Folsom set to invade Oakdale's Corral. 'We truly are the underdog,' Merzon says

Rarely has Trent Merzon felt overmatched and outgunned.

Then again, the Oakdale High football team has never stepped into a ring with a heavyweight with this kind of punching power.

Folsom ventures into The Corral on Friday evening for one of the most anticipated showdowns in Oakdale history.

“They’re unbelievable,” Merzon said. “It’s the best team we’ve brought into The Corral, but we scheduled these guys on purpose. Our kids want to do this. You turn on the film and you’re like, ‘Wow.’ They don’t have a specific weak link. The thing that stuck out to me was how good they are defensively. Everyone makes a big deal about them on offense, and for good reason, but defensively …

“They’re really, really good.”

The game pits two of the top programs in the Sac-Joaquin Section against one another in a north-versus-south battle. They are a contrast in styles and culture.

Oakdale is The Modesto Bee’s top-ranked team, a program that embodies the Stanislaus District’s agricultural roots. The Mustangs are tough and disciplined, believe in 6 a.m. wake-up calls, and hold tight to tradition. Like the Wing-T. The Mustangs have won nine consecutive games, dating back to last season, and currently hold three belts: The Valley Oak League, Sac-Joaquin Section Division III and CIF State Division III-A titles.

“It’s not a measuring stick,” Merzon said. “We’re not defending last year’s state title. That’s ours and no one can take that away from us. But we want them to understand we play pretty good football in this part of the valley. “We have nothing to lose. Outside of our locker room, there aren’t many people who think we’ll have success on Friday.”

Folsom is The Sacramento Bee’s No. 1 team and ranked 11th in the state by CalHiSports.com. The Bulldogs have blossomed into a true state power under coach Kris Richardson, winning two CIF State championships and five section banners since 2010.

They are equal parts flash and force, year in and year out, and the Spread offense hasn’t encountered a defense it couldn’t dissect. Run-and-gun quarterback Kaiden Bennett accounted for seven touchdowns in the Bulldogs’ 55-9 victory over Jesuit, a team with considerable Division I talent.

Bennett was 18 of 24 for 336 yards and six touchdowns. He had another 112 yards and score on the ground. The junior compares to former Bulldog Dano Graves, now the quarterbacks coach at Cal Poly, only Merzon says he’s much quicker.

“They could all run,” Merzon said of Folsom’s recent quarterbacks, “but this dude, good Lord, when he puts his foot into the ground, he’s as good as any runner we’ll see all year long.”

Bennett isn’t alone.

He’s protected by real-life monsters. The Bulldogs’ offensive line averages 265 pounds, the biggest of which is 6-foot-4 Tucker Dunbar who tips the scales at 285 pounds.

“It’s a great opportunity. We don’t get the opportunity to be the underdog very often, but we truly are the underdog,” Merzon said. “I think it’s going to be a great showcase, not just for our kids but our community. We get to see one of the top teams in Northern California. We’re honored and it’s a tremendous statement about our program.”

Oakdale’s only clear advantage Friday might be The Corral, where the Mustangs are 79-6 since 2004. The Mustangs slayed three Northern California powers in succession en route to its historic state championship, including Vista del Lago, Christian Brothers and Sutter. To be certain, though, none of those programs is Folsom, which accents its high school championships with an alumni base that includes Washington quarterback Jake Browning, a Heisman candidate, and offensive linemen Jonah Williams, a two-year starter at Alabama, and Cody Creason of Arizona.

Oakdale won’t back down.

Remember, Merzon says, his kids wanted this challenge. It was the players, not the coaches, that signed off on the one-year deal.

“It’s a tremendous challenge. Every position is going to get challenged,” Merzon said. “... As a competitor, at some point along the line, you want to see the best. They have been one of the top-three teams in Northern California. I think it’s a great opportunity for our kids, across the board, to compare themselves against the best. We get to see what being the best actually means. Few get to see the best and we feel like we have that opportunity Friday.”

To have any kind of success, Merzon said Oakdale must sustain long drives, chewing up yards and clock with its Wing-T offense, and tackle. The Mustangs feature an all-senior backfield with Josh Jacobson, Cameron Cherry and Bronson Harmon, and the defensive line is anchored by Levi Ichord and Matt Kjeldgaard, a Fresno State commit.

Merzon says he’ll start 19 seniors on Friday, among them: linebackers Zach Campbell and Jace Krick, all-Valley Oak League standouts last fall; quarterback Marc Dickson; and offensive lineman Nico Sarale, who holds nine Division I scholarship offers.

“Sometimes being the toughest team doesn’t mean how much duress you can inflict,” Merzon said. “Sometimes being the toughest team means how much duress can you endure and still do your job. For us, being tough, is showing up everyday at 6 a.m. Being tough is doing your job regardless of your surroundings and situation.”

To contact reporter James Burns, email jburns@modbee.com, or follow him on Twitter @jburns1980.

This story was originally published September 6, 2017 at 11:42 AM with the headline "Folsom set to invade Oakdale's Corral. 'We truly are the underdog,' Merzon says."