Patterson defeats Merced in high scoring, Central California Conference showdown
The matchup between Merced and Patterson on Friday night created a playoff atmosphere and had the feel of a Central California Conference championship game.
Ultimately, Patterson celebrated a heart-stopping 48-39 victory over Merced to take the driver’s seat in the CCC race as the Tigers improved to 4-2 on the season and 2-0 in the conference.
“It was one of those games, where if you wanted the two teams to lead the CCC, and play early in the season with a playoff atmosphere, this is what you got,” said Patterson coach Rob Cozart.
There were definitely some nervous moments in the final seconds.
When Lolo Mataele scored on a 3-yard run for his third rushing touchdown of the game, it looked like Patterson had sealed the victory.
However, a missed extra point by Patterson kept the deficit at 41-33 and opened the door for a miracle Bears’ last-minute comeback.
After a squib kick, the Bears had the ball at their own 39-yard line with 1 minute, 28 seconds left in the game.
Merced marched 61 yards, scoring a touchdown on a 20-yard pass on fourth down from Seth Scheidt to receiver Jack Collins to cut the Tigers’ lead to 41-39 with 12 seconds.
The Bears (3-3, 1-1 CCC) attempted a halfback pass on the two-point conversion, but running back Chase Smith couldn’t connect with receiver Cyrus Amos in the end zone.
“We got it down to 12 seconds with a chance to tie it,” Merced coach Rob Scheidt said. “I think we called the right play. We just didn’t execute it. Those are learning lessons.”
Patterson’s Jaydrian Lawson returned the ensuing onside kick attempt 50 yards for a touchdown as the Tigers celebrated an emotional victory between two heavyweights.
Lawson was playing in his first game of the season for the Tigers after sitting out the first five games due to disciplinary issues, according to Cozart.
Lawson caught three passes for 92 yards — all three went for touchdowns. He scored on passes of 32, 7 and 53 yards.
“He’s been practicing with us this whole time and putting in the work to try to get to this point and for him to finally be able to showcase his skills,” Cozart said. “What a night to do it.”
Lawson was one of many stars on both sides to shine as the two teams combined for 87 points and over 1,000 yards of total offense.
“(Patterson) played really well and maybe I didn’t give them enough credit on film or what, but they’re physical, they’re athletic, their quarterback is amazing, their outside receiver is amazing,” said Merced coach Rob Scheidt. “Our guys met that challenge. If we don’t turn the ball over in certain situations it’s a different game.”
Patterson quarterback Jacob Guevarra completed 18 of 23 passes for 295 yards and three touchdowns. Running back Sean Hansen carried the ball 26 times for 146 yards. Mataele added 13 carries for 94 yards and his three touchdowns.
“It was awesome to have a game like this,” Cozart said. “I think if either one of us with a heavy win or a blowout type win it wouldn’t feel as good.”
Cozart said the defensive game plan for Patterson was to neutralize Merced quarterback Seth Scheidt as much as possible. The Tigers defense packed the line of scrimmage to shut down the Bears run game, which worked.
However, Scheidt made plays with his arm, completing 22 of 33 passes for 331 yards and four touchdowns. He also ran for 68 yards and two more scores.
“That kid is a heck of a player,” Cozart said. “We wanted to see if we could put an extra body on him at times. We wanted to make sure we took away the run game. I thought we did a fairly decent job of establishing a good run defense. The big plays are ultimately what kept this game alive.”
Scheidt connected on a 52-yard touchdown with Evahn Perez and a 50-yard touchdown with Enoch Evans. Perez hauled in seven catches for 144 yards and two touchdowns. Evans finished with five catches for 120 yards and a touchdown.
“Seth is a phenomenal leader and quarterback for these guys,” Cozart said. “He wasn’t going to go down easy and he definitely did not go down easy. That’s a testament to him and his team.”
This story was originally published September 25, 2021 at 1:03 AM with the headline "Patterson defeats Merced in high scoring, Central California Conference showdown."
