we did,” Gomez said when asked if Sharyland felt like it had the game in hand. “We overestimated them, but we came out and finished strong.”

Sharyland had a chance to win in the closing minutes of regulation, but the drive stalled and the teams went to overtime tied at 35.

That was when Taylor and the Rattlers had to reset.

“I said let’s go, man, game isn’t over,” Taylor said. “We need to push, we need to lead, we need to group together and go into that end zone.”

Sharyland got the ball first in overtime.

The Rattlers moved inside the La Joya 10 before Taylor rolled to his right and found Mendoza in the corner of the end zone for a touchdown. The extra point gave Sharyland a 42-35 lead.

La Joya answered.

The Coyotes worked their way toward the goal line before Benoit powered across from short range to make it 42-41.

Instead of kicking the extra point and extending the game, La Joya went for two and the win.

The conversion failed.

After giving up 28 straight points in the second half, Sharyland had finally made the stop it needed.

Gomez said the message from the coaching staff going into overtime was simple.

“The coaches told us to not put our heads down, that we still had it in the game,” Gomez said. “And we went ahead and took it.”

For Taylor, the overtime drive was another chance to show what he could do in his first season as Sharyland’s starting quarterback.

“I just wanted to go win it for the team, man,” Taylor said. “All love.”

Taylor said staying focused in that moment came down to wanting to lead his teammates.

“Just wanting to lead the team and show the team, and show the Valley who I am,” Taylor said. “Because I know I’m not on those records or like those lists, but I should be. I believe I should be, humbly speaking.”

The victory moves Sharyland to 2-2 heading into its bye week.

After a night when the Rattlers dominated one half, struggled through another and still found a way to win in overtime, Gomez said the message Sharyland wants to carry forward is the same one that helped it survive Friday.

“Leave it out on the field and never give up,” Gomez said.

Taylor already has his sights set on what comes next.

“We’re chasing a district championship, obviously,” Taylor said. “Got a bye week, gotta recover up and just come out hot in district and go look for a gold ball.”

Sharyland will be opening district play against Roma on Oct. 2 at Richard Thompson Stadium. La Joya, meanwhile, will look to bounce back when it travels to face Mission Veterans Memorial at 7 p.m. next Friday.