Football Showcase: Oakdale at Sierra

It's Big Friday in the Stanislaus District, as four monster games will decide league titles and playoff spots. Adding to the intensity: Two games feature historical rivalries, and the other two match teams that have developed rivalries in recent years. The Bee will showcase a game every day up to Friday. The series continues with a Valley Oak League showdown:

• WHO: No. 4 large Oakdale (6-2, 5-0 VOL) at No. 2 Sierra (7-1, 3-1)

• WHERE: Daniel Teicheira Memorial Stadium, 1700 Thomas St., Manteca

• WHEN: 7:30 p.m.

• LAST TIME: Oakdale won 21-0 in Week 9 last year on its way to the Sac-Joaquin Section Division IV championship.

• WHY: Sierra has clinched its first playoff berth, and a win guarantees a piece of its first league title and the top seed. If Oakdale wins, it earns a playoff berth, a piece of the VOL title and the No. 1 seed. Both teams host playoff openers, but the top seed is significant because that team will be in the bracket opposite Whitney of Rocklin, the D-IV favorite.

• WHAT TO WATCH: After going 0-2, Oakdale has won six in a row by running the ball with speed

(Nicky Batteate) and power (Isaiah Mendez-Borba), and giving up 42 points in that span. Sierra's spread offense has QB Ryan Flores and Jarrod Daniels in the backfield, and the T'wolves like to run the ball right into the line -- with Flores' sleight of hand making it difficult to determine who has the ball. Both have quality kickers, and three points could be big.

• STAT STARS: Oakdale -- RB Batteate (964 yards, 7.2-yard average, 12 TDs), RB Mendez-Borba (702, 6.9, 14), K Kyle Derby (3 FGs, 43 points). Sierra -- QB Flores (95 of 179, 940, 10 TDs, 8 INTs; 659 yards rushing, 5.0, 3), RB Daniels (772, 5.3, 13), WR Nick Wendell (26 catches, 12.7, 3), WR-K Anthony Hall (24, 11.6, 3; 5 FGs, 37 points).

• FOOTNOTES: If there were a question whether Oakdale's win streak was linked to poor foes or improved play, it was answered in Friday's impressive 31-14 win over Manteca. Sierra beat Manteca 7-6 four weeks ago, a win that helped the T'wolves climb to No. 2 in the district -- and emerge from the long shadow cast by the crosstown-rival Buffaloes.