Coming off a 19-14 road loss to Manteca, Oakdale returned to Manteca to take on Sierra this past Friday night, Oct. 5. This was the team’s final road game of the regular season and the traveling Mustangs did not disappoint.
Oakdale (6-2, 3-1) defeated the Timberwolves (3-4, 1-2) by a final of 56-24. Using their stellar front line to open up holes for the backfield and giving quarterback Hayden Knittel room and time to pass when needed, Oakdale handled the Timberwolves to get back on the winning track.
Sierra scored the first points of the game, however, when they broke through on a 25-yard rush by running back Saul Contreras to go up 7-0. In the final minute of the first quarter, Oakdale scored two touchdowns to go up 14-0. With 52 seconds remaining in the first quarter, Zeke Saffar ran in from 26 yards out. A failed point after touchdown had Oakdale trailing 7-6 but they took the lead with 24 seconds left in the first quarter when Max Moore scored a one-yard touchdown run. The Mustangs made good on the two-point conversion off the legs of Caleb Kuppens to go up 14-7.
The Mustangs scored three touchdowns in the second quarter to pull away from Sierra. Moore scored his second touchdown from four yards out making it 21-7 with 4:27 left in the half. Kuppens bullied his way past the Timberwolves defense for a 14-yard rushing score and on the final play of the half, Saffar gashed the Timberwolves on an 87-yard rushing touchdown that was set up by a Cameron Burke run one play earlier, going up 35-7 at the half. In the first half, Saffar ran for 156 yards and Moore added 139 yards.
Sierra wasted little time in the second half when Kimoni Stanley busted down the sidelines for a 49-yard rushing score to make it 35-14 with 8:23 left in the third quarter. Oakdale countered with a Kuppens 35-yard touchdown of his own to give Oakdale a 42-14 advantage with 6:28 remaining in the third. These would be the only points scored in the quarter.
In the fourth quarter Moore scored his third touchdown of the day from 16 yards out with 10:47 left in regulation to advance the Mustangs lead to 49-17. Stanley ripped off a 12-yard rushing touchdown with 5:32 left to play to inch Sierra closer 49-24. The final scoring play of the game came off the legs of Anthony Martinez on a 48-yard rushing touchdown with 4:24 left to play.
“We practiced hard all week and knew that this would be a physical contest for us (the offensive line). Our coaches did a great job of preparing us and getting ready for this game,” said center Owen Pena.
Oakdale’s defense gave the Timberwolves problems throughout most of the evening. The Mustangs picked up three sacks on the night and had two interceptions, one each by Oscar Ramos and Cameron Burke.
This week Oakdale focuses on Kimball (1-3, 3-5) for Homecoming 2018. Kimball is coming off a 41-13 home loss to Manteca. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 12.
