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1981: Buff cagers net 25th straight VOL win
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Eighty years ago, on January 16, 1931, Manteca High now leads the C.I.F. league as a result of a victory taken from the Ceres High Bulldogs on the Manteca court. The Bulldogs were trounced to the score of 31 to 13. The Buffaloes piled up a 10-point lead before the Bulldogs could get going. This lead was never overtaken, although the score at the half was 13 to 10. Enrico Bianchi was the high scorer for Manteca with 10 points.

In other sports stories from the Bulletin files:

70 years ago: January 23, 1941 - The Manteca High quintet came up to their hoop standard of no wins when they were trounced at Ceres High 35-23 in the opener of the league series by a fast and excellent ball-handling Bulldog five Friday night. Glen Bale of Manteca was the high point man for his team with 12 points chalked up.

60 years ago: January 25, 1951 - Losing their third game in four starts, Manteca High traveled to Livingston High to be defeated by a score of 59 to 55. Ray Dellavecchia put in 13 points to lead the attack for Manteca, while Leo “Gunner” Cardinal put in 11, as did Mariano Valenzuela. Paul Wiggin played outstanding defensive ball for the Buffaloes.

50 years ago: January 26, 1961 - Oakdale High breezed to a 54-44 win over Manteca High last Friday on the local court. Alan Lambert led the Buffaloes in scoring with 12 points.

The Manteca Merchants semi-pro baseball team was officially accepted as a member of the Sacramento Rural League last Friday at a meeting of the loop in Sacramento. Harold Scharmann, who was recently named to manage the club during the 1961 season, represented the Merchants at the meeting.

40 years ago
: January 20, 1971 - Manteca High, fighting to stay abreast of the pace-setting Lincoln High Trojans, overpowered visiting Sonora High 77-40 Friday night. Al Betschart led the Buffalo scoring with 27 points and Vic Liles and Denny Letcher followed with 15 and 11 points, respectively.

For the second time, Manteca and East Union Highs played 80 minutes of soccer on the local field and for the second time, the tough defenses prevented a goal from being scored by either team.

A bad case of the first-half blues again struck East Union High Friday night as a second-half spurt left them on the short end of an 80-66 count to Ceres High. Ken Richichi led the Lancers with 25 points, with sophomore Mike Crosby and Chuck Dimas adding 13 and 12, respectively.

The East Union High wrestlers opened the Valley Oak League season on a somber note, dropping a match to Ceres High 42-11. Rich Bambico got the only pin for EU at 98 pounds.

30 years ago: January 21, 1981 - Manteca High disposed of Livingston High 65-49 Friday night to rack up its 25th consecutive VOL win before a standing room only crowd at Winter Gym. It upped their season mark to 17-3. Reno Cook paced the Buffalo effort with 19 points, while Kevin Sample added 12 to the total.

When you’re hot, you’re hot. Such was the case with Keith Windham who whistled in a season-high 16 points, 12 in the second half, to lift East Union High to a fast-paced 59-57 victory over Beyer High Tuesday night at Dalben Center. Larry Lee contributed 10 points to the winning effort.

Tracy Fletcher scored the first three baskets of the game and the East Union High girls went on to post a lop-sided 49-32 VOL victory over Oakdale High at Dalben Center Thursday night.

Davis High of Modesto scored three goals in the first half Tuesday afternoon and cruised to an easy 5-1 win over East Union High in Central California Conference soccer action. Harry Yonemoto scored the Lancer goal.

Bobby Perez, the gutty Manteca High goalkeeper, turned away 13 Downey High shots, but the Buffalo offense couldn’t register a   

goal for the sixth time this season and lost a 1-0 heartbreaker Tuesday to the Knights in Modesto.

The Manteca High girls basketball team kept its VOL record unblemished last Monday night as the Lady Buffaloes defeated a scrappy squad from Sonora High 45-38. Manteca was led by the 17-point scoring performance of Martha Dias. Donna Foster followed with 11 points.

The East Union High wrestling team evened its VOL record at 2-2 with a convincing 42-26 decision over Livingston High at Dalben Center Friday night. Lancers pins were by John Payan, Don Racacho, Don Crawford and Jesse Hellinger.