Sixty years ago, on September 13, 1956, the ranks are beginning to thin as the Manteca High Buffaloes enter their final week of practices before meeting Turlock High in the season’s opener on Friday of next week. Head coach Frank LaSan feels that the line is slightly ahead of the backs in their development but, by game time, the Buffs should be at full strength. In the backfield, the locals are having quarterback trouble. Two of their top signal callers are out with minor hurts. Wayne Rose is out with a sprained knee and Ron Valverde is missing action because of a twisted ankle. In the line, tackles Tony Cotta and Delbert Harper have the nod at the present time. Chip Henry and Tom Wiggin are the front runners at guard and Leon Murphy has the nod at center.
In other sports stories from the Bulletin files:
50 years ago: September 9, 1966 – Five Manteca Ford softball players this week were named to compete in the Nor-Cal League All-star game to be played tomorrow night in Mountain View. Catcher Don Mc Quinn, pitcher Bill Simoni, first baseman Gene Haley, shortstop Carl McCutcheon and outfielder Bob Leatherwood will be among 12 other Nor-Cal players selected for the all-league honors.
40 years ago: September 8, 1976 – The sigh of relief from Manteca High head coach Walker Vick could be heard from here to Tracy. The Buffaloes host the Bulldogs in the 54th renewal of one of the valley’s traditional rivalries Friday night at Guss Schmiedt Field, and Manteca will come into the contest reasonably healthy. That’s quite an accomplishment following scrimmages last Thursday at Lodi and last Saturday at Downey, two schools not exactly known for timidity on the gridiron.
Two scrimmages before the season opener is something new for the East Union High football team, but many questions remain unanswered. In the past, the Lancers scrimmaged only annual pre-season foe Rio Vista High before the first game. But head coach Vern Gebhardt brought his charges against two last week: Linden High and Rio Vista, the latter Saturday morning at Guss Schmiedt Field.
30 years ago: September 8, 1986 – Manteca High’s volleyball team posted a second-place finish at the Douglas High eight-team tournament Saturday at Minden, Nevada. The hosts won the tournament by defeating the Lady Buffs 15-10, 15-8 in the championship match. Kim Smith and Jennifer Miller were cited as outstanding players by MHS coach Lindsay Munoz.
East Union High swept Escalon High 15-8, 15-11, 15-13 in a pre-season volleyball confrontation Tuesday at EU’s Dalben Center. Senior Tracy Lee keyed EU’s waltz over the Lady Cougars, tallying a total of 15 points along with six aces on the evening from the service line.
East Union High’s tennis team left little doubt in Coach Carl Bosque’s mind that it is ready for Thursday’s league opener against Livingston High. Bosque watched the Lady Lancers decimate Tracy High 15-0 during a non-league match. Every singles player gave up no more than five games in three sets, while both the doubles teams captured easy wins, as well.
Manteca High swept Tracy High in non-league girls’ tennis action Wednesday, tuning up for the start of league today. Singles players Amy Kent, Leslie Gaynor and Katie Gaynor were all winners, as were the doubles teams of Crickett Eavenson-Deborah Hicken and Brooke Stube-Robin Nunes.
Manteca High runners rushed for 209 yards, the line controlled both lines of scrimmage all evening and on defense, limited Franklin High to 19 yards rushing to take a 26-0 win in the season-opener for both teams last night at Guss Schmiedt Field. Senior Kenny Wade ran for 103 yards on 18 carries and Mitch German scored two touchdowns for the Buffaloes.
Modesto’s Beyer High opened its 1986 grid season Friday night with a 17-9 win over host East Union High at Guss Schmiedt Field. The Lancers didn’t notch a first down until quarterback Frank Gonzales entered the game in the third quarter. He directed EU on an 11-play, 72-yard drive, culminated by a 32-yard field goal by Alan Sandoval with 1:06 remaining in the period. Gonzales later connected with John Fletcher on a 21-yard TD pass in the final quarter.
20 years ago: September 12, 1996 – The East Union High football team never did get into tune Friday in their 21-13 loss to Beyer High at Downey Stadium in Modesto to open the 1996 season. Adam Rabusin passed 13 yards to Kurt Konicek for a touchdown in the first quarter and Greg Murray returned a fourth-quarter kickoff 89 yards for the Lancers’ scoring effort for the game. EU gained just 63 yards in rushing action.
Sierra High took an 11.5-3.5 tennis win from Manteca High on Thursday afternoon. The Lady Timberwolves’ Jill McKiel swept her singles matches, plus the doubles team of Sam Brocchini-Kim Rotert was a doubles winner. Lady Buff Lisa Uecker won two of the MHS points.
In East Union High tennis action, the Lancers won their first point against Oakdale High in more than two years, but still lost 14-1 on Thursday. EU’s Nicole Zacharias won the point.
Upping their perfect dual match mark to 4-0, the Manteca High volleyball team disposed of Central Catholic High in four games on Thursday night. Behind Emily Wofford’s 13 kills and five blocks, the Lady Buffs beat the Raiders 15-10, 15-11, 4-15, 15-9.
The East Union High soccer team once again controlled the field and outshot their opponents, but once more had to settle for a 1-1 draw—this time with Ripon Christian High on Thursday afternoon in Ripon. Ricky Souza put the Lancers up 1-0 midway through the first half.
Lincoln High used its power at the net to put away the East Union High volleyball team 3-0 in non-league action in Stockton on Wednesday night. The scores were 6-15, 5-15, 1-15. Leading hitter for the Lancers was Jesse Hardcastle with four kills, while Nicole McCleary had three blocks.
Manteca High was out-scored 5-3 by Hilmar High in soccer action on Tuesday. Buffalo goals were by Juan Ramirez, Shane Dahlke and Cliff Chamberlain.
