Merced prepares for Monterey Trail ground attack

Two teams with contrasting styles will battle it out when the Monterey Trail High football team comes to town to face Merced on Friday night.

Monterey Trail (7-4) runs an old-fashioned veer with an intent to ground and pound. The Mustangs chew up yards and the clock with running back Trey Nahhas.

The Bears (9-2) use a modern-day spread offense, focused on speed and tempo. Quarterback Tyrone Williams throws the ball all over the field.

“I really love the football aspect of the matchup,” Bears coach Rob Scheidt said. “It’s the grind-it-out, old-school football against the spread. It’s still going to come down to great blocking and guys making the most plays.”

The No. 12 Mustangs and fourth-seeded Bears will kick off at 7 p.m. in the Sac-Joaquin Section Division I quarterfinals at Veterans Stadium.

Merced is one of five local teams still alive in the postseason. In other action:

▪ No. 3 Los Banos (9-2) heads to No. 2 Sonora (10-1) in the Division IV semifinals.

▪ No. 3 Mariposa (8-3) heads to No. 2 Colfax (7-4) in the Division V semfinals.

▪ Stone Ridge Christian (9-2) travels to Clarksburg to face Delta (6-4) in the Division VII semifinals.

▪ In the Central Section, No. 5 Chowchilla (6-4) heads to Visalia to play No. 4 Golden West (6-4) in the Division IV quarterfinals.

Merced isn’t fooled by Monterey Trail’s 12th seed. The Bears know they must play well to advance.

The key for Merced is slowing down the Mustangs’ running game led by Nahhas, who has 2,136 yards and 28 touchdowns.

“He’s a bull in a china shop,” Scheidt said. “He’s going to run downhill and try to break things. Even in tight spaces, he’s tough to tackle.”

Merced’s offense is at its best when it gets in a rhythm. The Bears are a quick-strike, big-play offense. Seven of Merced’s eight offensive touchdowns last week against Tokay were of 30 yards out or more.

If Monterey Trail can sustain long drives, it could prevent the Bears’ offense from gaining momentum.

It’s the job of middle linebacker Jermon Cook and the rest of the Merced defense to ensure that doesn’t happen.

“I’m impressed with their physicality up front and their offensive line,” Cook said. “They get off the ball quick, and their running back runs really hard. I like that it’s up to us in a big game. It’s on our shoulders to see if we can do it. It’s a call to action.”

The Mustangs’ defense has a challenge of its own in slowing down the Bears’ offense. Williams threw for 381 yards and four touchdowns last week against Tokay and has passed for 2,111 yards and 26 touchdownsthis season.

The Central California Conference champs also can turn to conference MVP Jabar Byrd, who has rushed for 1,280 yards and 18 touchdowns.

Friday’s winner likely will play Folsom (11-0), ranked second behind De La Salle in Northern California by CalHiSports.

“We have to stop the run, and then on offense we have to possess the football and make plays,” Byrd said. “This is the playoffs. It’s the survival of the fittest. The team that wants it the most will keep going.”

This story was originally published November 20, 2014 at 7:37 PM with the headline "Merced prepares for Monterey Trail ground attack."