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Spring Sports Start For Bruin Squads
Verdin
Riverbank High catcher Fabian Verdin (33) scores the first of three first-inning runs in varsity boys baseball action on Wednesday, March 4, at home against the Calaveras Redskins. The non-league game was the first win for the Bruins at home in the 2015 campaign. RHS ended on top 3-1. Ric McGinnis/The News

 

With winter giving way to spring soon and Daylight Savings Time effective this past weekend, basketball made way for track and field, tennis, golf, baseball, softball and girls soccer on the Riverbank High School campus.

Riverbank’s varsity girls basketball team was the last winter sport standing, and they wound down with a loss in the first round of the Sac-Joaquin playoffs at Sonora on Feb. 24. If the Lady Bruins had beaten the Wildcats in the opening round game, they would have faced Bradshaw Christian in the next round. The BC girls, from Sacramento, went on to win the championship at ARCO Arena on Saturday, March 7.

With basketball done, the spring teams got busy, and are gearing up for the start of league play.

Following is a wrap of the spring sports competitions, with the bulk of spring players in action.

 

BASEBALL

The Riverbank boys teams took to their diamonds beginning on Feb. 28. The varsity Bruins took both games of a home doubleheader with 3-2 and 3-1 wins against Summerville.

On Wednesday, March 4, the varsity beat Calaveras 3-1 at home and was to play in Waterford on March 7, past presstime for The News.

Boys baseball was also scheduled to travel to Escalon on Tuesday, March 10, then host the Cougars on Thursday, March 12.

 

SOFTBALL

The Lady Bruin softball teams traveled to Sonora to kick off their seasons. The varsity girls took a 13-1 beating on Wednesday, March 4, then returned home the next day for the three-day Waterford Tournament at Rainbow Fields. They started by defeating Central Catholic 10-6, then fighting to a 5-5 standstill against Summerville, both on Thursday, March 5.

After a day off on Friday, they returned to the fields for a 4-1 loss against Pitman of Turlock followed by a 5-0 win against Modesto High on Saturday.

RHS girls were to travel to Escalon on Monday, March 9, then go to Ripon on the 11th, play against Central Catholic on the 12th and host Modesto Christian on Friday, March 13, for a very busy softball week.

 

GIRLS SOCCER

Earlier, the Lady Bruin soccer team lost a close first match, 4-3 at Lathrop on Feb. 27 to start things off for the 2015 campaign. They lost at Davis 1-0 on March 2.

Girls soccer got its first home game in against Sonora, dropping another close one, 1-0, to the Lady Wildcats this past week.

The Buffalo Tournament in Manteca saw RHS go down to Bear Creek of Stockton, 2-1, on March 6, then lose with an 8-0 deficit against Manteca on Saturday, March 7.

Riverbank is scheduled to host Amador of Sutter Creek on Wednesday, March 11, then travel to the Mo-Hi Tournament in Modesto on March 13 and 14.

 

TRACK AND FIELD

The Riverbank runners and vaulters got under way with an appearance at the Tom Moore Invitational hosted by Sierra High School in Manteca this past Saturday, March 7. The Stanislaus County Meet is scheduled for Friday, March 13, at Turlock High School. The Trans-Valley League Challenge is set for Wednesday, March 18 at Ripon High.