On a misty Friday night, the undefeated Merced Bears faced off against the defending CIF Division 3 state champions, the Vanden Vikings, in the opening round of the Sac-Joaquin section playoffs. The muddy conditions of the field added an extra layer of difficulty as both teams adjusted to the elements for a high-stakes game, each with something to prove and defend. Despite the wet conditions, the home crowd energy was high and the stands were filled with impassioned fans loudly cheering the entirety of the game.
Early moments of the game were marked by crucial turnovers. About 7 minutes into the game, after the Vikings intercepted a Bears’ pass, Xavier Zambrano put Vanden High on the scoreboard with the first touchdown of the game, but the wet conditions made the point after attempt difficult for both teams all night, and on their first point after attempt, the Vikings failed, leaving the score at 6-0. Soon after that, senior Caleb Jones scooped up a Bears fumble and ran it in for a touchdown for the Vikings, helping them build a 13-0 lead. With Vanden setting the pace early in the game, Merced had to regroup quickly if they were going to stay in it.
In the second quarter, realizing where the game was headed, Merced adjusted their game plan to begin a comeback. Their offense responded with a clever play action sweep that ended with a pass thrown to the corner of the end zone to Hayden Czirban, securing their first touchdown of the game. The Vanden Vikings did not take long to respond, however. On their next possession, they extended their lead with an explosive 44-yard touchdown run by Josiah Chavez. With the score back to two possessions at 20-6, and halftime looming with just three minutes left, Merced needed another quick score to keep up with the competition. On their next possession, Merced quarterback Vicente Cortez connected with Hayden Czirban, once again, who made an impressive catch and jumped into the endzone, but the Bears weren’t finished yet. As the clock wound to 1:16 left in the first half, junior Damari Washington intercepted a pass and returned it all the way for a pick-6 touchdown. The Bears went for two and failed, leaving the score at 20-18 in the Vikings favor at the end of the half. Reflecting on their approach entering the game, Merced coach Sam Scheidt said, “Our mindset was, […] control what we can control, minimize penalties, and really just stop what they do best.” That mentality was crucial for the Bears continuing the rest of the game.
Coming into the second half, both teams seemed as determined as ever, fully aware that a spot in the second round of the playoffs was on the line. Merced kicked off to Vanden to start the second half and was able to maintain their momentum as they instantly stopped the Vikings and forced a weak punt from the Vikings’ endzone. This set up Merced with great field position in Vanden territory that they did not waste. As the Bears drove toward the endzone, Vanden tightened up and forced Merced into a 4th down at the Vanden 20 yard line. On 4th and short, quarterback Vicente Cortez connected with Hayden Czirban on another play action pass in the back of the end zone for a touchdown, putting the Bears ahead 25-20. The home crowd cheered louder than ever, with the hopes that Merced would pull off a comeback and continue to hold their undefeated record.
However, as the game moved into the final quarter, the Vikings quickly regained control. Kimani Dokes, Vanden’s #11 , made a game changing reception and scored a touchdown to take the lead back, 26-25. Neither team was able to score the remainder of the game, and Vanden was able to run out most of the clock on their final drive. Vanden player Josiah Chavez shared how the Vikings were able to stay on the field and move the chains late in the fourth quarter, “We practiced that all week, you know? Going in to watch their film, they didn’t work too good off a fast tempo. So all week, we were practicing this fast tempo pace.” This preparation helped Vanden control the last minutes of the game, leading them to the close victory and allowing them to advance to the next round of the playoffs.
Chavez reflected on the Vikings’ mindset going into this game, “We came out here with one thing on our mind, which is earn the respect that needs to be given, […] I feel like we came out here and we took the respect that we deserved.” Chavez’s words reflect the Vikings’ determination and confidence heading into the matchup.
With this game concluding Merced High’s 2025-2026 football season, player Kevin McKain reflected on the year, saying, “I want to thank all my seniors, you’re great people. Like, great season. They made everything worth it.” While expressing how much he’ll miss the seniors, McKain also shared his optimism for the next season, “I’m looking forward to our sophomores and freshmen that got moved up. They seem like great players, great personalities, just great for the team overall.” Merced coach Sam Scheidt reflecting on the team’s success throughout the season, emphasized the foundation of their approach: “In terms of strategy, I think the number one thing is belief in them, belief that they can execute our scheme, and believe that they’re gonna come out, play their best, and every night that we play, they’re gonna have a chance to win. And they executed that. 10 and 1, is pretty good.” Despite the disappointing end to the season for Merced, both players and coaches remain confident in the talent and work ethic of the team moving forward. With a solid group of underclassmen ready to step up, Merced looks to build on this season’s experience and return even stronger next year.
Meanwhile, Vanden will move on to prepare for next week’s second round battle. They will continue their 209 playoff road tour by visiting Oakdale High in what will be a rematch of last year’s 2024 Sac-Joaquin Section championship. Vanden defeated Oakdale in that game by a score of 49-35.
- Photos taken by Average Local Media Sports Staff ↩︎
