Riverbank teams stayed busy with a full slate of competition this past week, some teams hitting the road and some playing at home. Here is a wrap of the contests.
Girls Volleybal
The Lady Bruins continue to pull out winning matches as their pre-season schedule moves along. Last week, they came up with two wins, both stretching to five games, one on the road, the second at home.
On Tuesday, Sept. 3, they found themselves at Gustine High School, where they won the non-league match, 25-20, 22-25, 23-25, 25-22 and 15-11.
The next day, they were back at it, on the home court, taking a match from the Lady Bulldogs of Ceres but falling in the first two, 20-25, 18-25. Then, they came on strong, winning 25-23, 25-20 and 15-12. They took last year’s match in five as well.
The JV team finished 2-1 in their match, 18-25, 25-16, and 8-15.
Volleyball continues on Wednesday, Sept. 11, with RHS hosting Ripon in Trans-Valley League action. They were also scheduled to take on Modesto Christian on Sept. 9, after The News went to press and host Hughson on Monday, Sept. 16.
Bruin Football
Riverbank hosted Stone Ridge Christian High School of Merced in a non-league game on Friday, Sept. 6, losing 49-7 to the visiting Knights. The JV Bruins also lost, 41-6.
Coach Anthony Buich commented: “Hopefully these kids will learn a lot from this game. Stone Ridge is a disciplined team with a couple standout players.”
The first year head coach for the Bruins added that his team is still on a learning curve and needs to focus on discipline.
“Offense is about finesse and timing, where defense is about discipline and responsibilities,” he explained. “Our group is at the beginning of that process still. Bottom line in our coaches’ minds, you have to come to work hard in practice so you can compete in games. We don’t. Sports is a formula, nothing more.”
The Bruins will look to improve on their current formula as the preseason continues, working toward the TVL schedule.
This week, the football team will be on the road, traveling to Tracy to take on the Millennium Falcons on Friday, Sept. 13. Their next home game won’t be until Sept. 27 against Ripon.
Cross Country
The Bruin Cross Country squads participated in the first of three Trans-Valley League meets to be held in Modesto this season, traveling for the meet on Sept. 4.
Both the girls and boys squads ran at the Tuolumne River Regional Park. Their next meet there will be on Sept. 25, and again on Oct. 30.
At the first TVL meet, freshman Daynara Ruvalcaba won the girls JV race while sophomore Nick Mangiapane won the boys JV race.
“The varsity girls finished fourth overall. Four of the six girls were running their first 5k ever and the conditions were a little tough,” said coach Monte Wood. “I thought they ran a fairly smart race. They didn’t take out too fast, and they were able to stay close together for most of the race.”
Wood added that senior Miriam Albor did a very nice job of taking out the pace with about two miles to go when the other girls began to slow down.
“This was our first race of the year, so I suspect they will race much better after getting acclimated to racing the longer distance,” the coach said.
The varsity boys finished second overall.
“We didn't run as well as we would have liked to, but with the second place finish we are still in the hunt for the TVL title,” Wood noted. “Senior Nico Pulido ran his first 5k ever and did a fantastic job. We really believe that he will improve a lot as the season progresses. Senior Isaac Andalon also ran a good race. He set a PR on the course in his first race of the year. He has done a great job getting ready for this season.”
The next race for the runners will be Saturday, Sept. 14 at the River Oaks Golf Course in Ceres.
“This is a night race and only a 4k distance, but it should be fun and help us get ready for the Woodbridge Invitational on Friday night, September 20,” Wood said.
Girls Golf
Lady Bruin linksters were to compete in the Yellowjacket Invitational at Micke Grove Golf Course in Stockton on Monday, Sept. 9, then were to be back on their home course, hosting Livingston on Sept. 10 at the Escalon Golf Course. Thursday, Sept. 12 they will be on the road against Denair.
