Something happened at East Union High School on Thanksgiving that has not happened in more than a generation – the Lancers football team had a practice.
And not just any practice.
At 4 on Saturday in Sacramento City College’s Hughes Stadium, for the first time since 1989, fourth-seeded East Union will compete for a Sac-Joaquin Section championship against No. 2 Roseville.
Thirty-six years ago, when East Union lost 29-22 to Del Oro in the quest for the blue banner, current Lancers head football coach Jason Stock was a star running back on that squad.
“It is just an honor to be a part of the only two EU teams that have been able to do this,” Stock said. “But our job isn't done. These young men have the chance to make school history.
“It means a lot to be here and doing this at EU for me personally. I'm happy for this group of young men, the alumni, and the students.”
But the section finals are not foreign to Stock. While on the coaching staff at Oakdale the Mustangs competed in two section championship games.
“I have been a part of two finals appearances when I was at Oakdale versus Manteca and Vanden,” Stock said. “This will be my third in six years, so I've got to do th
While the standout names from that 1989 squad may have faded with time, nothing has faded about the horses who helped East Union rack up 119 points in the first two playoff rounds advance to this to this historic contest.
Quarterback Kirk Simoni has tallied more than 2,000 passing yards and scored 36 touchdowns – 30 through the air and six on the ground – having successfully recovered from an Achilles’ injury during the season.
“This is a great feeling,” Simoni said. “Because as we know, the last class to do it was coach Stock’s and it’s just a great time to come out here and practice.
“As a team, we don’t look to the past, we don’t look to the future, we stay present and be where our feet are and we just enjoy each moment as it comes to us.”
UC Davis commit Jackson Fay has done just about everything for the Lancers. In addition to closing in on 1,000 yards for both running and receiving, he filled in for Simoni when the quarterback was sidelined with injury.
When lined up behind center against Manteca, Fay kept the Lancers in the game for a half when East Union trailed just 29-20 at halftime before the Buffaloes pulled away in the second half.
“At the beginning of the year,
we set this goal up for ourselves,” Fay said. “This isn’t a surprise for us.
“This feels amazing. Everyone every year is trying to get to here we are so to be here is a great feeling.”
Fay holds the single-season Lancers record with 33 touchdowns and counting. Teammate Brayden Camara boasts the single-season school rushing record with 1,644 yards and trails Fay closely in the touchdown category with 28.
“It is an absolute blessing to be able to play with this group of guys and to be able to compete for a section title,” Camara said. “There is no other team I would rather go to war with on Saturday.”
There is plenty in the tank for the Lancers when it comes to the ability to attack. J.P. Abrew has pulled in 45 receptions in excess of 700 yards with four touchdowns despite missing a pair of games with a hamstring injury.
“Going into it, we’re treating it like any other week,” Abrew said. “But at the same time, you can’t ignore that this could be the first blue banner in school history. I’m super proud of all these guys who stuck through adversity. We’ve had a lot of change with the coaches or a guy transferring, but the score has stayed the same. Everything is paying off for us, and now we get at least one more game. The fact that we’re here is huge for us. Compared to where we’ve been in the past, it’s truly remarkable, and it makes us appreciate it that much more.
“Just thankful for this coaching staff and what they’ve been able to do. We always had the pieces there, but Coach Stock has been able to piece them together, and our team is as tight as it has ever been.”
While the offense has a flurry of weapons, one East Union defender stands out – Hoku Ap’e. With a whopping 115 solo tackles on the season, Ap’e has averaged nearly 10 stops per outing.
“I am proud of our team,” Ap’e said. “We have come a long way and we have to keep working.
“It feels good to practice on Thanksgiving. It doesn’t get more American than that.
“This feels amazing. Everyone every year is trying to get to here we are so to be here is a great feeling.”
With the exception of consecutive losses to Valley Oak League titans Oakdale, Manteca and Central Catholic, the Lancers have run the table to be 9-3.
“It has been fun,” Stock said. “Practices have been fun, and winning makes it a lot better. Even when we went through that stretch there (against Oakdale, Central Catholic, Manteca) where their heart and fortitude were tested, they responded every game and never quit in any of those games. That paid off for us. That was the meat grinder right there.
“This says how much they play for each other no matter who is in there. Just the fact that they’re there to stick it out is evident to me how much they care about each other. I think with everything they’ve gone through; all this has done is galvanize them. They’ve been good for me — I have zero complaints. They’ve bought in and done everything we’ve asked. We push them hard sometimes, but now they know the result of that.”
