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Bruins Heat Up Spring Sports Action
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With students back in school after the week off for Spring Break, Riverbank High sports programs got back into the thick of Trans-Valley League play and tournament competition. Following is a summary of the recent prep sports action.

Baseball

Riverbank High's varsity boys baseball team gave Escalon much better games the second and third times around, but fell in 9-1 and 11-1 contests during the week to drop to 0-7 in Trans-Valley League play, 0-17-1 overall.

The Cougars have outscored opponents 149-30 this season, and showed why with a 10-hit rally and eight-run win on Wednesday. Riverbank collected five hits in the loss, but could only plate one run as they traveled to face the Cougars in Escalon.

Two days later, the visiting Cougars jumped to a 5-0 first inning lead and added the same tally in the third frame. Riverbank scored once in the fifth to chance extending the contest past the fifth inning, but couldn't add another tick on the scoreboard and the game ended on the 10-run rule with an 11-1 loss for the Bruins.

Riverbank hosts Modesto Christian today, April 21, to continue TVL play.

Track

The varsity Bruin boys were fifth at the County Meet at Modesto Junior College on Friday while Riverbank's girls ended ninth.

Christian Vega won the triple jump with a 42 foot, 2 inch leap while Jose Moreno ended second in the shot put and fourth in the discus.

Alex Reyes sped to third place times in both the 1600 and 3200 meter runs. Casey DeYoung added a third place height in the pole vault.

A third place finish among all 400-relay teams paved the way for Riverbank's girls. Mariella Vigil, Genisa Contreras, Adriana Rosales and Jade Finch rounded out the legs.

Adriana Rosales also finished fourth in the 800 with a new personal record of 2 minutes, 32 seconds. She beat her previous best by five seconds.

Lizzie Uscanga added a fourth place time in the 3200 after a personal best of 12:35 while Tatiana Garcia tossed to a new best distance in the shot put with a 29-8 throw to finish fifth.

"Overall, we had a lot of personal records," Riverbank coach Monte Wood said. "We continue to get better, and that is all I ask."

The Bruins host Ripon today, April 21, at 3:30 p.m.

Soccer

The Lady Bruins dropped a 5-0 game to Escalon on April 12 and played to another tie against Modesto Christian with a 1-1 deadlock two days later.

The young Bruins (0-6-2 TVL, 2-9-2 overall) have forced two of Modesto Christian's five TVL ties this season.

Riverbank is at Hughson today, April 21 at 4:30 p.m.

Golf

Returning sophomore Zach Vannest has dramatically improved last season's scores and leads a young group of golfers in a difficult TVL season. Riverbank has been forced to forfeit a portion of their league meets, but coach John Heaton has seen improvement and credits assistant Charlie Floyd for his active tutelage in the program.

Riverbank has four league matches left on the schedule, and Heaton expects Vannest to continue his sharp play this year and contend for top scores in future seasons.

"It is my belief, that by next season, he will be putting up scores that will compete with some of the league's best golfers," Heaton said. "I am also encouraged that in the next few years we will have kids playing that are the products of the First Tee program."

Riverbank hosts Escalon on Thursday, April 22 at 3:30 p.m.