Forty years ago, on March 26, 1973, chalking up their first dual Valley Oak League meet of the 1973 season, the Manteca High thinclads made a laugher out of their clash with St. Mary’s High by a 122-14 count. The Buffaloes won every first place and the Rams could do no better than four “seconds” as Manteca completely dominated the meet. Steve Haggerty and John Peters were triple winners for the Buffs. Haggerty won both hurdle events (16.0) and (21.9) and the high jump (5-7), while Peters nabbed both the sprints (:10.0 and :23.4) and the triple jump (40-5).

In other sports stories from the Bulletin files:

30 years ago: March 27, 1983 – Manteca High’s Marilyn Elkins captured a first-place finish in the girls’ shot put and was named the Outstanding Female Participant in the field events Saturday afternoon at the Central California Invitational track meet in Turlock. Elkins, who holds the girls shot put record at MHS, produced a winning heave of 39-3.

Behind the three-hit pitching of Keith Rollins, Manteca High advanced to the semi-finals of the Dick Windemuth Tournament with a 4-1 win over Modesto’s Beyer High.

Lori Kooyman’s two-out triple scored Andrea Fierro to snap a sixth-inning tie and give East Union High an 11-10 softball win over Sacramento’s Johnson High in the Beyer-Pepsi Tournament in Modesto on Thursday. Joanne Declusen started for the Lady Lancers and picked up the win.

A two-out single in the seventh inning breaking a 3-3 tie, handed Gustine High a 5-3 win over East Union High in the Orestimba Tournament Thursday. Vladimir Cabingabang started the game off with a double for EU (now 1-7 on the year) and was driven home by another double, this from Albert Tanghal. Rick Jones then contributed a single to score Tanghal and Monte Gilley.

20 years ago: March 28, 1993 – Two East Union High players and one from Manteca High were named to the 1993 North squad for the Lions Central California Prep All-star Football game. Lancers Kevin Smith, a linebacker, and all-VOL center Jay Burden were named to the team, along with Buffalo Mike McKeown, all-league at tight end, were chosen at the game’s banquet Saturday night in Modesto. Also participating in this year’s game are East Union head coach Jim Brown and his assistants, Greg Leland and Doug McCreath.

Managing only three hits, the Manteca High softball team dropped an 8-0 decision to Ceres High Monday afternoon in the VOL opener for both teams. Only Melyssa Molen, Anna Jackson and Bridgette Madden were able to collect hits for the Lady Buffs.

The Manteca High girls swim team finally ended East Union High’s two-year grip on the city’s bragging rights, while the Buffalo boys continued command of theirs during a double-dual meet at the EUHS pool on Tuesday. Sparked by Lisa Pendexter and Deni Lowry, the Lady Buffaloes posted a 93-78 victory over EU and cruised by Ceres High 103-77 in the VOL opener for all three teams. Meanwhile, the MHS boys posted a pair of lopsided wins, downing the Lancers 124-47 and Ceres 119-53. It wasn’t a complete washout for the host Lancers as the EUHS girls downed Ceres 93-57, though the boys fell by a 98-78 count. Pendexter and Lowry both dominated their two individual races while also stroking key legs on two winning relay teams. Pendexter topped the 100 butterfly (1:06.5) and 100 breaststroke (1:17.1), while Lowery led the way in the 200 IM (2:22) and the 100 backstroke (1:07.7). Tina Dahle was a Lady Lancer winner, taking first in the 100 free (1:06.58). For the Buff boys, double winners were Casey Plain (200 and 500 free) and Brad Masterson (50 free and 100 back). EU’s boys were led by double winner Travis Gurney (50 free and 100 breast).

Manteca High’s Jake Honda struck out in the bottom of the sixth inning in the Buffaloes’ 7-7 game with Ceres High but the ball got away from the Bulldog catcher and Ryan Millsap sprinted home with the winning run in the darkness-shortened victory at the MHS field yesterday. Coach Jack Thomson’s crew had spotted their opponents a seven-run lead after two innings. Matt Madden had two hits for the Buffs.

Elbert Bartlett paced the East Union High baseball team as it outslugged host Livingston High 10-8 yesterday afternoon. Bartlett pounded out four hits and drove in four runs, including the game-winner, to spark the Lancers to their first VOL win in three tries. The Lancers collected 15 hits in the game.

Though it wasn’t their best team effort, the East Union High golf team continued its roll through the VOL with a 208-242  triumph over Livingston High at the Manteca Park golf course yesterday. The Lancers, 9-0 in league, 11-1 overall, were led by senior Louie Magud with a 38.

East Union High’s softball team banged out 10 hits and sophomore pitcher Amy Denny hurled a two-hitter as the Lancers blanked Oakdale High 7-0 in the VOL opener for EUHS Wednesday in Oakdale. Denny struck out seven. Angie Long led the Lady Lancers with two hits, including a triple.

10 years ago: April 2, 2003 – Goals by Brittany Davis and Candace Brennan and the stubborn defense of Toni Tassano led Manteca High to a 2-1 soccer win over visiting Los Banos High on Tuesday. The Lady Buffs are now 5-1 in league play.

Coach Mike Thomas’s East Union High soccer team has been focusing on finishing off scoring opportunities in practice. It showed Tuesday as the Lancers blew out Oakdale High 11-0 here. Kelli Goes had a hat trick (three goals), Loni Brewer and Mosha Lehoullier netted two each and Jazz Herrera, Alissa Ludolph, Jackie Sy and Jaime Steele scored single goals in the EU onslaught.

The Sierra High soccer team sent a clear message to visiting Buhach Colony High Tuesday by shutting out the Thunder 4-0. Marti Teunissen scored twice, with Clarissa Alcantara and Alyson Dyer netting one goal each. The Timberwolves launched 28 shots on goal, while Buhach Colony was limited to only four shots in the match.

Double wins by Katy May and Ashley Williams were not enough as the Manteca High girls lost 93-77 in a swim meet on Tuesday. May won the 100 fly (1:07.64) and the 100 breast in 1:16.76. Williams took first in the 100 free (1:02.34) and in the 200 IM (2:52.69). The Buffalo boys dropped a 100-51 decision. Andrew May was a double winner for MHS as he took the 200 IM in 2:04.20 and the 100 breast in 1:04.51.

Mike James was chosen as the new varsity football coach at East Union High. He is the first Lancer graduate to be named an EU head coach. According to EU athletic director Bill Stricker, James was selected because of his leadership skills, knowledge of the game and loyalty to the school. James replaces Rick Mitchell.

With two outs and the count at 2-1, Randy Sprinkle, who went the distance on the mound, helped his own cause in the bottom of the seventh by blasting Justin Friend’s hanging curveball over the left-field fence to drive in the game-winning runs as Manteca High edged East Union High 4-2 on Friday. In all, Sprinkle had two hits and drove in three runs in the game. The EU loss was only the Lancers’ second in 12 games.

Sierra High pitcher David O’Brien struck out five in a two-hit performance to lead the T’wolves in a 12-0 win in five innings over visiting Sonora High Friday. Mike Berezay, Joseph Kilpatrick and O’Brien each had a pair of hits for the T’wolves.

 80 years ago: March 30, 1933 – The Manteca High baseball team met defeat at the hands of the strong Hughson High nine last Friday by an 11 to 1 score. Coach Maurice Tracie’s boys made 10 errors during the game, accounting for the large score made by the visitors. “Dink” Percival got three of the four hits the Buffaloes could muster, with Kenneth Grisham getting the other. Roger Stewart scored the only Manteca run in the fourth inning.

60 years ago: March 26, 1953 – The local Manteca High baseballers traveled to Stockton a week ago Tuesday to engage the Stockton College nine in a game which proved to be a real thriller with Stockton winning out in the 11th inning by scoring a run to break a 3-3 tie. Darell Phillips, local chucker, settled down after the second inning to pitch excellent ball. He batted in a run and scored one for the Buffs.

50 years ago: March 28, 1963 – Manteca High won its third straight game against Central California Conference opposition last week by taking a 7-3 win over Edison High in Stockton. The Buffaloes defeated Edison with the aid of only two hits, but a wild first inning accounted for the win. In the first, three Edison pitchers issued five walks, hit two batters, allowed one hit and there was one Viking error. Buffalo hurlers Ben Tipton and Eron Grisham combined to throw a three-hitter at the Vikings. Tipton, who was given credit for the win, also got one of the two Buffalo hits.

40 years ago: March 28, 1973 – Taking advantage of mental and physical errors, Manteca High staged a last-inning rally to beat Galt High 2-1 in a non-league contest Friday afternoon. In the bottom of the seventh, Keith Rankins stole home when the Galt catcher strayed from home plate with the ball in his glove. Dan Vogel ripped a double and scored the other Buffalo run.

The Manteca High swimmers used a win in the last relay of the meet to defeat Liberty High 49-45 in a non-league meet Friday afternoon. The quartet of Don Cabral, Dave Sweet, Jeff Walker and Roy Green won the final 400 freestyle relay that determined the meet winner. Cabral and Sweet both won two events.

Playing without the services of their number one linkster, the East Union High golf team still clobbered Los Banos High 218-254 last Friday afternoon down at the Forebay Course near Los Banos. Ken Webb, who has been ill for the past week, was hardly missed by the Lancers as junior Bruce Mellor fired a 40 to lead the locals.

Senior Chan Cabalo managed the only victory for East Union High as the Lancer tennis team dropped their VOL opener to St. Mary’s High 4-1 last Tuesday afternoon.

The first time this season, East Union High’s Miles Branson twirled a one-hitter at Sonora High. This time, the right-hander hurled the Lancers to a 5-1 win with a three-hitter. He struck out seven batters. The husky junior also drove in a pair of runs with a bases-loaded single and had the only stolen base in the game.

The Manteca High golf team overcame a major barrier in their quest for the 1973 VOL title Tuesday afternoon when they eked out a 212-216 win over the highly-rated St. Mary’s High Rams. Gary Lowe was again the low medalist as he fired a two-over-par 38.

Opening the VOL season with a 5-0 clean sweep of Ceres High, the Manteca High tennis team served notice they will be gunning for the loop’s title come May. Terry Munoz, Greg Burge and Bud Michael registered singles wins, while doubles victories were by the teams of Jack Thomson-Jim Adair and Dave Sanders-Joe Thomas.