By RAUL GARCIA JR | The Mercedes Enterprise

MERCEDES– Two botched plays was all it took to end Mercedes’ quest for a perfect season.

Trailing Mercedes 13-14 after converting on a third quarter 42-yard field goal Sharyland used the old fashioned ground and pound offensive attack, rolled the dice to keep their chances of winning alive and kept the undefeated Tigers against the ropes.

Sharyland capitalized quickly off a kick off recovery on their next play, scoring after a furry of downs and converted the two-point conversion to take a 21-14 lead after trailing the Tigers for most of the third quarter. Next, the Rattlers intercepted a Tiger pass and found pay dirt off a 59-yard return to extend their lead by two touchdowns; pulling away to a 28-14 lead.

Sharyland’s Alek Gonzalez scored the rushing TD and two-point conversion. His twin brother Allen Gonzalez scored on the interception.

Sharyland went on to defeat Mercedes 28-21 after holding off a late run by the Tigers to try win the game with less than two minutes left in regulation.

The Tigers (6-1, 4-1) return to gridiron Thursday, taking on the PSJA Southwest Javelinas (0-6, 0-4) at PSJA ISD Stadium in Pharr. The Rattlers (4-2, 3-1) stay in the hunt for the District title. They host the Sharyland Pioneer Diamondbacks (4-2, 3-1) on Friday at Richard Thompson Stadium in Mission.

Trailing the Rattlers 10-7 after the break, Tigers Cornerback Austin Davila picked a pass that seemed to change the home team’s momentum and set the tone for the rest of the game.

The Tigers quickly scored off a reception by Joseph Rocha who caught a pass, pivoted away from the defense and took it to the house for a 15-yard touchdown and 10-14 lead.

The Rattlers seemed to have no answers for the Tigers offensive attack that scored after converting a first down on four plays, and it looked like the same was true for the Tiger’s defense that kept pressuring the Rattlers’ offense.

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The Tigers sacked the Rattlers quarterback, pressured him out of the pocket and seemed to have an answer to their running game although the Rattlers kept eating the clock.

The Tigers and the Rattlers traded blows and went toe-to-toe sitting at a 7-7 tie until Sharyland’s Mikaeli Nguma kicked a 47-yard field goal to give Sharyland a 10 -7 lead late in the second quarter.

The Rattlers came into the contest after suffering a 27-14 loss to Mission Veterans. Mission Veterans (5-2,5-0) remains the only undefeated team District 16-5A Division II.

Mission Veterans’ two losses came from the hands of Mission High and San Benito. They defeated PSJA Southwest Friday 48-14. Mercedes is scheduled to face off with Mission Veterans on Friday, October 22, at 7:30 p.m. at Tigers Stadium.