It can be hard to translate regular season success to the playoffs, but Mercedes had no problem doing just that on Friday. They were the clear victor by a 45-20 margin over the Sharyland Rattlers. The result was nothing new for the Tigers, who have now won six matches by 21 points or more so far this season.
Mercedes was led to victory by Aaron Cortez and Robert Sanchez. Cortez rushed for 138 yards and three touchdowns, while Sanchez rushed for 206 yards and two touchdowns while picking up 8.6 yards per carry. The dominant performance gave Cortez a new career-high in rushing yards.
Mercedes was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 381 rushing yards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now rushed for at least 169 rushing yards in 11 consecutive matchups.
Mercedes didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off two passes before the game was over. The picks came courtesy of Dylan Rivera and Frank Gonzalez. Mercedes got some further help from Anthony Velasquez: he made 17 total tackles (1.0 for loss) and defended a pass.
Mercedes' win was their third straight at home, which pushed their record up to 8-3. Those victories were due in large part to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 44.7 points per game. As for Sharyland, they have been struggling recently as they've lost three of their last four games, which put a noticeable dent in their 5-6 record this season.
Mercedes wasted no time getting back out on the field and has already played their next contest, a 75-14 loss against Alamo Heights on the 21st. Sharyland does not have any more games scheduled as of now.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
