Will Semone lifted the Oakdale Mustangs to the win, scoring four touchdowns and rushing for over 200 yards, as Oakdale advanced to the Sac-Joaquin Division 3 championship game with a 35-21 win over Merced. The Mustangs will face Christian Brothers, who beat American Canyon on Friday night, for the section title.
Trailing 21-14 in the third quarter, Semone tied things with an eight-yard touchdown, with just under six minutes remaining in the quarter. The Mustangs then took control in the fourth, as Semone scored the go-ahead touchdown on a two-yard rush and Joseph Lutz put things away on a 30-yard scoring reception.
The first half was bumpy for the Mustangs, as Merced scored on its first three drives of the game. Paul Scoggins staked the Bears to an early lead with a 14-yard touchdown through the air, and Rayveon Slaton continued the early success with a six-yard scoring run. Stephan Williams concluded the early onslaught for Merced with a 32-yard score through the air.
“I told my guys to hang in the game when we were down 21-14 at half and we sure worked to close that gap through the game," said Oakdale coach Trent Merzon."It feels great to win against a team who is similar to our level of play."
The Division 3 championship game will be held at Lincoln High School next Friday, with game time set for 7:00 pm.