East Union is 0-9 against Manteca since November of 2015 but things could change on Friday. The Lancers will challenge the Buffaloes at 7:00 p.m. East Union has given up an average of 27.1 points per game this season, but Friday's game will give them a chance to turn things around.
East Union is headed into the game out to prove that what happened against Central Catholic on Friday (when they were outscored in every quarter) was just a minor bump in the road. The Lancers had to suffer through a 61-29 loss at the hands of the Raiders. The Lancers were in a tough position after the first half, with the score already sitting at 21-0.
Despite the defeat, East Union got top-tier performance from Jackson Fay, who rushed for 113 yards and two touchdowns on only nine carries, and also picked up 41 receiving yards. Jp Abrew got in on the action too, returning a kick for a touchdown.
Meanwhile, Manteca strolled into their game on Friday with a perfect record and they left with the same. They blew past Mountain House 63-24. With the Buffaloes ahead 49-17 at the half, the matchup was all but over already.
East Union better keep an eye on Nikko Juarez. He was instrumental in Manteca's win, rushing for 165 yards and four scores on only eight carries. That's the most rushing touchdowns Juarez has posted since back in September of 2024. Owen Gully was another key player, throwing for 191 yards and three TDs on perfect 7-for-7 passing.
They were just one part of a punishing run game: Manteca was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 264 rushing yards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now rushed for at least 170 rushing yards in four consecutive contests.
Manteca's record now sits at 7-0. As for East Union, their loss dropped their record down to 6-2.
Friday's game might be decided on the ground. East Union has been unstoppable on the ground this season, having averaged 240.6 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Manteca struggles in that department as they've been averaging 215.1 rushing yards. There's a good chance Friday's matchup turns into a tough fight on the ground.
East Union took a serious blow against Manteca in their previous meeting back in October of 2024, falling 49-0. A big factor in that loss was the dominant performance of Juarez, who rushed for 141 yards and a pair of touchdowns on only nine carries. Now that the Lancers know the damage he can cause, will they be able to stop him this time? There's only one way to find out.
