It was uncharted territory for the varsity Mustangs. Friday night, Oct. 4 saw the Oakdale High School football team down at halftime but, thanks to a 21-point third quarter effort, Oakdale battled for a 42-24 road win over East Union in Manteca.
Things started off on a positive note for Oakdale, as they took a 7-6 first quarter lead but found themselves in an 18-14 hole at halftime. With a winning streak that goes back many years against East Union, it looked like this could be the year the streak would break.
But the Mustangs shook off concerns about the deficit in the third quarter and ultimately outscored the host Lancers 28-6 in the second half.
The Mustangs rushed for a combined 363 yards. Juniors Wes Burford and Chase Lopez combined for 299 yards and two touchdowns. The night included 25 carries for Burford and a touchdown and Lopez erupted for 133 yards on the ground on 13 carries and also scored a touchdown. Junior Gavin Wyatt averaged 13 yards a carry as he slashed the East Union defense for 65 yards on a handful of carries and scored a touchdown. He also contributed in the passing game as he caught both completions by quarterback Grant Gardner for 60 yards and a touchdown.
On the defensive side Malachi Modesto had a sack and a fumble recovery. Cody Soares added another sack. Jacob Kindrick had a pair of interceptions and Jackson Gilton also got an interception. Both interceptions were returned for touchdowns. Tyler Stroup had a team high 10 tackles.
This Friday night Oakdale (5-1, 2-0) will host Patterson (4-3, 2-1). The Tigers have won two straight Valley Oak League games, including a 37-19 home win over Mountain House. This is Patterson’s first season in the Valley Oak League. They will come in to play on a memorable night in The Corral, as Oakdale is hosting its Homecoming contest on Oct. 11.
JV/Freshmen
Oakdale earned a 22-8 road win over East Union at the junior varsity level, outdistancing the JV Lancers. Oakdale hosts Patterson this Friday night at 5 p.m.
The freshman team remains unbeaten following a 37-13 home win over East Union on Thursday night, Oct. 3. Oakdale next travels to Patterson on Oct. 10 for a 6 p.m. kickoff.
