Turlock tops Merced in overtime

Sean Downs was having the kind of second half he'd probably love to forget.

With some of the hits the Turlock sophomore took from an amped up Merced defense, he might not remember much of it.

Bears defensive tackle Jesse Jimenez set the tone with a vicious de-cleater that sent Downs' helmet five yards back upfield.

The physical pounding continued as Merced stormed back from a 21-0 hole to tie the game up with 36 seconds remaining in regulation.

Downs apparently had a little left in the tank, though.

After a big pass interference call gave Turlock new life in overtime with a first-and-goal at the Merced 2-yard line, Downs called his own number. He faked a handoff and then bulled his way into the end zone to make it 28-21 Bulldogs.

The Turlock defense did the rest, sacking Bear quarterback Eli Gutierrez on consecutive plays to turn Merced over on downs and escape Veterans Stadium with a 28-21 overtime victory.

"We were playing well at the end of the game," Merced head coach Rob Scheidt said. "I thought we were the more physical team in the second half, even on the QB keeper.

"But whenever you leave 14 or 21 points on the field the way we did in the first half, it tends to come back to bite you."

Turlock (1-1 Central California Conference, 5-2) had a perfect start to the game as it held Merced to a three-and-out on its opening possession and got great field position on a shanked punt.

Downs took advantage, hitting Tyler Cook with a 25-yard play-action pass for a touchdown on the Bulldogs' second play of the game.

Downs (2 of 7 passing for 40 yards and 33 rushing yards on 14 carries) doubled the lead with a 13-yard run on Turlock's next possession. The Bulldogs then stuffed the Bears (1-1 CCC, 3-4) on fourth down at the Turlock 2-yard line and proceeded to march 98 yards on on 14 plays.

Bryce Simmons ran the ball in from 8 yards out to make it 21-0.

Merced had one final chance to get points before intermission, but got turned away at the goal line again.

With six seconds left and no timeouts, fullback Chris Bernat was stopped a half a yard short.

"At the time we're down 21-0 and three points doesn't seem like enough," Scheidt said. "Maybe we needed to have a little foresight, because three points there could have been huge."

With the Bulldog offense completely stymied in the third quarter, Merced stormed its way back into the game with Gutierrez touchdown passes of 23 and 33 yards to Jaquari People and Keith Bolden.

A Gutierrez fumble ended a late promising drive, but the Bear defense held Turlock and came up with a big blocked punt to give Merced a first-and-goal at the Turlock 9 with 2:17 to play.

On fourth-and-goal from the 2, People hauled in a pitch and then immediately lofted a pass to David Mariano in the corner of the end zone to tie the game and force overtime.