OAKDALE — Things got more interesting in the Valley Oak League thanks to Sierra’s 2-1 triumph at Oakdale on Wednesday.

Oakdale (7-1-2 VOL, 14-3-4 overall) was the only team in league without a loss. The result levels Sierra (7-1-2, 13-6-2) with the Mustangs for second place, while defending champion Weston Ranch jumped ahead to the top spot after toppling Central Catholic, 5-1.

“It’s a very nice win in a lot of different ways,” Sierra coach Joe Pires said. “The kids stepped up to the challenge and delivered.”

No one has delivered more than Eddie Aguilar this year. The Manteca area’s leading scorer added two more goals Wednesday, including the eventual game-winner early in the second half.

“Eddie is on fire this year,” Pires said.

Aguilar first struck in the 28th minute with Zimri Rico providing the assist. Austin Neave knotted the score for Oakdale in the final minutes of the opening half. Aguilar latered buried his 29th goal of the season with a header off David Lopez’s perfect cross early in the second half.

“It was the longest 30 minutes after that,” Pires said. “Oakdale put a lot of pressure on us and had about four or five corner kicks. The whole team stepped up. They really wanted it.”

Sierra goalie Saul Aguiniga was kept busy in preserving the win, as Oakdale fired 22 shots his way.

Weston Ranch 5,

Central Catholic 1

MODESTO — The Cougars (8-1-1, 17-3-2) survived a brief scare.

Central Catholic drew first blood and held the lead until Joseph Mayorca tied it up in the 36th minute. He was just getting started. Mayorca scored two more in the second half and has back-to-back hat tricks this week.

Starting keeper Eduardo Acosta (save) got some time on the field in the second half and contributed a goal and an assist. Bryant Ortiz gave Weston Ranch the lead for good early in the second half. Mariano Perez, Esteban Paramo and Eddie Medina each had an assist.

East Union 2, Lathrop 0

LATHROP — With two starters already serving red card suspensions, five other Lancers sat out of Wednesday’s contest with winless Lathrop to avoid additional infractions. 

With two huge road games against Oakdale and Sierra coming up, coach Victor Polanco did not want to risk losing more players with several of them in danger of sitting out with an accumulation of yellow cards.

East Union did enough to get by Wednesday, with Hector Romero and Limo Cerda each scoring a goal. Luis Cortes set up Cerda’s head shot with a free kick.

Frosh-soph

East Union 9, Lathrop 0

LATHROP — Jonathan Quintana, Giovanni Padilla and Giovanni Gomez poured in two goals apiece as East Union continued its undefeated march through league.

Jacob Garcia, Andrew Ramos and Roman Montanez each added a goal.