The kick-off game for Riverbank High’s varsity home football season launched as expected on Friday night, Aug. 25, but problems with the halftime cheerleading show put a damper on what was an otherwise successful beginning to the 2017 campaign.
A miscue on a cheer squad landing of a ‘flyer’ during the intermission resulted in an injury to one of the ‘catchers.’ It caused a significant delay in the game while parents and emergency medical responders treated the injury, then finally took the injured girl to the hospital.
As the crowd looked on, squad members danced to music from the public address system at Angelo Novi Stadium. Three flyers were hoisted above the group and began doing flips when the girl on the right seemed to have been missed somewhat by the catchers on that side of the formation.
A series of photographs of the group at the time shows two of the flyers on the ends tumbling in the air, then one of them on the ground, indicating how quickly the accident happened. It appeared that the flyer on the right was not properly caught and bounced into the legs of one of the other receivers.
After the formation disintegrated, a bit of confusion reigned on the field until a parent from the stands, who happened to be a nurse, went onto the field. Her daughter is a member of the cheer squad.
Paramedics from the attending ambulance crew came onto the field too, then had to go back for their gurney. Ambulances are no longer allowed on the track after the all-weather facility was installed two years ago.
Finally, the ambulance crew was able to push the gurney across the grass, the track, and into the ambulance. Am air ambulance also was dispatched but ultimately just circled in the air around the stadium, then returned to its base.
High school officials would not identify the squad member who was hurt, but the injury was described as a possible hyperextension of a knee.
The incident significantly extended the half-time break in the game, as players waited to warm up for the second half until the field was cleared.
Bruin Football Successful
The incident put a damper on what was otherwise a good evening of football for the Riverbank varsity team.
Hosting the Trojan-Warriors from Madison Park Academy from Oakland, the Bruins easily rolled to victory.
After losing the coin toss that starts the game and being forced to kick off first, the first four Madison offensive series fell victim to turnovers which resulted in touchdowns for Riverbank. Interceptions and fierce defense stopped the Trojans in their tracks early on, and the visitors seemed just never to get on track.
At the end of the first quarter, the Bruins led 42-0 and by the end of the first half, the lead had grown to 58-0.
After the extended halftime break, the Bruin coaches began using JV players in the backfield. Second half play also featured a running clock; which is standard procedure for high school football here when one team has at least a 35-point lead.
Madison didn’t field a JV team, so there was no early contest, but some of the JV Bruins were able to see some action in Friday’s varsity game.
The final score was 64-0.
This week, the Bruins host the Western Sierra Collegiate Academy from Rocklin. The Wolves also field no JV team, so Friday’s action is set to begin at 7 p.m. in Angelo Novi Stadium on the RHS campus. They’ll host a third home game in a row next week.
Volleyball Travels For Tournament
Also this week, Riverbank volleyball girls were preparing for their 2017 volleyball season with practices after school each day.
The varsity girls headed to Newman for the Orestimba Tournament on Saturday, Aug. 26. Coach Angela Cuellar said the team did well in its initial outing, coming in fourth in the ‘platinum’ division of the competition.
The varsity team was scheduled to travel to Ceres on Monday, Aug. 28 to take on the Lady Bulldogs in this season’s Foundation Game. It’s an early season game that raises funds for local school sports programs.
On Tuesday, the Lady Bruins were scheduled to head to Galt to play at Liberty Ranch High School, with both JV and varsity teams competing.
Wednesday, Aug. 30, Riverbank is scheduled to host its first match of the season, with Argonaut High School’s Lady Mustangs coming to town. Games are scheduled for 5 p.m. for the JV girls and 6 p.m. for the varsity squad.
They’re back on the road tomorrow, Aug. 31, but just over to Modesto, visiting Grace M. Davis High School’s Lady Spartans at the Rumble Road campus.
RHS Cross Country
The distance runners of Bruin Cross Country teams are scheduled to travel to Ceres for the Kim Duyst Invitational at River Oaks Golf Course all day on Friday, Sept. 1.
