Before they stepped on to the stage and received their high school diplomas this past week, four Riverbank High School standout Lady Bruin athletes signed their letters of intent to continue their sports in college.

The ceremony, in May, was hosted in the Ray Fauria Gymnasium on campus, with family and friends, as well as teachers and coaches in attendance. RHS Athletic Director Juan Harvey introduced each of the seniors, including Emmah Montes, Maya Guzman, Gianna Cruz and Giselle Fernandez. It was the most NCAA signees from a single graduating class at RHS, said Harvey.

Montes will attend Stanislaus State in Turlock and play soccer; Guzman will also be attending Stanislaus State and play softball. Cruz will run cross country and track and field at University of the Pacific in Stockton; Fernandez will do cross country and track and field at Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, Arizona.

“It’s a very special milestone for these four outstanding student athletes,” Harvey told the crowd. “Today is about more than just athletics; it represents years of dedication, discipline, and support from these young ladies’ families, coaches, teammates and teachers. We’re here to recognize that hard work has these students taking the next step in both their academic and athletic journeys.”

Javier Luna served as the varsity soccer coach and shared that Emmah Montes said at the beginning of the season that she wasn’t necessarily interested in playing at a higher level … but that changed as the season moved along.

“She is probably one of the hardest working students that we have, always giving 100 percent,” Luna said. “She made the other girls better on the team through her leadership, and through just motivating them, leading by example.”

Also taking a turn at the podium was varsity softball coach Jeff Borden, who coached Maya Guzman for four years in softball.

“She belongs in the athletic Hall of Fame, for sure,” he said of the standout athlete, who participated in – and excelled at – multiple sports during her years at RHS.

As a freshman, Borden said, she was primarily a shortstop, then shared the pitching duties with her older sister her sophomore year. As a junior and senior, she handled the bulk of the pitching for Riverbank, helping lead the team to the playoffs.

“She had 649 strikeouts in 384 innings,” Borden pointed out, averaging just under two strikeouts per inning.

For her high school career, Guzman had a .525 batting average, 23 home runs, 121 stolen bases and had a .942 fielding percentage.

“We’re just really fortunate that she’s going to continue to play the great game of softball locally so we can be her biggest fans,” Borden said.

Head cross country coach Monte Wood spoke of Gianna Cruz, who he said probably never imagined herself signing with UOP, especially not as she contemplated quitting cross country as she began her freshman year.

“She is my daughter’s best friend’s little sister and I have known her most of her life,” Wood shared, noting that Cruz’s story is one of perseverance and not giving up, no matter the obstacle. The coach became emotional when he noted that only a handful of people know the true struggles Cruz faced, but she stayed focused and pushed through.

“She even at times had to get out of her own way,” Wood said. “But she did it. She is a story that is amazing.”

He said her heading to UOP on a scholarship is a testament to what hard work, determination and talent can bring, also pointing out that Cruz made the most of her opportunities by “listening to the right people” and refusing to give up.

Finally, cross country coach Robert Searway spoke of Giselle Fernandez, who faced a daunting task when she arrived in high school.

“There was a lot of pressure on her from herself and from people who knew the legacy of her brother (German Fernandez, a Division I NCAA champion runner),” Searway said. “Coach Wood and I tried to talk about ‘this is a four-year journey for you; we want you to be the best that you can be without worrying about anything else’ … and she wanted to be great.”

It was, however, a process, not an overnight success story, the coach added.

“It really took a few years to believe in the process, to focus on what you have to do every day, that she bought into to get to where she is,” Searway said.

Fernandez has established her own legacy at Riverbank, including several school running records that Searway said will stand for a long time.

“It’s really a testament more to her work ethic, her dedication, her willingness to be coached, to be an amazing teammate, and friend, and competitor,” Searway noted of her success.

As for the athletes themselves, they are looking forward to the new challenges and adventures that lie ahead as they prepare for their collegiate athletic careers.

Emmah Montes: “I was very nervous, very excited though, it has been one of my longtime dreams. It has been a lot of work and dedication but I’m very excited to start, I just really appreciate everybody who supported me throughout my journey.”

Maya Guzman: “I’ve played softball probably my whole life, I got to play it with my sister and it’s where I made my best friendships so softball is definitely where my heart has been. I’m very exited to go play, I’m even more grateful that I have great coaches who want the best for me, want me to excel at every aspect of the game; pitching, defense, offensively … so I’m just really happy that I was able to find a place that will let me do everything and wants me to do everything that makes me happy.”

Gianna Cruz: “It means a lot and I’m just very grateful to my coaches for always believing in me and for all of the support that I got from the school as a whole. I’m really excited to go and meet new teammates and get to meet new people and live over there.”

Giselle Fernandez: “It feels really satisfying. I mean, it’s been a long journey over the past four years and I just want to give a shout out to my coaches, and to my friends and teammates for all the support because I wouldn’t be here without them.”