Thirty years ago, on March 6, 1987, junior guard Marshall Cannon pumped in a game-high 17 points to help lead Manteca High to their first-ever Sac-Joaquin Section boys’ basketball championship, knocking off Livingston High 43-38 in the Division II tourney at Arco Arena in Sacramento. Cannon was also named the tourney’s Most Valuable Player and joined teammates Chad Johnson and John Gibson on the all-tournament team. Kevin Wentworth added 12 points to the winning effort.
In other sports stories
from the Bulletin files:
60 years ago: March 14, 1957 – After only one day of practice, Manteca High trampled Ripon High 6-1 in their baseball opener. Coach
Frank LaSan said that the team played a good game. The pitching staff is too young, however, there being two sophomores and two juniors. Jim Leatherwood was the winning pitcher of the game.
50 years ago: March 10, 1967 – Six errors that led to 11 unearned runs spoiled the Manteca High 1967 baseball debut in an abbreviated six-inning contest. They lost Tuesday at Downey High, 12-1. Both teams got only three hits each. Kent Hinton got two of the three Manteca hits.
Manteca High swimmers took a 56-39 win from Ceres High Thursday in the Bulldogs’ home pool. Steve Van Voris led his teammate s to the victory with two first places in individual events and another first in a relay event.
40 years ago: March 9, 1977 – Taking a commanding lead early in the game, Manteca High’s baseball team posted its first victory of the season with an 8-2 win over Modesto High here last Friday. Starring for the Buffaloes in their win was sophomore Rick Hogan, who started at second base and proved himself as a hitter as well with a perfect 2-for-2 at the plate, both triples.
East Union High rallied around pitcher Billy Poindexter to defeat Downey High 2-1 Wednesday as the shrewd lefthander struck out nine without allowing a walk.
The East Union High golfers, the defending two-time VOL champions, have won their first seven dual meets of the season, including a 195-250 decision over St. Mary’s High of Stockton last Tuesday. Glen Beck and Randy Shepherd both carded 38’s.
Oakdale High dominated the Open Division of the VOL gymnastics meet last Wednesday, scoring 70.6 for first place, followed by Manteca High’s 60.65. The top local finisher was MHS’s Lori Watson, who parlayed a second in floor exercise and a third in the bars into a third in all-around points.
Showing strength in a number of areas, the East Union High tracksters opened their season by scoring 94 points last week against Gustine High and Orestimba High of Newman. Senior Jeff Von Essen was the standout of the boys’ competition with firsts in the 220 (24.8), the 440 (54.8) and the 440 relay. He teamed in the relay with Charles Wagner, Ken Boyd and Bruce Boyd for a time of 47.8.
Meanwhile, the Lancer girls of Coach Chris Chisholm were beaten in a four-way meet. Summerville High of Tuolumne had 106, Turlock High 33.5, EU 21.5 and Manteca High 16. The 440 relay team of Irene Tokunaga, Lolita Hughes, Remie Vea and Gretchen Strahan took a first in 56.0.
Fighting against gusty winds, the Manteca High track team lost to Tokay High of Lodi 84.5-48.5 in the season opener. Gustavo Aguilar won both the two-mile and mile events for the Buffaloes and Jeff Watson took a first in the shot put.
Manteca High’s golfers have picked up three wins this season. In beating Ceres High 196-248, Manteca used consistency from all five men.
Karen Steves of Manteca High became the first Buffalo girls’ basketball player to be named to the All-VOL first team. Although the Lady Buffs were 1-9 in VOL play with a single win over East Union High, Miss Steves played consistently throughout the season.
30 years ago: March 8, 1987 – Turlock High benefited from three walks in the 11th inning to pull out a wild 2-1 non-league win over Manteca High Monday in the softball season opener at Turlock. Both of Turlock’s runs were unearned as the Lady Buffs committed three errors. Manteca scored in the top of the ninth when Kim Sloan pounded a lead-off triple and scored on Kelly Swift’s two-out single to right.
East Union High, powered by Cathy Cortez’s sparkling no-hit pitching performance, crushed Stagg High 11-0 in a non-league softball game at the Northgate Complex. Cortez, who issued just one walk and hit one batter, supported her cause by slapping three hits in the five-inning affair. Kelli Horton had a home run for the Lady Lancers.
East Union High senior Frank Gonzales pitched five strong innings and collected two hits to lead the Lancers to a 3-1 victory over Downey High in Modesto yesterday. Gonzales struck out six and gave up three hits.
Manteca High’s Eddie Hubik and Stephen Sanguinetti each notched three wins yesterday as the Buffalo tennis team recorded a 9.5 to 3.5 triumph over Modesto High on the Manteca courts.
Mike Battles registered a 37 to lead East Union High to a critical 212-216 league win over Central Catholic High’s golfers yesterday at Dryden Park in Modesto.
Powerful DeAnza High of Richmond staved off an inspiring last-ditch effort by Manteca High to edge the Buffaloes 56-55 in the NorCal basketball tournament last night at Modesto Junior College. Chad Johnson collected 15 points for the Buffs and Rob Van De Pol added 14 counters.
Manteca High, erupting for five runs in the first inning, recorded its first non-league baseball triumph of the season Wednesday, stopping visiting Granada High of Livermore 8-5 in a five-inning make-up game. Tim Mack drove in two runs for the Buffaloes.
Manteca High, with Kevin Wentworth back in the lineup, handed the Central Catholic High golf team its second straight loss in a 204-216 effort at Dryden Park. Wentworth shot a 37 to lead the Buffalo linksters.
10 years ago: March 11, 2007 – Samantha Plasceres’ shot took off for the corner post, as Manteca High goalie Kym Gause went after the ball, getting a piece—just not enough. The ball rolled into the MHS goal and the Sierra High soccer team edged the Lady Buffs 1-0 in overtime. The verdict won the consolation title of the Vern Gebhardt Cup event for Coach Manuel Pires’ girls.
An amazing 10-run second inning for Manteca High blew Weston Ranch High away as the Buffaloes took a 16-2 decision over the Cougars in the Walker Vick Tournament Championship on Saturday. Moises Figueroa paced MHS at the dish, going 2-for-2 with a 3-run double in the third inning.
Sierra High kicked and splashed its way to a convincing Valley Oak League opener over Manteca High Friday in a swim meet at the SHS pool. The Timberwolves took the boys’ action 101-54, while the Sierra girls won, 104-56. Zach Holmstrom, Josh Yared and Josh Revives all tallied multiple victories for Sierra, as well as combining forces to dominate in the relay categories, too. The MHS girls had as tough a meet as did the guys in their loss. The lone Buffalo bright spot was in freshman Davina Bennet. She was the only Lady Buff to win a race, getting a first in the 100 breaststroke with a time of 1:22.
The Manteca High tennis team demolished East Union High 15-0 in Thursday’s VOL matchup. The Buffaloes received dominant performances from each player on Coach Frank Fontana’s squad. Mustafa and Yassen Anis joined fellow teammate Gabe Lopez in pounding out 6-0 sets. In doubles action, Beto Lopez-Ellis-Juan Lugo won 10-3 and 10-3.
Erin Arevalo turned in an incredible performance for East Union High’s softball team Thursday at Sacramento’s Tournament of Champions. She collected 17 strikeouts and gave up only two hits to lead EU to a 5-1 win over Capital Christian High of Sacramento. Stefanie Zannini had a single and a double to pace the Lancers at the plate.
East Union High’s Christin Gowan was awarded the VOL’s Most Valuable Basketball Player title at the meeting of the league’s coaches on Wednesday. EU’s Brian Goulart and Manteca High’s Andrea Hiatt shared the league’s Coach of the Year award. Sierra High’s Scott Thomason took home the title for boys’ basketball. Manteca High guard Sughey Cervantes and forward Kym Gause, as well as EU’s guard Ellen Parker, a junior, were selected on the all-VOL team.
Led by a 3-under-par 34 from senior Jay Brink, the East Union High golf team took down Manteca High 208-284 at the Manteca Park course Wednesday afternoon to remain undefeated on the season. Derek Kulberg had the best MHS score with a 53.
At the Sierra High Winter Sports Social, the following players gained MVP awards: Marvin Cotton and Eddie Morales (boys’ basketball); Heather Scharmann (girls’ basketball); Adam Padilla and John Ivey (wrestling).
At the East Union High Winter Sports Social, the following players won MVP awards: Eugene Alston and Christin Gowan (basketball); Michael Thomas (wrestling).
