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The 2025 Merced High Football Season: How A Perfect 10-0 Run Ended In A Heartbreaking One-Point Playoff Thriller

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The 2025 Merced High School football season was a spectacular run of dominance that captivated the Central Valley, culminating in a perfect 10-0 regular season and another Central California Conference (CCC) championship title. As of today, December 22, 2025, the Bears' legacy for the year is defined by their powerful rushing attack, a stout defense, and the razor-thin margin of their only loss—a crushing one-point defeat in the Sac-Joaquin Section (SJS) playoffs that ended their perfect campaign in dramatic fashion.

The Merced Bears entered the 2025 season with high expectations, and they delivered, showcasing the kind of consistent excellence that has become a hallmark of the program under its long-serving coach. The team’s success was built on a foundation of physical play, particularly from their formidable offensive line and a deep rotation of talented running backs, a strategy that steamrolled opponents throughout the CCC.

The Architect of Excellence: Head Coach Rob Scheidt Biography

The enduring success of the Merced High Bears football program is inextricably linked to the tenure of Head Coach Rob Scheidt. A true Central Valley fixture, Scheidt celebrated a major career milestone in the 2025 season, further cementing his status as one of the most respected coaches in the Sac-Joaquin Section.

  • Full Name: Robert "Rob" Scheidt
  • Current Role: Head Football Coach, Merced High School (since 1996)
  • Total Tenure at MHS: Entered his 30th season in 2025.
  • Milestone Achievement: Recently celebrated his 200th career coaching victory, a testament to his longevity and consistent success with the Bears.
  • Education: Attended Merced College and San Francisco State.
  • Previous Coaching Experience: Before taking the helm at Merced, Scheidt served as a teacher and coach at Buchanan High School (1994–1996) and Golden Valley High School (1992–1994).
  • Other Roles: Scheidt also serves Merced High School as a teacher in the Social Studies Department and as an Assistant Athletics Director.
  • Coaching Staff Support: The foundation of the program is supported by a dedicated staff, including Assistant Coaches Steve Di Salvo, Reno Martinelli, and Derek Paker.

Scheidt's leadership has fostered a culture of winning, consistently keeping the Merced Bears among the elite programs in the Central California Conference and a perennial contender in the SJS playoffs.

The Dominant Regular Season and CCC Championship

The 2025 campaign was a masterclass in execution, with the Bears finishing the regular season with a flawless 10-0 record. Their dominance was particularly evident in the Central California Conference, where they secured the league championship, their third straight CCC title, by relying on a powerful, run-heavy offense.

The team’s identity was defined by its physical superiority at the line of scrimmage, allowing a "trio of talented running backs" to consistently chew up yardage and control the clock. This ground-and-pound strategy led to several high-scoring affairs, including a massive 63-6 victory over rival El Capitan, where the Bears pounded in seven touchdowns on the ground.

Key victories during their perfect run included:

  • A hard-fought 30-23 win against Patterson.
  • A decisive 45-13 victory over Gregori.
  • A thrilling 41-39 road win against Downey.
  • A 43-34 victory against Madera.
  • A convincing 49-6 Senior Night win over Buhach Colony High School.

The Bears' ability to win close games, like the nail-biter against Downey, demonstrated their mental toughness, while the blowouts against league opponents solidified their status as CCC champions.

The Heartbreak: SJS Playoff Loss to Vanden Vikings

Entering the Sac-Joaquin Section Division III playoffs, the Merced Bears were riding a wave of momentum, but their perfect season came to an abrupt, devastating end. In the first round of the SJS Division III bracket, the Bears faced the Vanden Vikings. The game, played on Friday, November 14, 2025, at McSweeney Field, was an instant classic that came down to the final moments.

The final score saw the Vanden Vikings edge out Merced 26-25, marking the Bears' only loss of the entire season. The one-point difference underscored how evenly matched the two teams were, with the game being Merced's lowest-scoring contest of the year, a testament to Vanden's strong defense. The game featured intense defensive pressure, with Merced's Hayden Czirban notably pressuring Vanden quarterback Xavier Zambrano throughout the contest.

The loss, while crushing, did not erase the team’s accomplishments. It was a brutal end to a stellar season that saw the Bears compete in the inaugural SJS bowl games, a new development for the Section.

Key Players and the Future of Merced Football

The 2025 squad was a deep and talented unit, with several athletes contributing to the team’s success and generating significant buzz in the Central Valley football community. The roster was loaded with talent, ensuring the program's foundation remains strong for the coming seasons.

Standout Entities and Key Contributors:

  • Hayden Czirban: A prominent defensive player who was instrumental in applying pressure on opposing quarterbacks, as highlighted during the Vanden playoff game.
  • Cammarri Jackson: A key member of the Bears' formidable roster, contributing to the dominant offensive attack.
  • Elias Aguilar, Zechariah Harris, and Vicente Cortez: Other important players on the 2025 roster who played crucial roles in the team's perfect regular season run and CCC title.
  • The Offensive Line: Often cited as the backbone of the team, the "big offensive line" was the engine that powered the Bears' run game and controlled the pace of nearly every contest.

Looking ahead to the next season, the Merced Bears will once again be a top contender in the Central California Conference. With the stability of a veteran coach like Rob Scheidt and a proven system that develops a deep roster of running backs and strong defensive players, the Bears are poised to make another deep run into the Sac-Joaquin Section playoffs. The experience of the 2025 season—the thrill of a perfect run and the agony of a one-point playoff loss—will undoubtedly fuel their drive for the 2026 campaign.

merced high school football
merced high school football

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