The fall season of Riverbank High sports has ended for most teams, while winter practices were beginning this week. Bruin football ended its first ever Mother Lode League season on a winning note, completing a successful campaign overall for the fall.
Riverbank gridders hosted River Islands High School from Lathrop on Friday, Nov. 1.
As the last home game, as well as the last league game, it also served as Senior Night. Before the game started, senior players on the varsity team were introduced to the crowd, along with friends or family, as were the seniors from the cheer squad and the band.
Normally on such days, seniors from visiting teams are also acknowledged, but the River Islands school is only three years old and doesn’t have a senior class yet. They also didn’t bring a JV team.
Riverbank played tough, scoring two touchdowns in the first quarter and another in the second, ending the half ahead, 20-0.
Neither team scored in the third quarter, but the Bruins put two more touchdowns on the board in the fourth quarter, defeating the Riptide, 34-8.
Riverbank would have likely shut out their opponents had it not been for a series of penalties at the end of their last score that resulted in the ensuing kickoff having to be made from their 10-yard line. The Riptide took advantage of the opportunity, pushing in a touchdown and adding a 2-point conversion.
Still, after a couple of seasons playing an independent schedule, the Bruins moved in to the Mother lode League and went 2-4 in MLL play, getting a couple of wins, along with compiling an overall record of 6-4. It was the first time in years the Bruins have posted a winning record on the gridiron. River Islands was 1-5 in MLL play.
Elsewhere on the RHS campus, cross country runners are still working out, in preparation for participating in the upcoming Sub-Section meet on Nov. 9 at the Calaveras County Fairgrounds. Then, it’s hoped they will advance to the Section Championship, and possibly qualify some runners to the State Championship meet later this month.
Winter sports have begun pre-season practices this week as well, and spring baseball is even getting in some late fall practices, as long as the post-daylight saving time sunshine holds out.
