Thirty-six years after playing in a Sac-Joaquin Section championship for East Union, Jason Stock ushered the Lancers back to that stage in his first season as head coach.

He hopes 2025 marks a shift in culture and perception for a program that had experienced little success in the years between section-final appearances.

The challenge now is sustaining success and building on top of what has been achieved after losing a deep senior class that includes two receivers who are now playing for Division I universities.

“That’s the name of the game in high school football,” Stock said of the roster turnover. “Those types of athletes don’t come around often, and I was blessed to have them even for just a year. …

“We just happened to have the right ingredients coaching staff-wise to get them to buy in. Once they did that, they just took it from there. They made it easy.”

East Union broke multiple single-season offensive records on the way to a 9-4 finish, which was just the third time in 20 years the Lancers recorded at least seven wins.

It was a run that not many outside of the Lancers’ circle saw coming. They lost SJS Division IV final to Roseville on a last-second field goal, 31-29.

Returning players head into the new season with unfinished business, as they take the reins from the talent-rich class of 24 seniors.

“That experience was amazing, and I’m blessed for that opportunity,” senior Erick Cortez said of playing for a section title. “It showed me a lot. I learned that to be a championship team, we need to put in a lot of work.

“The expectations for this upcoming season are high. Some of the other guys and I agree that we want to go back. We’re hungry for a lot more than we got last year. Going that far and losing in that game, we don’t want that feeling again.”

Cortez is one of two returning players who made the All-Valley Oak League Second-Team defense, and they’re both changing positions. He was a disruptive defensive lineman who led the Lancers with six sacks and 10 tackles for losses, but the 6-foot-1, 205-pound scrapper has moved to middle linebacker.

Nikko Hisatomi played cornerback last year but shifts inside to rover after gaining strength in the offseason. The added muscle will allow him to make more of an impact offensively after backing up workhorse Brayden Camara, the school’s new single-season record holder for rushing yards and rushing touchdowns.

“Nikko is going to be a dude,” Stock said. “He can do a little bit of everything. We can put him in the slot if we wanted due to his versatility.”

Gunnar Fay is also expected to make a leap as a two-way performer with his size (6-2, 195) and track speed. He started at safety as a sophomore last season and will get more run at receiver. Older brother Jackson Fay, now at UC Davis, flirted with a rare 1,000-1,000 season — 1,000 yards rushing and 1,000 receiving — for the star-studded 2025 cast and earned VOL Outstanding Offensive Player

“Gunnar can be a difference maker when he grows into his own,” Stock said. “He’s got a good attitude, and he’s not trying to be his brother. He’s longer and taller and does a few things differently.”

Another younger sibling of a ’25 standout will get his chance under the varsity spotlight.

Max Abrew is part of a three-way competition for the quarterback spot vacated by four-year varsity player Kirk Simoni, who is continuing his career at Montana State Northern.

Abrew was quarterback in the lower levels the past two years, but fellow junior Bryson Ybarra, a transfer from Foothill in Sacramento, and sophomore Dante Tafoya are pushing him for the starting role.

“It’s good to have competition,” Stock said.

It’s also good to have versatility.

With his speed and shiftiness, Abrew can play elsewhere, if needed, much like his brother J.P. — the reigning VOL Utility Player of the Year now at Air Force.

No matter who is behind center, he’ll be protected by a sturdier offensive line. Stock is hoping the added size pays off.

Colton Madden, at 6-foot-3, 230 pounds, was an all-league, second-team selection as a sophomore. He’ll return at tackle and flanked by senior Ervin Douglas, a 6-2, 245-pound guard who showed great improvement over the offseason.

Incoming transfers from the area and beyond can help with depth in the trenches on both sides of scrimmage. Senior Jadyn Robinson comes from cross-town rival Manteca, Genesis Stewart from Missouri and defensive end Fenix Buenrostro from Tracy’s undefeated JV team.

“We have decent size this year,” Stock said. “Across the board, we’re taller and heavier. Last year, we were kind of short and stocky. Our whole goal is to not run guys both ways, so we still have some things to figure out.”

Interior lineman Jesus Magana, rover Jesse Martinez, Cortez and Hisatomi lead coordinator Jamal Campbell’s defensive unit that wants to be more stout against the run in a rugged VOL where physical ground attacks rule.

The Lancers will get an early test, as they’ve picked up Auburn-based Placer for their non-league schedule. The Hillmen, whom East Union ousted in the opening round of the playoffs last year, have a winning tradition with the run-based Wing-T.

“Honestly, we’re solid on defense,” Cortez said. “We have a lot of fast guys who are playmakers, and we mesh really good together. Stopping the run even last year has always been a big part of what we want to do, but I feel like this year we’re going to be on top of it.”

There has been a renewed energy on campus on the heels of East Union’s terrific 2025 season. With the influx of transfers, turnout for summer practices was higher for all three levels, compared to Stock’s first offseason. He anticipates to have around 45 players for each team.

“It shows that people want to play for East Union,” Hisatomi said. “For a longtime, everybody overlooked East Union as a program. Now, they want to play for us and be part of the culture.”