Football Game Preview: Vanden Vikings vs. Merced Bears + Official Tickets

After each having a week off, the Vanden Vikings and the Merced Bears will shake off the cobwebs and hit the field against one another at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Both teams are coming into the game red-hot, with Vanden sitting on four straight wins and Merced on ten.

Last Friday, Vanden beat Pioneer 40-27.

A big part of Vanden's victory came down to the chemistry between Xavier Zambrano and his top target Kimani Dokes. Zambrano threw for 269 yards and three touchdowns while picking up 11.2 yards per attempt while Dokes picked up 110 receiving yards and one score. The bulk of those receiving yards came from one huge play: a catch that gained an incredible 86 yards.

Vanden didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off two passes before the game was over. The picks came courtesy of Dokes and Elisaia Caden. Vanden received some extra help from Eamon Lacy, whose fumble return for a touchdown made for one of the most unforgettable moments.

Meanwhile, Merced won against Atwater back in October with 49 points and they decided to stick to that point total again last Friday. The Bears simply couldn't be stopped as they easily beat Buhach Colony 49-6. The Bears might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won six matchups by 32 points or more this season.

Vanden better keep an eye on Vicente Cortez. He was instrumental in Merced's win, throwing for 226 yards and a pair of TDs while completing 76.9% of his passes, and also rushing for 57 yards and one touchdown. The dominant performance also gave Cortez a new career-high in passer rating (157.9). A healthy portion of Cortez's aerial production (100 yards to be exact) went to Christian Jackson.

Merced's win bumped their record up to 10-0. As for Vanden, their victory bumped their record up to 8-2.

Everything came up roses for Vanden against Merced in their previous meeting back in November of 2021, as the squad secured a 49-21 win. Do the Vikings have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Bears turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.