Merced football set for playoff opener against Tokay

Merced High football coach Rob Scheidt has learned not to take playoff participation for granted. So much work goes in, from year-round training to the day-to-day grind of the season.

Scheidt hopes all the preparation will lead to a lengthy stay in the postseason for his team. The Bears (8-2) are one of eight area teams opening the playoffs on Friday night. The fourth-seeded Bears will host No. 13 Tokay (7-3) in Division I of the Sac-Joaquin Section playoffs. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.

“The objective is to win this week. We want to keep this thing going,” said Scheidt, whose team has a seven-game winning streak. “Our guys have been excited to be at practice this week. We want to keep practicing.”

The Bears’ postseason ended abruptly last year with a 49-39 loss to Jesuit in the first round.

“It stung all year,” Merced wide receiver A.J. Stewart said. “It makes us practice harder than we did last year. We’re ready for Tokay.”

The Bears’ main focus will be on UCLA-bound wide receiver L.J. Reed, a transfer from Cosumnes Oaks. Reed has 20 catches for 364 yards and two touchdowns in five games.

Merced faced another UCLA recruit earlier this season in Clovis North running back Bolu Olorunfunmi.

“(Reed) is big and athletic,” Scheidt said. “He does a lot of things to make big plays happen. He’s a big-time player.”

Los Banos (8-2) is back in the playoffs after missing the postseason last year. The third-seeded Tigers will host No. 6 Dixon (6-4) in Division IV.

Los Banos also has won seven consecutive games after starting 1-2.

“We were staying at home this time last year,” Tigers coach Dustin Caropreso said. “I talked to the kids on (Wednesday) night about cherishing this situation because you never know when it’s going to happen again.”

Caropreso feels his team is battle-tested entering the playoffs after some challenging wins down the stretch. That can help if the Tigers make a deep run.

“It’s allowed our kids to believe if we’re in a close game or if we have a lead late in a game,” Caropreso said. “To play an overtime game against Patterson and then turn around and play an overtime game against Livingston, that’s unheard of, and our kids didn’t panic.”

In other action Friday night, No. 13 Pacheco (7-3) travels to No. 4 Oakdale (9-1) in Division III. Le Grand (7-3) and Mariposa (7-3) are in action in Division V, with the Bulldogs traveling to No. 4 Hughson (7-3) and the Grizzlies hosting No. 6 Amador (6-4). In Division VI, No. 6 Gustine (7-3) opens at No. 3 Bradshaw Christian (7-3). Stone Ridge Christian (8-2) will host a playoff game for the first time, meeting Foresthill (3-7) in Division VII.

Le Grand is vying for its fifth consecutive section title, and first-year head coach Raul Alvarez hopes its postseason experience will play a factor.

“It helps a lot,” Alvarez said. “The kids who have been in our program are used to suiting up all the way into Thanksgiving week. This is not foreign to them. They’re used to the grind. Everything increases in the playoffs. The intensity increases. The level of play increases. To have kids who understand that is a plus for us.”

In the Central Section, No. 11 Dos Palos (4-7) travels to No. 6 Caruthers (7-3) in Division V. The Broncos defeated Caruthers 20-14 on Sept. 5. Chowchilla (6-4) has a bye this week in Division IV and will open at No. 4 Golden West (6-4) next week.

This story was originally published November 13, 2014 at 7:55 PM with the headline "Merced football set for playoff opener against Tokay."