Merced High quarterback accounts for 6 TDs to secure playoff win, coach’s career milestone
Merced High senior quarterback Quintell Dupree wanted to make sure his coach didn’t have to wait until next season to pick up his 200th career win.
Dupree did his part, accounting for six touchdowns with three scoring passes and three touchdown runs to help propel the No. 7 seeded Bears (8-3) to a 41-35 victory over No. 10 Rio Americano in the first round of the Sac-Joaquin Section Division III playoffs on Friday night at Cathie Hostetler Stadium.
It was a milestone victory for Merced head coach Rob Scheidt as he picked up career win No. 200.
Scheidt celebrated the accomplishment in Bill Belichick style.
“It’s hard, I’m just not built for it,” said Scheidt, who is coaching his 30th season at Merced. “It really is on to West Park.”
The bigger deal for the longtime Bears coach was extending the season for this team, especially his seniors.
“I’m happy that we get an opportunity for number nine (wins) with this group,” Scheidt said. “Those in-the-moment things are really what we’re striving for... I’ve been with Quintell, Jordan (Dupree) and Adarius (Morales-Saetern) for the last three years, so you want another week together.”
Merced started fast, jumping out to a 14-0 lead against the Raiders (5-6) in the first quarter. Quintell Dupree connected with receiver Jeremy Garcia on a 12-yard touchdown pass to cap a 68-yard drive on the opening possession of the game.
Dupree then added a 3-yard touchdown run on the second drive to give the Bears a 14-0 lead with 1:03 left in the first quarter.
Rio Americano battled back to tie the game 14-14 with a pair of touchdown drives in the second quarter, engineered by a strong ground game. Running back Raymar Griffith finished the game with 21 carries for 201 yards, including a 60-yard touchdown run in the second quarter.
The Bears retook the lead with a late first-half touchdown as Dupree connected with Morales-Saetern on a 21-yard touchdown pass to give Merced a 21-14 lead at the half.
The Raiders struck again with a big play to open the second half as Keegan Leary scored on a 52-yard run on a reverse play to tie the game 21-21 with 9:20 left in the third quarter.
The Bears then took over as Dupree scored on a 13-yard touchdown run to put Merced back in front 28-21 with 7:44 left in the third quarter.
The Merced defense then delivered a big play as Julian Higareda recovered a fumble to set the Bears offense up at the Raiders’ 42-yard line. Dupree scored his third rushing touchdown of the game on a 2-yard run to extend the Bears’ lead to 34-21 with 4:28 left in the third quarter.
Dupree says he’s recovered from a knee injury suffered against El Capitan on Oct. 18.
“When my knee is working, I’m going,” said Dupree, who rushed for 75 yards on 13 carries. “That’s a different player when my knee is working.”
Merced tacked on another touchdown early in the fourth quarter as Dupree connected with Antonio Aaron on a 14-yard score to extend the lead to 41-21 with 9:40 left in the game.
The Raiders battled back with two late touchdowns to cut the lead to 41-35 and force Merced to cover an onside kick attempt with just under 2 minutes left, but Dupree fielded the kick and the Bears ran out the clock.
The Bears will advance to a quarterfinal game next Friday against No. 2 West Park (9-1) in Roseville next week.
Dupree said there wasn’t any added pressure to get the milestone win for Scheidt. They just had to follow his gameplan and everything would take care of itself.
“It’s my senior year, it’s what is expected from me,” Dupree said. “I’ve got high expectations, I wanted to move on.”
