By allowing ads to appear on this site, you support the local businesses who, in turn, support great journalism.
Flag football, girls volleyball playoffs begin tonight
SJS Playoff ADV
Sierra center Alison Cozby heads toward the end zone for an 11-yard touchdown in front of East Union’s Isabelle Reyes (16) and Kaylee Mejia during the first-ever meeting between the rival schools on Sept. 17. - photo by SEAN KAHLER

Four Manteca-area schools are making their first appearances in the Sac-Joaquin Section flag football playoffs tonight.

Postseason play also begins for girls volleyball. Trans-Valley League champion Ripon is the No. 1 seed in Division IV, and Western Athletic Conference champ Lathrop travels to two-time reigning state champion Ripon Christian for a D-III opener. Meanwhile, first-year varsity River Islands is a first-time qualifier but is paired against the top seed in Division V.

Start times are 6 o’clock for volleyball matches, and 7 for flag football.

Valley Oak League flag football titlist Sierra (18-5) and WAC runner-up Lathrop (18-3) are seeded 3 and 4 in Division III, while East Union (17-4) is seventh.

All five Manteca Unified schools made the playoffs. In fact, Sierra will host former league rival and 14th-seeded Weston Ranch (7-11), which advanced with an at-large bid out of the San Joaquin Athletic Association.

First-year East Union, the VOL runner-up, welcomes at-large qualifier No. 10 Buhach Colony (9-11). Lathrop takes on No. 13 Wheatland (9-9), the Pioneer Valley League’s third-place team. WAC champion Livingston (25-0) is the No. 1 seed.

Manteca (12-12) has a tough draw as the No. 14 seed of the competitive Division-II bracket. The Buffaloes travel to Roseville to face No. 3 Woodcreek (15-3), the No. 5 overall ranked team in the SJS and Division I runner-up last year.

All championship-round games will take place Nov. 9 at Cosumnes River College in Sacramento.

Coming off one of the best regular seasons in its program history, Ripon (26-2) enters the playoffs as the No. 5 ranked team in the SJS, according to MaxPreps. The Indians will square off with a play-in winner — No. 16 Woodland (14-11) or No. 17 Lindhurst (11-14).

Ripon’s TVL rivals Hilmar (24-8) and Sonora are seeded No. 3 and 5 in Division IV, respectively. (12-8) Liberty Ranch (31-4) is the second seed.

In Division III, 14th-seeded Lathrop (20-8) visits No. 4 Ripon Christian (17-15) after claiming its first WAC crown since 2019.

While the Spartans are still winless in the postseason, tradition-rich Ripon Christian has three state championships in its trophy case, including the Divisions III and IV titles the past two years. The Knights have earned most of their SJS banners in Division V but are now in D-III because of the continued-success rule. They’re an automatic qualifier as the third-place finisher in the competitive TVL.

VOL runner-up Sierra (18-11) is the seven seed in Division III and hosts No. 10 Buhach Colony (15-11), which placed third in the Central California Conference.

Manteca (14-12) is in the Division II bracket after sweeping Mountain House last Thursday to seize the third and final automatic berth in the VOL. The Buffaloes are seeded 12th and headed to Merced to get another shot at CCC champion El Capitan (27-9). They previously met in a non-league match Sept. 4, with the Gauchos prevailing, 25-19, 25-16, 25-18.

River Islands (10-14) has made school history by qualifying. The No. 16-seeded Riptide came in second place in the Central California Athletic Alliance. They’re bound for Modesto for a first-round contest with No. 1 Big Valley Christian (25-8), the Mother Lode League outright champ.

All semifinalists in Divisions I-V move onto the California Interscholastic Federation Northern Regional Championships. The SJS finals are on Nov. 9 at Cosumnes River College.