Forty years ago, on March 24, 1976, in a game more noted for its lack of artistic merit than for its fine play, Manteca High prevailed over East Union High 3-2 on the Buffalo campus. A pair of passed balls accounted for the two Lancer runs, while two costly errors aided the Buffs as they racked up their three counters. The EU hurler, Bill Poindexter, kept the MHS nine off balance with a variety of off-speed pitches and limited the winners to four hits, while his mates got seven off Dale Delmanowski and Darrell Womack. Brett Chamberlain collected a pair of hits for the Buffs, while Jim Heupel had two hits for the Lancers.

In other sports stories from The Bulletin files:

50 years ago: March 23, 1966 – Manteca High’s track team opened VOL competition Thursday with a convincing victory over Atwater High at the high school track. The thin-clads were victorious by an 84-24 score. Leading the Buffalo runners was Dan Dias, who captured the 100 yard dash in 10 flat and the 220 in 22.9.

The weather was warm and windy but the outcome was cold and dreary for the East Union High tennis team as Manteca High administered a rare shutout Tuesday afternoon with a 15-0 VOL win.

The Manteca High golf team found the Elkhorn Golf and Country Club to its liking and the five-man team easily handled St. Mary’s High 205-224 in a VOL match Tuesday afternoon. David Cardoza, a freshman on Coach Steve Winter’s Buffalo team, was the low medalist with an admirable 37.

Turlock High used the big inning to down Manteca High in baseball Tuesday at their home field. The score was 7-2. The host Bulldogs scored six runs in the second inning to put the game away. Ernie Nichols, Steve Smalley and John Newton got the only hits for Coach Walker Vick’s Buffaloes.

40 years ago: March 27, 1976 – The Manteca High golf team put together a nice team effort to down Modesto High 201-248 at Dryden Park. Jeff Silveira fired a 38 to lead the winners at Modesto.

The Manteca High badminton team forced Edison High to three sets in all four games last Thursday before bowing to the Vikings 3-1. The doubles duo of Esther Valdez-Karen Steves came from behind to win the only local point.

With a supreme effort in the final event, the mile relay, St. Mary’s High came from behind to tie Manteca High 68-68 in the first VOL track meet for each club here last Thursday. The Buffaloes were led by outstanding distance runner Gonzalo Aguilar, who won both the mile and two-mile. Aguilar’s time of 4:46.4 in the mile was very good for this early in the season.

Manteca High’s swim team captured its third straight victory of the season Friday afternoon when it scored an easy 74-10 win over Calaveras High of San Andreas at the high school pool. Dan Harrington won the 200 individual medley and the 100 backstroke to lead the Buffalo swimmers. He had a time of 4:31 in the medley and 1:17 in the backstroke.

The East Union High golf team took a 201-229 victory over Oakdale High last Tuesday at the Manteca Park golf course. Jeff Baker again paced the victors with a two-over-par 38.

30 years ago: March 23, 1986 – Scoring six runs in the bottom of the first inning, East Union High went on to pummel San Jose-Blackford High 20-5 at the Atwater Baseball Tournament on Tuesday. Rick James led the 17-hit Lancer attack with three hits, including a three-run homer, and six RBI.

Manteca High’s Tony Perez continued his early-season streak in the Rio Linda Invitational track meet by taking both the 800 and 1,600 meter races in meet-record performances. He clocked a 1:56.5 in the 800 and a 4:17.8 in the 1,600. Dan Eavenson added another first by heaving the shot 48-1.5. For the girls, Brandi Ross tossed a meet record 35-10 in the shot put, while Amanda Dias timed a 60.9 in the 400 meters for another victory.

Manteca High stepped all over Beyer High 18-5 in six innings Wednesday to take the Dick Windemuth Tournament at Modesto Junior College. The Buffaloes jumped on the Patriots for six runs in the first inning to blow the game open. Donnie Hall had a two-run double and a three-run triple for Coach Jack Thomson’s Buffs.

20 years ago: March 28, 1996 – Ranette Sousa belted a three-run homer in the eighth inning Thursday as the Manteca High softball team snapped a four-game losing streak with a 7-4 win over Bear Creek High. Audrey Jackson and Katie Green had singled to set the table for Sousa.

The East Union High softball team made short work of Oakdale High in winning their second VOL game 6-0 Tuesday afternoon at Northgate Park. Kim Ota, Erica Del Toro and Jennifer Hensley had a couple of hits apiece. Pitcher Krista Nylen retired the first 17 batters she faced en route to a two-hitter with 10 strikeouts. 

The East Union High swim teams romped over Ceres High on the road Tuesday. The Lady Lancers had first place finishes in every race except the 100 breaststroke and the Lancer boys won everything but the 50 and 100 freestyle and 200 freestyle relay. The girls claimed a 131-33 decision, while the boys came in with a 108 -55 victory. Both teams are now 6-0 overall. Silke Bradford and Felicia Hellums both had two wins for the EU girls. Bradford won the 50 free (26.91), the 100 free (1:00.96) and was on two winning relay teams. Hellums led the way in the 200 individual medley (2:38.5) and 500 free (6:04.15) and was also on two winning relay teams. Scott Bezner and Michael Elsen were double winners for the boy s. Bezner claimed the 500 free (6:34.35) and the 100 breast (1:14.27), while Elsen won the 100 butterfly (1:13.69) and another race.

The Manteca High swimmers took a 97-72 win at Sonora High and the girls won 116-54 at Sonora on Tuesday. Matt Gouaux and Dustin Kuykendall were double winners for the Buffalo boys as Gouaux took first in the 50 free (23.38) and the 100 free (54.42). Kuykendall doubled with victories in the 500 free (5:59.47) and the 100 back (1:06.39). Deni Lowry, Sonia Tuchtenhagen and Jessica Houck were all double winners for the Lady Buffs. Lowry had wins in the 100 free (1:00.08) and the 50 free (26.35). Tuchtenhagen touched first in the 100 fly (1:11.19) and the 200 IM (2:39.27) and Houck had wins in the 200 free (2:23.36) and the 500 free (6:22.2).

The Sierra High swim team, without seniors this year, lost both ends of a double-dual on Tuesday against Bear Creek and Los Banos High Schools. Alicia Lowry and Jason Beier were both double winners in both meets at the Tokay High pool. The Lady Timberwolves lost a 99-52 decision to Los Banos and a 123-42 count to Bear Creek. The T’wolf boys dropped an 80-50 decision to Los Banos and by a 123-37 score to Bear Creek. Lowry led the Sierra girls with wins in the 200 free (1:58.34) and the 100 fly (1:03). Beier also had wins in both meets, posting times of 2:12.97 in the 200 IM and 1:01.12 in the 100 fly.

J. R. Becko carded a one-under-par round of 36 to power the Manteca High golf team to a convincing 206-226 win over Bear Creek High on Tuesday afternoon at the Manteca course.

East Union High senior John Sheridan struck out eight batters en route to a three-hitter in the Lancers’ 2-1 win over West High at Agostini Field Wednesday afternoon. The first Lancer run was scored by Danny Lansford in the fourth inning as he doubled and later scored on a wild pitch. Andy Martinez doubled to lead off the sixth frame and eventually scored, also on a wild pitch.

Fernando Maestas hit a two-out, two-run double in the eighth inning and clutch pitching by Bryan Lucas powered the Manteca High baseball team to a 4-2 victory over Bear Creek High on Friday afternoon in Stockton. The win ended a five-game losing streak for the Buffaloes. Lucas scattered eight hits and struck out 10 batters for Coach Todd Vick’s Buffs. It was the first league loss for the defending VOL champ Bruins.

Sonora High came from behind with seven runs in the third inning to take a 13-3 win over Sierra High on Wednesday. Jared Looney slammed a pair of doubles for the T’wolves, now 1-6-1 on the season. Raul Almeida and John Thomson also had two hits each.

The East Union High girls beat Sonora High 79-58 and Oakdale High 84-51 in a VOL track meet in Sonora on Wednesday. The Lancer boys lost to Sonora 115-20 and 68-53 to Oakdale. Lady Lancer senior Angel Naylor picked up wins in the shot put (33-3) and the discus (120-0). Oscar Denogean paced the boys’ team with a 10:44 time in the 3,200 meters.

Manteca High swept the doubles matches to score a 10-5 tennis win over West High on Wednesday. The Buffalo teams of Doug Bruchs-Scott Hoffman and Brian Melesky-Ben Kema both gave up just one game per match.

The East Union High tennis team won seven of nine matches in an 8.5-6.5 win over Ceres High on Wednesday. Coach Carl Bosque’s two top players, Jeremy Einess and Paul Larimore, were both undefeated.

Los Banos High dominated singles play, but Sierra High did manage to split its doubles matches as the tennis T’wolves lost 12-3 on Wednesday. The teams of Jason Thompson-Jimmy Duran and Scott Conner-Andrew Pickering both topped the Tigers’ No. 2 team.

The Sierra High golf team dropped a 220-249 decision to West High at Manteca Park on Wednesday. Gabe Hernandez and John Parks both came in with 47’s in a losing cause.

The first- year Sierra High varsity track team won its inaugural home meet yesterday with a 73-63 win over Los Banos High and a 108-16 victory over Ceres High. The Sierra girls fell 83-48 to Ceres and 89-47 to Los Banos. For the boys, Leon Johnson had a personal best of 42-7 as he won the triple jump. Lady T’wolf Liz Nuttmann remained undefeated in both the 400 and 800 meters. She took the 400 in 63.5 and clocked a 2:38 to win the 800.

The Sierra High softball team lost its third straight VOL game Thursday to West High, a 14-2 decision. Kristen Huntley drove in both of the Lady T’wolf runs. Coach Allen Huckaby’s girls are now 0-7 on the season. 

The East Union High golfers took a solid 209-213 win over Oakdale High at the Manteca Park course on Friday. Stan Mathews earned medalist honors with a one-over-par 38 to lead the Lancers.

10 years ago: March 29, 2006 – East Union High’s Jay Brink and Erickson Parker each came in with terrific scores during the Lancers’ 221-274 win over Manteca High in VOL golf action on Tuesday. Brink shot a 37 over the par 36 front nine at the Manteca Park golf course, while Parker chipped in with a 38. Shane Tico led the Buffaloes with a 49.

Justin Bordley swept his singles matches as the Sierra High tennis team beat visiting Weston Ranch High 10-5 Tuesday. The Timberwolf doubles teams of Albert Diaz-Victor Mendoza and Sebastian Pomeroy-Robel Berhane won their matches to assure the SHS victory.

Bri Doty scored twice and Lisa Garcia and Nicole Vanni had one each as the Sierra High soccer squad defeated East Union High 4-1 at Teicheira Memorial Stadium yesterday. Theresa Sianez netted the lone EU goal.

Manteca and East Union High Schools traded blows on Tuesday in a VOL swim meet at MHS. The Lancers won 103-68 in boys’ action, while the Lady Buffs took the girls’ competition 88-79. EU’s Daniel Heihn took firsts in the 200 free and 100 fly and swam on the two winning relay teams, the 200 free and 400 relays. Jeff Clare was a double winner, with firsts in the 200 !M and 100 free. For the girls, Lancer Alyssa Toone won the 100 free and the 50 free, while swimming on the first-place 200 free relay team. Natalie Heihn took firsts in the 100 fly and 200 free and swam on the winning 400 free and 200 free relay squads. Alicia Alfter touched first in the 100 IM and 100 back, then swam on the winning 200 free and 400 free relay teams.

Sophomore slugger Jenna Morgan drove in five runs and swung a heated cross-town battle with Manteca High into Sierra High’s favor with a towering home run in the second inning as the Lady T’wolves beat Manteca High 12-4 in softball action yesterday. Bree McGraw went the distance in the chalked circle and helped her own cause with two runs scored. Morgan added a two-run double to her total. Freshman leadoff hitter Emily Campbell went 2-for-4 with a double and two runs scored. Katie Tubbs had a run-scoring single for the Lady Buffs.

East Union High had no trouble downing Buhach Colony High 5-0 in softball action yesterday. Kelly Ferrell and Courtney Perry each had two hits for the Lady Lancers.

Nate Brown tightened up his pitching and preserved a 5-2 VOL baseball win for Manteca High over Weston Ranch High yesterday. He pitched a five-hitter and gave up just one earned run. Donnie Mertz started the Buffalo scoring with a two-run single in the first inning.

The Sierra High track team took a 71-65 win over visiting Sonora High on the boys’ side, while the Lady T’wolves took an impressive 91-36 victory. T’wolf junior Sarah Corbett won four events to lead her squad.

Her wins were in the high jump (4-2), the long jump (14-6), the triple jump (31-0) and the 100 hurdles in 18.7 seconds. Avery White was a double winner for the Sierra boys, taking firsts in the long jump (19-5) and the 110 hurdles (15.5). Also winning a pair of ribbons was Michael Elder, 5-10 in the high jump and 41-9.5 in the triple jump.

Sierra High routed Manteca High 15-2 in VOL baseball action on Wednesday. The Timberwolves smacked 14 hits in the win. Jordan Durrance pitched the five-inning contest with six strikeouts, two walks and a two-hitter. On top of that, Durrance went 2-for-3, both doubles, and drove in a pair of runs. Max Avelar had two of the Buffaloes’ hits.