Riverbank High School boys placed third out of six cross-country teams at the TVL Championships - a reasonable showing considering the school only had five boys in the race.

Omar Fernandez led the Bruin team with fifth place in a time of 17:35 for the three- mile course.

Isaac Montoya placed eighth in 18:03; Robbie Searway, 14th, in 18:40; Justin Smith, 15th, in 19:07; and Tanner Nabors, 31st, in 20:32.

Team scores were Escalon 30; Hughson, 58; Riverbank, 62; Ripon, 93; and Livingston, 109.

Escalon's champion, Mark Backovich, won the race going away in a time of 17:04.

"Omar should have been second, on a good day, and Isaac, third" commented Bruin coach Bruce Edwards.

Searway's knee had been bothering him, he added, and he only ran so Riverbank had a full team.

Smith and Nabors are both freshmen. Josh Alpers, who has only just joined the team, did not compete because he too has knee problems.

"Considering we had only five guys running, sophomores and juniors, and took third, we did OK," said Edwards.

Looking forward to sub-sections this Saturday at Angels Camp, Edwards said he has left it up to his team to decide whether they run as a sophomore team or as individuals.

"Omar has a chance of reaching the state meet if he runs as an individual," he said.