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Riverbank Rolls Through Redskins In Season Opener
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With the high school football season opening all over the Central Valley, making a claim for playing in the game of the week is a very tough sale. Unless you're a Riverbank Bruin.

The Bruins used the first Friday night stage of the season to shock the Gustine Redskins 25-8, avenging a 27-7 loss to the Redskins from a season ago. Riverbank used an exceptional running game to send the Gustine squad back across Highway 99 with an 0-1 record.

"Our goals on offense were a little higher than what we were able to produce," Riverbank head coach Paul Smith said. "But we were pretty good rushing the football.

"We were able to do a lot of things right out there."

The Bruins jumped out on Gustine first with a pair of first quarter rushing touchdowns. Rodney Robins broke into pay dirt first with an 11-yard touchdown run, giving the Bruins their first points of the season and the lead in the game.

Evan Gunther didn't wait long to get his senior season under way, collecting his first score of the young season in the first quarter on a 27-yard scamper. Both touchdowns were followed by blown PAT run attempts, putting the Bruins up 12-0.

Halftime came and went, leaving the Bruins on the doorstep of accomplishing something special. Riverbank has had a struggle or two over the past few seasons. The opportunity to open the campaign with a winning record was an accomplishment that the Bruins chose to not let slip away.

Gustine found something in the reserve tank, forcing Riverbank to earn their the right to leave the field as the only unbeaten. The Bruins were able to fend off the Redskins attack behind some late-game heroics from defensive back Anthony Sahagun. Sahagun stepped in front of an errant pass and took the pick all the way back for the Bruins final score, and first win.

"Evan had to come out because he had blood on his elbow," Smith recounted. "So we sent Sahagun in there, and his only snap at safety, he makes the read, breaks to the sideline, picks the ball, and then takes it 45-yards to the house."