Although it seems like just yesterday, school has been out for a month, and Riverbank High School football players have been taking advantage of time off in their summer for both offensive and defensive team drills.

The 2016 fall season looms nearly two months away, but last week squads from both sides of the ball scrimmaged on the RHS practice field.

Trying to avoid the hottest part of the day, drills started at 6 p.m. Thursday, with 6-on-6 plays. It was offense against defense groups, emphasizing pass plays and pass defense.

Squads rotated often, with lots of opportunities to hydrate through the evening.

Bruins varsity head coach Kit Jory noted that the Riverbank teams will be off until August for the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) required “dead periods,” when organized practice is not allowed. The CIF is the governing body for high school sports in the state and sets the rules and regulations for all teams.

Junior Bruins To Host Jamboree

Also last week, the Junior Bruins boosters, Riverbank’s Youth Football program, learned that they will be hosting the league jamboree games this season.

The all-day scrimmage games give the league’s teams an opportunity to get their first taste of full contact before the regular season starts. The jamboree is scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 13, at the Angelo Novi Stadium on the Riverbank High School campus.

The Junior Bruins’ regular first league game is scheduled for Sept. 17.