Who runs this town? Merced has dominated rivalry with Golden Valley as El Cap joins mix

It’s been 11 years since Golden Valley High School last hoisted the Mayor’s Cup.

The Cougars’ last win in the rivalry easily was the best game in the series between crosstown rivals. It took triple overtime for the Cougars to knock off Merced 38-35 in 2005.

That loss kept the Bears out of the playoffs despite finishing with an 8-2 record. Back then, only the top two teams in the Central California Conference advanced. It was after that season that the Sac-Joaquin Section started making changes to the playoff system so good teams like Merced weren’t left out.

Since 2005, Merced has owned this town.

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The Bears defeated Golden Valley 38-14 in 2006 and went on to play for the section championship, losing to Vacaville 37-36 on a failed two-point conversion in the final seconds.

Merced has won six CCC championships in the last decade, including the last three in a row, and has won the Battle for the Mayor’s Cup 10 consecutive years, outscoring Golden Valley 391-153.

Even with Merced’s dominance, there were still some close games. The Bears won a 40-33 shootout in 2011 and needed overtime to defeat Golden Valley 14-13 in 2012.

Rivalry games are one of great things about high school sports, or any level of sports for that matter. There’s a reason most high schools schedule their rivalry games for the last game of the season.

There doesn’t have to be anything else on the line to make those games special. Teams don’t have to be playing for a league championship or playoff spot.

Bragging rights over your friends from across town are enough to fill the seats and create a playoff-like atmosphere in the stadium.

For players, there’s a build-up all week leading into a rivalry game.

When game day finally comes, it just feels different when players are squeezing into their jerseys, lacing up their cleats and running out of the locker room and onto the field.

It’s an opportunity to plant their flag.

With the addition of El Capitan to the CCC this season, it will be interesting to see how the rivalry between Merced and Golden Valley evolves.

In just their third varsity season, the Gauchos will be hard-pressed to challenge for league titles and playoff spots, but over the years, rivalries will grow with Golden Valley and Merced.

We’ve seen it happen in Atwater and Los Banos.

The Bloss Bowl, the annual game between Atwater and Buhach Colony, is far more important to the Falcons than beating Merced in the Santa Fe Bowl, once the premier rivalry in the area.

The same can be said in Los Banos, where the Crosstown Clash has become the big game for Los Banos and Pacheco. The Westside War between Los Banos and Dos Palos is still a big deal for the older crowd, but the kids want the bragging rights over their crosstown rivals.

It will take a lot from El Capitan to overtake Golden Valley or Merced as the other’s main rival. The Merced-Golden Valley rivalry has a 22-year head start.

It’s going to take a number of meaningful matchups with championships and playoff spots on the line to build the rivalries between El Capitan and the other two schools.

However, the Gauchos joining the CCC is a good start. Now, we’ll see El Capitan playing Merced and Golden Valley every year.

The Gauchos were a little overzealous during their first varsity season two years ago, when they scheduled Merced and Buhach Colony. Without seniors, El Capitan lost the two games by a combined 114-8. But now, the schools in the Merced Union High School District will all be close in enrollment, as Merced and Golden Valley have shrunk and El Capitan has grown.

It’s a more level playing field, and it will be fun to follow in the coming years.

In the meantime, we gear up for another football season. We’re one day away from kickoff, and inside this section, you’ll find everything you need to know to get ready for this season. We have conference previews, coaches polls, team capsules, players to look for and games to watch.

Let’s all enjoy this season.

This story was originally published August 25, 2016 at 12:19 PM with the headline "Who runs this town? Merced has dominated rivalry with Golden Valley as El Cap joins mix."