Winter season athletes have completed their sports, with the varsity Lady Bruins taking a loss on the basketball court and two wrestlers representing Riverbank at the Masters Meet.
Girls Basketball
The Lady Bruins ended their season with an 18-11 overall record. They exited the first round of the CIF-SJS playoffs with a heartbreaking loss.
“It was an uncharacteristic loss for the Bruins. We scored a season low 18 points,” noted head coach Janelle Luu. “It was a bittersweet way to end the season. The team had overcome so much adversity and making the playoffs was an impressive feat on its own.”
Riverbank finished in third place in the Mother Lode League with a 7-3 record. They went in to the Sac-Joaquin Section Division 4 playoffs as the number seven seed and played host to the number 10 seed Amador Lady Buffaloes on Tuesday night, Feb. 17.
The first-round game went to the visitors by a final of 48-18, ending Riverbank’s season.
Amador would lose in the quarterfinal round on Feb. 19, falling to number two seed Liberty Ranch, 64-18.
For Riverbank, they had just four players get on the score sheet, as it was a tough shooting night for the team. Senior Leilani Olanolan paced the effort with nine points, one of the few times she was kept under double digits this season. Olanolan did record six steals.
Senior Jade Morimoto had five points, with senior Paloma Reyes and junior Isa Fernandez each scoring two points. Fernandez added four rebounds, an assist and a steal.
Also on the roster for Riverbank in the season finale were senior Mia Perez, junior Mia Fuentes, sophomore Arizona Navarro and freshman Yazmin Dominguez.
“I am so proud of this group. Through all of the ups and downs of the season, they remained joyful,” noted coach Luu. “They brought back my love for the game, and for that I will forever be grateful!”
Wrestling
At the Masters Meet hosted in Stockton, Feb. 20 and 21, Riverbank had two wrestlers taking the mats. Gabe Sandoval wrestled in the heavyweight division, ending an 11-year drought for Bruin grapplers in reaching the Masters. Also, Lady Bruin Peyton Shrider wrestled at 155 pounds and was only the second female RHS wrestler to advance to Masters competition.
“Gabe and Peyton each went 2-2 in the Masters Tournament,” head coach Khrys Daniel said. “Though they didn’t qualify for State we are still extremely proud to break our absence from the Masters Tournament and one being the second girl ever (at Masters) for RHS.”
Now that the winter season has concluded, Bruin athletes turn their attention to a full slate of sports for the spring. Riverbank High has baseball, softball, track and field, boys golf, boys volleyball and co-ed tennis.
