Manteca is seeing the benefits of its tough pre-league schedule.

The Buffaloes are now on a roll going into what is billed by some as the Valley Oak League championship game on Friday. The two-time champions are hosting Central Catholic, a winner of five straight after dropping its season opener to one of the top-ranked teams in Idaho.

Manteca has won four consecutive in convincing fashion after going 0-2 to start a season for the first time since 1996. With only one returning starter on the defensive front and a new quarterback orchestrating the offense, the Buffs were dealt road losses out the gate against St. Francis of Mountain View and Buchanan of Clovis.

“We knew we had a challenge ourselves,” Manteca coach Mark Varnum said after a 63-0 trouncing of Mountain House last Friday. “We got a lot of young guys and they had to get up to speed, but we did that to get ready for league. So far, so good.”

The game also has postseason implications, with the winner sitting in the driver’s seat for an automatic berth. Manteca is currently ranked eighth in the Sac-Joaquin Section Division II MaxPreps rankings, which help determine at-large qualifiers. Only eight teams make it in each division.

The other four VOL teams in action are vying for their first league wins, as East Union welcomes Patterson, and Sierra, fresh off its bye, heads to Mountain House.

Lathrop and River Islands are reinvigorated after their bounce-back wins last week. The Spartans travel to Livingston for a Western Athletic Conference clash, while River Islands plays host to Riverbank.

In the Trans Valley League, Ripon Christian visits Orestimba for a must-win showdown after back-to-back losses to Escalon and Sonora.

Here’s a closer look at the Week 6 contests:

Valley Oak League

Central Catholic (2-0, 5-1) at Manteca (2-0, 4-2): Central Catholic made its return to the VOL in 2014 and won the first nine meetings against the Buffaloes.

Manteca took the last two, including the 49-7 drubbing of 2025 when Nikko Juarez rushed for a career-high 293 yards to go with three touchdowns on 18 carries.

The four-time state champion Raiders appear to be back in dominant form after what could be considered as down years, by their lofty standards. They have some impressive, two-score victories over St. Mary’s and St. Bonaventure on their 2026 resumé, and coach Roger Canepa rung up his career It will be a battle of versatile I-formation offenses and ball-hawking defenses at Guss Schmiedt Field.

Physical back Zymir Nelson (725 yards, 9.0 per carry, 10 touchdowns) heads Central Catholic’s run game. Cruz Costa (63 of 101, 966 yards, 12 TDs, interception) and towering receivers Collin Benninger (17 receptions, 302 yards, five TDs) and Ezekiel Gradford (19-218-3) are the main threats through the air. Lineman Louis Gregoris (34 tackles, 7.0 for losses, 4.0 sacks) stars on defense.

Patterson (0-2, 3-3) at East Union (0-1, 3-2): Two spread offenses with new faces at key spots go head-to-head at Dino Cunial Stadium.

Both teams started league play with losses against the three traditional powers — Patterson to Manteca and Oakdale, and East Union to Central Catholic.

Turlock transfers Scout Silva) 73 of 119, 1,158 yards, nine TDs, eight INTs) and Alex Ventura (570 yards, 6.6 per carry, five TDs) led Patterson to a 3-1 start, but the backfield combination struggled in their two-game introduction to the VOL. Silva was intercepted six times against Manteca and Oakdale, while Ventura was limited to 41 rushing yards.

East Union and its revolving door of quarterbacks also looks to get back on track after nearly getting shut out by Central Catholic.

This result is likely to have some big ramifications at the end of the season, as the Lancers and Patterson are Nos. 5 and 6 in the SJS Division IV rankings, according to MaxPreps.

Sierra (0-1, 3-2) at Mountain House (0-2, 1-5): It was an eventful first half of the schedule for Sierra, which experienced lopsided wins, one-sided losses and an overtime victory.

The Timberwolves had a chance to regroup last week with their bye following a 42-5 defeat at Oakdale in their VOL opener. Now, they face a struggling Mountain House team that doesn’t get its bye until Week 10.

The Mustangs have dropped five straight after edging out Bear Creek in Week Zero but have not scored a touchdown in their past four games. They avoided a shutout three weeks ago thanks to a safety in a 41-2 non-league loss to River Islands.

Tight ends Jackson Healy and Rece Turner are big targets in the passing game for Mountain House, which has used three quarterbacks this season. Middle linebacker Barrett Engstrom had double-digit tackles in every game until last week in the loss to Manteca.

Western Athletic Conference

Lathrop (1-1, 2-3) at Livingston (0-2, 0-5): Highlighted by a productive debut from running back Roman Duvernay, the Spartans pounded Pacheco 39-6 last week after a frustrating loss to Johansen to start conference play.

Duvernay, who arrived from Manteca, was cleared to play after serving the sit-out period for transferring. He provides a needed boost to an offense that was limited to seven or less points in three of its first four games.

Lathrop has a chance to build on the momentum against the winless Wolves, who are coming off a 52-21 setback against Johansen. They lost at Pacheco 22-17 in the previous week and have surrendered an average of 38.4 points.

Livingston has dropped nine straight losses going back to last season.

Mother Lode League

Riverbank (0-2, 2-3) at River Islands (1-1, 5-1): After a humbling defeat to MLL champion Calaveras, the Riptide picked up a key win at Summerville with dynamic receiver/safety Darien East (hamstring) on the mend.

There’s an opportunity to stack up wins in the coming weeks ahead of a tough two-game, closing stretch against Linden and Big Valley Christian. Up first is a sliding Riverbank squad that has dropped three straight, including losses to Linden and BVC.

The Bruins were limited to seven points in each of the MLL contests, but they’ve been consistent and persistent with their ground attack. They’ll certainly test River Islands’ defensive front that allowed 300-plus yards in the 48-6 loss to Calaveras.

Riverbank averages 258.4 rushing yards per game and has totaled just 10 pass attempts with three completed for 86 yards all season. Four different running backs have more than 100 yards, and six have at least one touchdown. Daniel Orunja leads them with 333 yards (5.6 per carry) and four TDs.

The Bruins’ lone wins are to Gustine and Albany, which are a combined 0-9.

Trans Valley League

Ripon Christian (0-2, 4-2) at Orestimba (0-1, 4-1): Both teams are coming off a loss to reigning state champion Sonora.

Orestimba was hammered at Dunlavy Field 53-18 two weeks ago ahead of its bye, while the Knights were more competitive until giving up 21 unanswered points in the fourth quarter on the way to a 28-7 defeat.

This may be a chance for RC to get its offense in gear after scoring seven points in its first two TVL contests. Orestimba’s non-league wins came against opponents that are a combined 3-17.

This is still a game Ripon Christian won’t take likely, given the rivalry the two schools developed while in the Southern League. The Knights lead the head-to-head count 7-5, and their 57-0 win last year is the most lopsided of the series.

Senior running back/linebacker Michael Maier is the Warriors’ returner. He has piled up 424 yards (9.9 per carry) and seven touchdowns, to go with 107 yards and a touchdown on five catches. Maier is also Orestimba’s most productive defensive player with 45 tackles, 10 for losses and 4.0 sacks.

Sean Nunes (14 catches, 190 yards, four TDs) is the most targeted receiver for QB Jorden Jacobo (49 of 93, 621 yards, eight TDs; 174 rushing yards, three TDs), a transfer from Hilmar.