COVID concerns caused postponement for two of Riverbank’s teams and their scheduled games last week, but competition in the Trans-Valley League is fully underway.
Basketball games between Hughson and Riverbank, for both boys and girls, scheduled for Wednesday last week (Jan. 12) had to be postponed by concerns for team members and coaches.
RHS Athletic Director Juan Harvey noted that the state’s overseeing authority, the California Interscholastic Federation, has relaxed its prohibition against allowing competition on Sundays just in case those days might be needed to fit in make-up games to keep the end of the season on schedule.
No word yet on when the make-ups might be, but Harvey usually issues a sports schedule at the beginning of each week, for both the athletes as well as the teachers and school staff that might be effected by them.
Meanwhile, games for the soccer squads were played, both home and away.
Lady Bruin Soccer
Riverbank girls were able to kick off their TVL schedule with two matches on the home pitch last week.
On Wednesday, Jan. 12, they hosted Hilmar’s Lady Yellowjackets, falling 2-0, then on Friday, Jan. 14, Escalon’s Lady Cougars came to town.
At game time, a bit of fog hovered over the field, between the lights and the playing surface, but by the game’s end it was a bit soupy everywhere for fans in the stands to see the competition.
EHS finished on top of that game, taking a 5-1 victory.
The girls were to host Livingston on Jan. 18, then travel to Hughson for a Jan. 19 contest.
Bruin Soccer
The boy’s team, on the other hand, saw better results than the girls, beating both their opponents on the road, Hilmar, 4-1, and Escalon, 2-1. Coach Harvey said that Riverbank’s team is currently ranked near the top of the TVL standings in soccer.
On Wednesday, Jan. 12, the RHS varsity boys soccer played at Hilmar, defeating the Yellowjackets, 4-1. Then on Friday, they played an afternoon match at Escalon, finishing 2-1, in a game that featured three yellow cards and one red card. Riverbank got the red in the second half and had to finish the game with 10 players but prevailed, tied 1-1 at the half and putting in the winning goal early in the second half.
This week, the Bruins were to travel to Livingston on Tuesday, Jan. 18 after The News went to press, then host Hughson on Jan. 19. There are only two weeks left in the season.
Bruin Basketball
Without the Hughson game last Wednesday, varsity boys basketball had the entire week off, but was to play again at Ripon Christian High School on Jan. 18, and are scheduled to play at Livingston on Friday, Jan. 21.
Lady Bruin Basketball
Girls basketball had only the postponed Hughson game scheduled last week, but were slated to return to action, hosting Ripon Christian on Jan. 18; and welcome Livingston to town on Thursday, Jan. 20.
