Merced will open playoffs at home against Modesto
There wasn’t much time to celebrate for Merced High School football coach Rob Scheidt.
One day after the Bears won the Mayor’s Cup for the 10th straight season and clinched a third consecutive Central California Conference championship, Scheidt and his coaching staff went back to work preparing for a first-round playoff matchup against Modesto on Friday at Veterans Stadium.
Shortly after the Sac-Joaquin Section released the playoff brackets Saturday night, Scheidt went to work.
“I’ve got to call Modesto and set up a film exchange and then put in an eight-hour day on Sunday,” Scheidt said. “We’ve got to get a game plan done and a scouting report finished.”
The focus of the scouting report will be Modesto quarterback Max McCabe, who threw for 1,689 yards and 14 touchdowns to go with 445 rushing yards and another 11 scores.
“Their quarterback is pretty dynamic,” Scheidt said. “They have some receivers who do some good things.”
Merced (7-3) is the No. 7 seed in Division I, with the Panthers (7-3) seeded 10th.
Their quarterback is pretty dynamic. They have some receivers who do some good things.
Merced coach Rob Scheidt on Modesto quarterback Max McCabe
The Bears are one of eight local teams to advance to the playoffs. They are joined by Los Banos (6-4) in Division IV; Mariposa (5-4), Hilmar (7-3) and Gustine (9-1) in Division VI; and Stone Ridge Christian (9-1) in Division VII.
In the Central Section, Chowchilla (8-2) is in Division IV, and Dos Palos (6-4) is in Division V.
No. 8 Los Banos, which has lost three of its last four games, will open at No. 1 Lathrop (6-4).
Los Banos coach Dustin Caropreso admits his team still hasn’t gotten over its 34-6 loss to Patterson on Oct. 16.
“We haven’t been the same team,” Caropreso said. “We’re not that tight-knit group. There’s been some finger pointing a bit. Football is a grind. We’ve been doing this since January. That’s a long time to be going at it. There’s going to be some rough patches. Maybe now with the season over and the playoffs starting, we can come back together and go after it.”
Caropreso was nervous as the brackets were being released because he didn’t like Los Banos’ chances if the Tigers ended up in Division III with heavyweights like Central Catholic, Oakdale, Inderkum, Patterson and Placer.
In Division IV, the Tigers could go far if they can turn it around.
“If we start playing for each other and win this first game, we have a legitimate chance,” Caropreso said. “I think I’ll have a good idea on Monday when we show up for weight training in the morning who is going to be ready to play and who is ready to pack it in.”
Unlike Los Banos, Hilmar is peaking at the right time. The Yellowjackets closed the regular season with four consecutive wins and ended up with a co-Trans-Valley League championship after Ripon lost to Hughson.
If we start playing for each other and win this first game, we have a legitimate chance. I think I’ll have a good idea on Monday when we show up for weight training in the morning who is going to be ready to play and who is ready to pack it in.
Los Banos coach Dustin Caropreso
With Hilmar dropped to D-VI, the Yellowjackets earned the top seed and are the favorites for the blue section banner. Hilmar will open against No. 8 Mariposa (5-4) on Friday.
“It’s surprising, shocking, but it’s something out of our control,” Hilmar coach Frank Marques said. “It’s like we told our kids a week ago: All we can do is our job, and everything else is out of our control. I thought we would open on the road at Orestimba or Bear River if we went D-V. It’s weird to be in D-VI. We’re not familiar with these teams.”
Gustine, seeded third, will open at home against No. 6 Rio Vista (7-3) on Friday.
In Division VII, Stone Ridge Christian (9-1) will have a first-round bye. The defending section champion will face the winner of Millennium and Woodland Christian in the semifinals Nov. 14. The Knights routed both teams this season.
Dos Palos and Chowchilla received first-round byes in their divisions in the Central Section.
The third-seeded Broncos (6-4) will open at home against No. 6 Firebaugh (5-5) on Nov. 20. Dos Palos defeated the Eagles 16-13 on Oct. 16.
The fourth-seeded Redskins also will have a rematch on Nov. 20 against No. 5 Madera South. Chowchilla defeated the Stallions 52-24 in the season opener Aug. 28.
Shawn Jansen: 209-385-2462, @MSSsports
This story was originally published November 8, 2015 at 4:22 PM with the headline "Merced will open playoffs at home against Modesto."