Bruin athletes suit up for summer season practices

Even though school is out for the summer, Riverbank High football players planning to play in the upcoming fall season are spending their mornings practicing on the grass field next to the softball facility on campus. Practices, which include learning offensive plays, and defensive positions, are held between 7 a.m. and 9 a.m., ahead of summer school sessions. In addition, players are working out in the weight room. Ric McGinnis/The News

footR619 — Even though school is out for the summer, Riverbank High football players planning to play in the upcoming fall season are spending their mornings practicing on the grass field next to the softball facility on campus. Practices, which include learning offensive plays, and defensive positions, are held between 7 a.m. and 9 a.m., ahead of summer school sessions. In addition, players are working out in the weight room. Ric McGinnis/The News

Though regular school classes have ended for the year, and summer school is well underway, Riverbank High athletes who have their eyes on a coming season continue to put in the work to excel at their sport.

Boys soccer, tennis, football, girls basketball and even girls flag football squads are preparing for seasons ahead in the 2024-25 school year.

And there’s already a big change in store for next season. Not all the fall sports have their non-league match-ups set, but the Mother Lode League has its league games listed.

While most Riverbank sports teams last year remained in the Tran-Valley League, it was officially a transition year, and football played its season as an independent squad, with no league affiliation.

All that has changed this year, and it is in the Mother Lode League that Riverbank will play after preseason action, with realignment being conducted through the California Interscholastic Federation.

Bruin Football

The Mother Lode League season is set, and even a few non-league games are scheduled.

Preseason play will begin on Aug. 23, against Western Sierra Collegiate Academy, from Rocklin. On Aug. 30 Riverbank goes up against Burton High School from San Francisco, then on Sept. 13, they’ll play Florin High School from Sacramento.

League play begins on Sept. 20, with Riverbank hosting Calaveras High from San Andreas. On Sept. 27, they travel to Summerville in Tuolumne County.

Oct. 4 brings the Bruins back for Homecoming, against the Millennium Falcons from Tracy. Oct. 11, they play in Modesto, against Big Valley Christian, a non-league game, then Linden comes to town on Oct. 18, and then the Bruins travel to Angels Camp to take on Bret Harte High School on Oct. 25.

Finally, on Nov. 1, River Islands High School from Lathrop comes to town to end the season with Senior Night.

Lady Bruin Basketball

The basketball girls have been able to stay busy this summer. In addition to practicing on Tuesdays and Wednesdays in the Fauria Gym, beating the afternoon heat with the air conditioning there, they’ve been playing other local teams in a summer league tournament at Modesto Junior College.

During the school year, basketball hits the court in the winter season.

Bruin Soccer

The Bruin soccer boys are practicing in the mornings on what used to be their game field, but since the CIF moved all soccer matches to the winter season, they now play on the lighted football field.

Boys, and girls, league soccer contests won’t get started until the winter season.

Being a brand-new sport for the Mother Lode League, the flag football hasn’t been set yet; Riverbank will have a girls team for the first time this coming school year.

RHS Lady Bruin basketballers are spending some of their free time this summer honing their skills ahead of the 2024-25 season. On Mondays and Wednesdays, they’re practicing in the Fauria Gym. On Tuesdays and Thursday, they’ve been competing in a summer tournament against other local high schools, at Modesto Junior College. Here, varsity coach Janelle Luu speaks with some incoming freshmen prior to starting passing and shooting drills. Ric McGinnis/The News

BASKETr619 — RHS Lady Bruin basketballers are spending some of their free time this summer honing their skills ahead of the 2024-25 season. On Mondays and Wednesdays, they’re practicing in the Fauria Gym. On Tuesdays and Thursday, they’ve been competing in a summer tournament against other local high schools, at Modesto Junior College. Here, varsity coach Janelle Luu speaks with some incoming freshmen prior to starting passing and shooting drills. Ric McGinnis/The News

Riverbank boys soccer players are practicing this summer, even though their season won’t start until the end of the calendar year, before the holidays. The upside, they get to practice on what used to be their daytime soccer pitch. Regular season soccer games are played in the winter, requiring lighted fields, so the boys and girls utilize the football stadium. Ric McGinnis/The News

sOCCERR619 — Riverbank boys soccer players are practicing this summer, even though their season won’t start until the end of the calendar year, before the holidays. The upside, they get to practice on what used to be their daytime soccer pitch. Regular season soccer games are played in the winter, requiring lighted fields, so the boys and girls utilize the football stadium. Ric McGinnis/The News

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