Eric Reis believes his Manteca football team to be the underdog for Friday’s Valley Oak League opener at Central Catholic — just the way he likes it.

“We don’t get to be the underdog too often,” Reis said, “but we like the opportunity.”

It’s a clash of the Sac-Joaquin Section’s defending Division III and IV champions. It’s also the first of several championship games in a much-anticipated VOL season.

Central Catholic makes its grand return to the VOL after dominating runs in the Trans-Valley League, Golden Valley League, Southern Athletic League and, most recently, Western Athletic Conference over the past three-plus decades. The parochial powerhouse from Modesto previously captured VOL titles in 1977 and 78 and owns a record 17 SJS championship banners.

Surprisingly, the Raiders (2-1) didn’t get a single first-place vote in a media poll conducted by the Manteca Bulletin. Then again, no one would be all that surprised if the two-time defending state small-school champion ends up seizing the crown from reigning titlist Manteca, one of three teams entering VOL play with a 3-0 record.

Oakdale is a slight favorite over Manteca, according to the media poll, garnering four of seven possible first-place votes. Manteca received two first-place votes, while Sierra has one. Overall, Central Catholic is predicted to finish third with Sierra close behind at No. 4. Each of the four was picked by at least one reporter to place fourth. Crazy thought: Whoever takes fourth in the VOL could still have a shot at winning a section title.

Lathrop, Kimball, East Union and Weston Ranch — all 1-2 — follow in that order.

Lathrop could be this year’s Kimball, said Harbison. Last year, Kimball stunned Oakdale for its first-ever win over one of the VOL’s traditional powers.

“I think Lathrop is going to surprise some people,” Harbison said. “They have athletes and they utilize them well.”

Arguments could be made for any one of the VOL’s big four — all listed 20 or higher on the MaxPreps SJS Top 25 rankings — to get the prize in this new-look super conference.

Reis can see why Oakdale is favored with its stable of talented running backs and many other standouts returning from last year’s squad that went 7-5 — a rebuilding year by the Mustangs’ gaudy standards. Until Manteca knocked them off the throne in 2013, the Mustangs had earned at least a piece of the previous seven VOL titles.

Oakdale also has the best home-field advantage at The Corral, where it hosts Central Catholic in Week 10.

“On paper, they have the most returners back,” Reis said. “And it’s Oakdale, they’re always going to get that kind of respect, that’s for sure.”

Manteca “hosts” Oakdale at a neutral site Saturday, Oct. 11, when they lock up during the Levi’s Stadium Friday Night Lights event in Santa Clara.

Central Catholic gets the toughest start to league; after Friday’s expected slugfest with Manteca it heads to Sierra next week.

The brewing rivalry between intra-city foes Manteca and Sierra resumes on Halloween night at Guss Schmiedt Field, where the Timberwolves have played well in recent seasons, win or lose.

Manteca, despite heavy graduation losses from last year’s team that made an appearance in the CIF NorCal Regional Division II Bowl Game, has reloaded with a junior class that went 10-0 at the sophomore level.

“Manteca is the team to beat, they’re the defending champions,” Harbison said. “I think Oakdale, Central and Sierra are going to push them and it will come down to Week 10.”

Harbison admits that Sierra is the least battle-tested of the four VOL powers having blown out its three non-league opponents. Central Catholic is the only one of the four predicted contenders to have a loss, but an 18-13 setback to Holy Bowl opponent St. Mary’s is nothing to sneeze at it.

Sierra does have some things going for it to mount a mildly surprising run to the VOL title. Besides a wealth of size and talent, the Timberwolves have a more forgiving schedule than the others.

Their trip to Kimball (Tracy) this Friday will mark the last time they will travel in a bus; the remaining six games will be held at Manteca Unified Schools, including home games against Central Catholic and Oakdale (Oct. 17).  And unlike the rest, Sierra won’t have to face other VOL juggernauts on back-to-back weeks.

“It does stack up well for us, but we still have to play the games,” Harbison said.