Merced-area teams ready to kick off section soccer playoffs. Here’s who advanced
The El Capitan High girls soccer team, which tied for first place in the Central California Conference, is ready for the postseason.
The Gauchos, who shared the CCC title with Buhach Colony, earned a higher seed in the Sac-Joaquin Section playoffs thanks to their strong nonleague schedule.
El Capitan went 15-4 overall and 9-1 in the CCC. The Gauchos are seeded fourth in the section Division 3 bracket and will host No. 13 Christian Brothers of Sacramento on Friday in the first round.
Buhach Colony, which shared the CCC title with El Capitan, went 16-7 overall. The Thunder is seeded seventh in Division 3 and will host No. 10 Pioneer of Woodland in the first round.
Buhach Colony earned a share of the CCC championship by winning its last eight games, including a thrilling 2-1 comeback win over El Capitan on Jan. 28.
In Division 2, No. 17 Atwater travels to Modesto to take on No. 16 Johansen in a play-in game on Thursday at 6 p.m.
All girls first-round games will be played Friday at 6 p.m. Here’s a look at the other girls first-round matchups:
Division 5
- No. 6 Hilmar hosts No. 11 Ben Holt College Prep Academy of Stockton
- No. 9 Delhi plays at No. 8 Sonora
Division 6
- No. 3 Stone Ridge Christian, the Southern League champion, hosts Aspire Langston Hughes Academy of Stockton
- No. 10 Le Grand plays at No. 7 of Bradshaw Christian of Sacramento
- No. 13 Gustine plays at Golden Sierra of Garden Valley
Boys Soccer brackets announced
Boys soccer first-round games will be played Saturday at 6 p.m. Here are the matchups:
Division 2
- No. 8 Atwater, champion of the Central California Conference, hosts No. 9 Elk Grove
- No. 14 Merced heads to Turlock to take on No. 3 Pitman
Division 3
- No. 8 Pacheco, the second-place finisher in the Western Athletic Conference, hosts No. 9 Vista del Lago of Folsom
- No. 15 El Capitan heads to Sacramento to play No. 2 Valley
Division 4
- No. 8 Los Banos, the second-place finisher in the CCC, hosts No. 9 Weston Ranch of Tracy
- No. 15 Livingston plays at No. 2 seed East Union of Manteca
Division 5
- No. 4 Hilmar, the Trans-Valley League champion at 11-0-1, hosts No. 13 Riverbank
- No. 7 Delhi, which won the Southern League at Southern League, hosts No. 10 Orestimba
Division 6
- No. 12 Le Grand plays at No. 5 Bradshaw Christian of Sacramento
- No. 10 Gustine plays at Vanguard College Prep of Modesto
This story was originally published February 11, 2026 at 4:10 PM.
