Manteca didn’t need any last-minute heroics from its best player this time around.

Blake Nichelson, in fact, was sidelined for much of the second half Friday at East Union, where he and the Buffaloes bulled their way to a 62-6 victory. They’ve won 11th straight against their oldest cross-town rival and widened the already-lopsided series lead to 41-13-1.

Last year, Manteca needed a late comeback to overcome the Lancers on its homecoming night 40-34 in overtime. Nichelson put together a dazzling two-way effort, capping it off with a pick-six.

“That left a bad taste in our mouth last year, obviously, so we wanted to play at our level,” Manteca coach Mark Varnum said. “They’re always going to play up for us, and I told them our week that if we play at our level, they can’t touch us.”

Manteca (3-0, 7-0 overall) can now shift its focus on Central Catholic, which visits next week for first-place showdown in the Valley Oak League.

“We haven’t really been challenged yet, and that’s not going to be the case next week,” Varnum said.

Nichelson, committed to Florida State, outshined fellow Division-I prospect Dylan Lee Friday at Dino Cunial Field. He scored four touchdowns in the first half — two rushing, one receiving and a 60-yard punt return — tallied 115 yards from scrimmage (63 rushing) on eight touches.

Defensively, he had a sack and multiple tackles against Lee, who played quarterback (10-of-21 passing, 52 yards, TD, two interceptions), running back (11 rushes, 78 yards) and receiver. Lee also lined up at linebacker and cornerback defensively to match up with Nichelson.

Lee’s best play was a 42-yard run on a read-option play in the third quarter, but fleet-footed Nichelson was able to chase him down to make a touchdown-saving tackle on Manteca’s 25.

“He’s dangerous whenever he gets the ball,” Varnum said of Nichelson. “The thing is, we have so many dudes on deck. You have to worry about Blake, and as soon as you put too much attention on him, somebody else is going to hurt you.”

Junior running back Bryson Davis led the Buffaloes with 95 yards and two touchdowns on 11 rushes. Fullback Landon Chamberlain (six rushes, 31 yards) contributed a short-yardage touchdown that pushed Manteca ahead 21-0 halfway through the first quarter. Quarterback Hudson Wyatt (8-of-12, 141 yards, two TDs) hit Diego Esparza in stride for a 31-yard score in the second quarter.

Reserve quarterback Marco Ramos ended the game with a 57-yard touchdown trot as the running clock expired.

Manteca outgained the Lancers 351-141 in offensive yards. East Union (0-3, 3-5) scored its only points in late in the first quarter when sophomore receiver Blake Mount took a screen pass from Lee and turned it into an 18-yard touchdown.

James Dennis and Kaden MacDannald each had an interception for the Buffaloes defense. MacDannald also rushed for 24 yards and caught three passes for 49 yards.

“It was great. They were talking, we were talking — it was just a battle,” Davis said. “We were real focused today. The offense has been doing real well, the line is blocking great, we just have to keep pushing and do everything we can to get the win next week.”

For East Union, it was a dispiriting result after a terrific effort against Oakdale. The Lancers have dropped four straight and are faced with a must-win next week at Sierra.

“Tomorrow morning we’re back at it,” East Union coach Mike Kuhnlenz said. “We have to get ready for another city rival and they’re going to be hungry. We better come to play. You can’t take a week off in the VOL.”