With two of the top county players returning, Merced aims to contend for CCC title

Merced High School football coach Rob Scheidt couldn’t ask for a better duo to build his team around than seniors Chase Smith and Jalonn Booth.

Smith enters his third season of varsity play as a running back and defensive back after being named the Central California Conference MVP last year. The dynamic playmaker topped 1,400 yards and scored 19 touchdowns.

Booth anchors both the offensive and defensive lines as the only four-year starter in Scheidt’s 27 seasons as the Bears head coach. Booth was named the CCC Defensive Player of the Year last season.

“Every year you want to have high-impact players,” Scheidt said. “These guys have been productive for three and four years. Both have been all-conference type of guys.”

“You not only look at how good both of them can be, but also how can they make the players around them better,” Scheidt added.

Smith and Booth hope to lead the Bears into CCC championship contention with two-time defending champs Patterson.

Booth says he hopes to be a leader like players he was able to look up to the past few years in the program.

“It starts with me trying to do my job,” Booth said. “I want to make sure I control my gap on defense and block my guy on offense. The younger guys need to grasp what their power is and use it consistently. I think what the young guys can see from me is a high motor. I’m always moving fast.”

Smith knows the younger players will always be watching.

“Being a senior, you’re held to a higher standard,” he said. “It’s important that the younger guys see me working hard because if they see me working hard, they’ll work hard. If they see me lolly-gagging, they’re going to lolly-gag at practice.”

Smith and Booth will have talented players around them.

Junior Quintell Dupree was promoted to varsity in the second half of last season after an injury and gives the Bears a dual-threat quarterback. Sophomore quarterback Vincente Cortez is also showing promise.

Junior Jordan Dupree may emerge as the Bears leading receiver, and Scheidt says the group of running backs that include Adarias Morales-Saeturn, Malachi Martin and Cammari Jackson is the deepest set he’s had at Merced.

Smith is excited to see what he can do during his senior year.

“Football has changed a lot since I was playing as a sophomore,” Smith said. “The game has slowed down for me. I’m faster and bigger and I feel I can play at my level. I feel now I have an advantage over some of the other players on the field.”

Players like Booth, Anthony Pulliam, Anthony Nixon and Kaleb Caudillo will anchor the offensive and defensive lines.

“Our defensive line is still trying to find ourselves,” Booth said. “We’re mixing and matching with power and speed. We’re using a lot of sub-packages because we have a lot of guys going both ways.”

Once again, the Bears will have a challenging nonconference schedule featuring Central Catholic, Downey, Gregori and Monterey Trail.

“I think those games are fun,” Booth said. “I look forward to those games.”

“I don’t think we’ll ever schedule down at Merced,” added Scheidt, who has compiled a career record of 184-113 heading into this season. “We don’t want to schedule down. Every game we play this year is going to be a challenge.”

Merced 2023 Schedule

Aug. 18 at Central Catholic

Aug. 25 vs Gregori

Sept. 1 at Downey

Sept. 15 vs Golden Valley

Sept. 22 at Atwater

Sept. 29 at Patterson

Oct. 6 vs El Capitan

Oct. 13 vs Monterey Trail

Oct. 20 vs Buhach Colony

Oct 27 at Central Valley