Merced weathers late storm to advance in playoffs

It was a little closer than expected but the Merced High girls flag football team opened up the Sac-Joaquin Section playoffs with a 31-20 victory over No. 15 Antelope on Wednesday night at Cathie Hostetler Stadium. The defending section champs needed to stop an onside conversion  attempt late in the game to fend off the upset bid by the Titans.

 

Merced (22-2) had its lead cut to 24-20 after an Antelope 17-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Callia Johnson to Semiyah Brown with 1 minute and 7 seconds left in the game. The Titans then went for the onside conversion in which they get one play from their own 20-yard line to gain 20 yards for first down and possession of the ball.

 

Merced safety Ayasha Beavers was able to deflect the pass to give the Bears’ the ball at the Titans’ 20-yard line. Merced quarterback Antonia Lejarde then broke free for a 20-yard touchdown run on the next play to give the Bears’ a 31-20 cushion with 51 seconds left in the game.

 

“This one was a little bit too close for comfort,” said Merced senior Alyssa Oseguera. “We know we're a better team, and we know we can put more points on the board. We're going to get there.”

 

The No. 2 seeded Bears opened up a 16-0 lead in the first half as Aniayah Barron made an incredible catch down the Merced sideline for a 30-yard touchdown pass from Lejarde with 8:09 left in the first quarter. Barron made an over-the-shoulder catch, hauling in the pass with her pinkies before the ball slipped from her hands.

 

Merced tacked on a 1-yard touchdown run by Lejarde early in the second quarter to extend its lead to 16-0. However, the Merced offense stalled at times throughout the night.

 

The Bears defense turned away the Antelope offense at the goal line early in the second quarter as Beavers came up with a big interception. “I was just trying to stay with my receiver. I saw the ball going the other way, and I decided to leave my receiver and I went in, I jumped, and got it.”

 

The Titans defense came up with an interception late in the first half and Johnson cashed in with a touchdown pass to cut the lead to 16-7 with 27 seconds left in the first half.

 

Merced started the scoring in the second half after safety Averie Steverson came up with her 20th interception of the season. That led to a Lejarde 12-yard touchdown pass to Steverson and a 24-7 Merced lead with 2:31 left in the third quarter.

 

A 70-yard interception return and the late touchdown pass by Antelope set up the tense ending, but Merced came up with the plays to advance to the quarterfinals on Monday at home against No. 7 Del Oro at 6 p.m.

 

“The message after the game was a win is a win we just need to execute, make the catches and pull the flags,” said Merced head coach Victor Nazario. “We know we have a talented team. We just need to minimize mistakes and put more pressure on teams early.”

 

Lejarde threw for 256 yards and two passing touchdowns to go along with 64 yards on the ground and the two rushing scores. Steverson finished with 124 yards receiving. Defensively Beavers had 10 flag pulls to go along with the interception and freshman Natalie Lopez recorded two sacks.

 

Oseguerra says winning the section championship last year puts a big target on the Bears as they move through the playoffs. “We have to play as a team,” she said. “We need to execute, and we need to stay out of our heads. We need to play like we know we can play, and just have energy, energy, energy.” 

 

Whitney 28, Atwater 13 – Wildcats quarterback Ashlyn Burns rushed for 125 yards and a touchdown and threw for a pair of scores as No. 5 Whitney defeated No. 12 Atwater. The Wildcats defense came up with three interceptions.

 

Division III

Buhach Colony 36, Pacheco 13 – The No. 3 seeded Thunder outscored the No. 14 Panthers 18-0 in the second half to pull away for the victory. Buhach Colony star Emily Gallegos scored four total touchdowns on two interception returns, a touchdown catch and a punt return. Alicia Silvas recorded three sacks and scored a rushing touchdown for the Thunder (17-5), who will host No. 6 Ponderosa on Monday.

 

Division IV

Livingston 21, Orestimba 14 – The No. 15 Wolves pulled off the upset of the night as the defense turned away the Warriors at the 1-yard line on the final play of the game. Livingston (12-14) will travel to No. 7 Wheatland on Monday for a second-round game.

 

Shawn Jansen is the MUHSD Program Manager Digital Media. He can be reached at Sjansen@muhsd.org.