Modesto, Merced renew football rivalry

MERCED -- Sam Young was torn.

The Modesto Junior College football coach didn't know how to feel when Laney College of Oakland knocked off Merced College two weeks ago.

The win assured Laney the Mid-Empire Conference crown and a chance to defend its Graffiti Bowl title against Young's Pirates.

"Deep down," Young said after giving it a moment's thought, "I wanted Merced to win. It would have added a little more spice to the game."

Young won't have to choose between the two any longer.

Merced and Laney will be changing conferences next season, joining Modesto in the Golden Gate Conference. The realignment only pertains to football.

The seed for change was planted in separate petitions sent by the schools to the Northern California Football Association Commissioner Gary Kollenborn.

Kollenborn approved the changes Friday during a morning meeting at American River College in Sacramento.

Among other changes, Merced, Laney and Cabrillo College are the newest members of the GGC, which retains Modesto, Los Medanos and Chabot.

The move revives a fierce war between longtime rivals Merced and Modesto.

"Rivalries make it fun," Young said. "You're going to draw a bigger crowd, and obviously, there's bragging rights at stake. It makes it more like a college football game."

"It didn't make sense to be a in a league where we drive by Modesto to play a bunch of other schools," Blue Devil coach Tony Lewis said. "We've played Modesto for a long, long time. It's a good junior college football game. It's good for the gate, good for the fans and good for both programs."

Merced and Modesto haven't played a Mayor's Cup game since 2005, when the Merced escaped with 41-31 win. The Blue Devils own an 18-12 advantage in the series.

Ironically, both coaches agreed to play each other next season -- even before before Kollenborn's announcement.

"When you have to pass that many schools on the way up, it doesn't make much sense," Merced athletic director Steve Cassady said. "And when you've got your rival 38 miles up river, it really doesn't make much sense at all.

"We fully support this move."

This story was originally published November 21, 2007 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Modesto, Merced renew football rivalry."