Manteca and Oakdale entered Wednesday’s Valley Oak League soccer contest tied in the standing, and the Mustangs escaped Guss Schmiedt Field with a 5-2 victory and sole possession of second place.

Jose Marin scored an unassisted goal for the Buffaloes (5-3 VOL, 10-4-1 overall) to make the score 3-1 at halftime. Five minutes into the second half Marcus Montano drew Manteca within 3-2 off of an assist from Kevin Rodriguez but Oakdale (6-2, 11-4-3) would score twice more to pull away for the win.

“We are just not getting it done now,” Buffaloes coach Justin Coenenberg said. “We were playing at a good level the first half but since the (5-3) loss to Weston Ranch (on Sept. 29) we have been kind of struggling a bit.”

Manteca started the week alone in second place but drops to fourth after back-to-back losses.

 

Lathrop 2, Sierra 1

Ulysses Almanza figured in both goals for the host Spartans at Bennie Gatto Field.

Hairo Silva broke the scoreless tie midway through the second half on an outside shot on an assist from Almanza. Three minutes later Almanza took a pass from Christian Cardenas and put Lathrop (3-5-1, 10-9-2) ahead 2-0. Antonio Ramirez had 12 saves for Lathrop.

“We kept the pressure on but Sierra fought back and was able to score on a corner kick,” Spartans coach Alfredo Reynaga said. “We kept fighting to maintain the lead and fought hard until the end.”

With 12 minutes left in the game Anis Guidor scored on a header off of a corner kick for the Timberwolves (2-5-2, 6-12-13).

“We had real good looks and could not finish,” Sierra coach Joe Pires said. “We dominated second half but did not finish when we had the chances.”

 

Weston Ranch 6, Kimball 2

Joseph Mayorca had four goals – three in a five-minute span in the first half – to lead the Cougars (8-0, 15-2-3) to the road win at Don Nicholson Stadium.

Of Mayorca’s four goals, three were off of assists by Hector Maldonado and one from Arthur Garcia. Maldonado and Garcia added a goal apiece.

“Mayorca and Maldonado are playing well together,” Weston Ranch coach Francisco Cisneros said. “One guy is setting up the other – when one scores the other will often get the assist.

“I am proud of my guys playing the way they are because it is unselfish soccer. I am happy the way they are sharing the ball up top.”



East Union 4,
Central Catholic 1

James Rendon scored two goals – one off of a steal – to lead the Lancers to the road victory.

“We dominated pretty much the whole game and we had more shots on goal,” East Union coach Victor Polanco said. “But they wouldn’t go in.

“Central Catholic played good the last 10 minutes of the first half and pushed back a bit, but they really only came at us about four times.”

Humberto Andrade and Eric Flores each had one goal for the Lancers (4-2-1, 6-2-2) with Sunny Hernandez Jr., Gustavo Vazquez and Alex Velasquez each getting an assist. The win coupled with Manteca’s loss moves East Union into third place.

 

Frosh-soph

Lathrop 1, Sierra 0

Alexis Palomares scored the lone goal of the game off of an assist from Anthony Garcia to give the Vougars the win.

The game was back and forth but Lathrop kept the pressure on the Timberwolves for most of the second half.