Searching for Oakdale High School football statistics on www.MaxPreps.com led to an interesting discovery. Passing and receiving numbers were nowhere to be found from the Mustangs’ two wins in the Sac-Joaquin Section Division III playoffs. It is not as if they were omitted by accident. There were not any to list.
Quarterback Grant Gardner did not need to toss one pass in the Mustangs’ 35-14 and 49-25 wins over Woodcreek and Destiny Christian, respectively. Oakdale ran for 972 yards and 12 touchdowns in the two victories on its way to the championship game Saturday against Vanden at Hughes Stadium in Sacramento.
Devising a defensive strategy this week has been much easier for Vanden head coach Mike Clark and his staff. Oakdale’s offense is about as mysterious as finding the wishbone in a Thanksgiving turkey. The Mustangs serve a three-course meal of Wes Buford, Richard Flores and Chase Lopez.
All three are juniors, so there will be a second helping in 2025. Buford has been the main course this season with 2,459 yards and 29 touchdowns. Lopez and Flores have rushed for 1,109 and 555 yards, respectively, with each scoring nine touchdowns. Oakdale averages 394 rushing yards a game.
Clark should contact Vacaville’s coaches for a few tips because the Bulldogs are familiar with playoff opponents that prefer to take a pass on passing. Elk Grove rushed for a total of 951 yards and 13 touchdowns in victories against Vacaville in 2019 and 2021.
Elk Grove threw a total of five passes in the two games. Ethan Archuleta had the only completion for 24 yards in Elk Grove’s 52-48 win in 2021. The senior instead used his legs to run for 242 yards and three touchdowns. The Thundering Herd had 559 rushing yards, averaging 11.6 yards a carry.
Archuleta completed 28 of 55 passes in 2021 for 625 yards and seven touchdowns. He threw 10 or more passes in just two games. Monterey Trail slipped past Elk Grove 27-23 in the 2021 semifinals by limiting Archuleta to 64 rushing yards. He was 7-of-11 passing for 124 yards and a touchdown.
Gardner has not tossed more than seven passes in a game since Oakdale’s 31-21 loss to Sonora on Aug. 23. He was 3-of-10 for 67 yards with two interceptions offsetting his two touchdowns. The Mustangs were limited to a season-low 246 yards on the ground. Buford gained 143 on 25 carries.
Buford was the leading rusher for Oakdale in its first 11 games. Flores borrowed the spotlight last Friday by running for 235 yards and five touchdowns against Destiny Christian. Buford added 210 yards, his fifth 200-yard game this year, and two touchdowns. He is averaging 205 yards a game.
Oakdale is the No. 1 seed in Division III, so the Mustangs were expected to reach the title game. Vanden is No. 3 and weathered a rainy night in Roseville last Friday to oust No. 2 West Park 14-7. The Vikings are riding a six-game winning streak after starting 0-2 in the Monticello Empire League.
Consecutive losses to Rodriguez and Vacaville ended the Vikings’ bid for a second MEL title after winning their first in 2023. Rodriguez won its first league championship this season and Vacaville placed second. Four MEL teams made the 2024 playoffs and Vanden is the only one still standing.
Rodriguez and Vacaville lost second-round games in Division II. Sacramento earned two victories as the No. 6 seed in Division IV, including a 45-38 win against No. 3 Roseville. The Dragons’ first season as an MEL member ended last week with a 21-12 loss at No. 2 Patterson in the semifinals.
The Vanden-Oakdale game at 3 p.m. is one of three title games Saturday at Hughes Stadium. The others are Hughson vs. Sutter at 11 a.m. in Division V and Folsom vs. Oak Ridge in Division I at 7 p.m. The Division VII final between Summerville vs. Stone Ridge Christian will be at 3 p.m. at St. Mary’s High in Stockton.
The three finals Friday at Hughes Stadium will be Bradshaw Christian vs. Sonora in Division VI at 11 a.m., Twelve Bridges vs. Patterson in Division IV at 3 p.m. and Rocklin vs. Grant in Division II at 7 p.m.
