Eighty years ago, on December 12, 1929, the Lions Club had the pleasure of entertaining as guests at their weekly luncheon meeting at Hotel Manteca the members of the Manteca High football squad, which recently won the Central California High School Athletic League Class B championship by defeating the Elk Grove High team. Coaches Cleetis Brown and Joe Santos, to whom much of the success of the team is due, were also guests. Maurice Tracie, vice-principal of the high school, was also a guest. The members of the championship squad are as follows: Harry Bruton, Jim Barber, John Benincasa, Floyd Bettencourt, Remo Candini, Alvin Figearo, Ray Forsell, Gilbert Henson, Kenneth Jahn, Virgil McDonald, Henry Meza, Willard McNeil, Robert Rains, Harold Reeves, Ronald Mattes (captain), George Lauritson, Fred Theiler, Ernest Theiler, Ross Youngblood, Frank Youngblood and Merlyn Hayes.

In other sports stories from the Bulletin files:

70 years ago: December 19, 1939 - Coach Larry Siemering’s Manteca High basketball team came through with a win over Ceres High on the local hardwood Friday night. The Buffaloes won by a 23-19 margin. “Frenchy” Guisto captured high point honors again with eight points.

60 years ago: December 21, 1949 - Manteca High lost their second consecutive game at the hands of Gustine High by a 54-39 score last night in the Manteca gym. Bob Wheeler led the Buffalo scoring with 16 points and Jess Payan had 11.

50 years ago: December 18, 1959 - Alternating a zone and man-to-man defense, Manteca High overwhelmed Jackson High 41 to 28 last week. Coach Joe Jacobs used 14 men in grabbing the win. Frank Lambert led the locals in the scoring column by racking up 18 points.

40 years ago: December 17, 1979 - The East Union High wrestlers lost a cliff-hanger to Orestimba High last Tuesday by a score of 27-26. Lancer pins were by John Adams, Dave Wollard and Jim Crone.
East Union High was victorious over Our Lady of Mercy High from Merced last Saturday night. The Lancers finally came out on top of the game in the final seconds, 55-54. Ken Richichi had 18 points and Don Peoples collected 10 for the winners.

30 years ago: December 19, 1979 - A finely balanced scoring attack and some tenacious game-long defense enabled Manteca High to gain a 71-66 win over Sonora High in Friday’s semi-final game of the Turlock Pepsi Invitational Basketball Tournament at Cal State-Stanislaus. Fred Nelson led the way for the winners with 19 points. Mitch Crawford finished with 13 points.

A solid overall team effort and the inspired inside play of junior forward Kelly Stewart helped pace East Union High to a 63-53 win over Atwater High last night in the battle for seventh place in the Turlock tournament. Stewart came off the bench to pour in 16 points and dominate the boards with 15 rebounds. Billy Emperador continued his fine play by scoring a game-high 19 points and forward Keith Windham popped in 12.

Julie Johnson was named the most valuable girls’ cross-country runner and Amy Powell the most valuable volleyball player at East Union High’s Fall Sports Award Social staged last Wednesday evening.
Aided by a trio of forfeit victories, the Manteca High wrestling team finished in a 36-36 deadlock Friday night at Patterson High. Buffalo pins were by Leandro Perez (103), Rick Smith (112) and Melvin Luiz (175).

Ending her gymnastics season in a blaze of glory, Manteca High’s Gina Pinto placed 14th among 41 top-ranked tumblers Friday at the Sac-Joaquin Section championships in Sacramento.