With the finishing touches on a tough season mere minutes away, the Riverbank High varsity football team closed out its 2008 campaign with its biggest statement as they fought valiantly over the final two periods on Friday night, only to fall to the Hughson Huskies 38-23 in the season finale.
The Bruins responded to a double-digit halftime deficit with arguably the most heart and determination that the squad has put forth this season. Hughson came into the contest with a great deal of respect in league play as they battled Trans-Valley League champion Escalon to a 20-6 loss and put up nearly 40 points in another TVL loss to Modesto Christian.
Nonetheless, Riverbank gave Hughson enough to think about after the Huskies jumped out to a 25-0 halftime lead. With the challenges that the Bruins have faced over the season's 10-game schedule, seeing the team mount a legitimate comeback spoke volumes as to where Bruin head coach Paul Smith is leading this program.
After the Huskies pushed across their fifth touchdown in the contest, Riverbank responded in a way that they have a handful of times this season - with a jaw-dropping display from senior standout Donovan Wallace.
Wallace took the ensuing Hughson kickoff 95 yards for the Bruins' first touchdown score in two weeks. Jesus Morales followed Wallace's act by completing the PAT and igniting a fire under the Bruins that only the game clock held the power to stop.
The Bruins went on to torch the Huskies for the second most points that Hughson allowed throughout its entire TVL schedule, as well as giving Riverbank its season-high total on the scoreboard in just two periods of action.
The Bruins saw Jorge Avila haul in a touchdown pass from Shane Gaynor, a Morales field goal and a Gaynor touchdown run close out their season and snatch a ton of respect from the Bruin faithful in attendance.
Riverbank closed out the challenging TVL season without a mark in the victory column, but their effort, not only in the finale, but throughout the season, has clearly revealed to the Riverbank community that this season was far from a loss. The Bruins went 1-9 and the solid showing in the finale will give them something to build on for next season.
The Bruins responded to a double-digit halftime deficit with arguably the most heart and determination that the squad has put forth this season. Hughson came into the contest with a great deal of respect in league play as they battled Trans-Valley League champion Escalon to a 20-6 loss and put up nearly 40 points in another TVL loss to Modesto Christian.
Nonetheless, Riverbank gave Hughson enough to think about after the Huskies jumped out to a 25-0 halftime lead. With the challenges that the Bruins have faced over the season's 10-game schedule, seeing the team mount a legitimate comeback spoke volumes as to where Bruin head coach Paul Smith is leading this program.
After the Huskies pushed across their fifth touchdown in the contest, Riverbank responded in a way that they have a handful of times this season - with a jaw-dropping display from senior standout Donovan Wallace.
Wallace took the ensuing Hughson kickoff 95 yards for the Bruins' first touchdown score in two weeks. Jesus Morales followed Wallace's act by completing the PAT and igniting a fire under the Bruins that only the game clock held the power to stop.
The Bruins went on to torch the Huskies for the second most points that Hughson allowed throughout its entire TVL schedule, as well as giving Riverbank its season-high total on the scoreboard in just two periods of action.
The Bruins saw Jorge Avila haul in a touchdown pass from Shane Gaynor, a Morales field goal and a Gaynor touchdown run close out their season and snatch a ton of respect from the Bruin faithful in attendance.
Riverbank closed out the challenging TVL season without a mark in the victory column, but their effort, not only in the finale, but throughout the season, has clearly revealed to the Riverbank community that this season was far from a loss. The Bruins went 1-9 and the solid showing in the finale will give them something to build on for next season.
