The spring season has spelled trouble of late for Riverbank High athletic programs, with intermittent highlights among a string of tough losses outside a sterling track and field program. Following is a summary of recent competition in soccer, baseball and track.
SOCCER
A pair of 1-1 ties to Modesto Christian and Ripon Christian in previous Trans-Valley League play indicates two good chances at the Lady Bruins' first TVL win this week on the varsity soccer field.
Riverbank played MC on Monday, though results were not available at press time. Today, May 5 the Bruins (0-10-3 TVL, 2-13-3 overall) get a shot at Ripon Christian (2-8-2, 8-8-3) as well.
Riverbank is deep into a 15-game streak of ties and losses, the latest a 5-0 defeat against visiting Escalon (9-3) and a 10-0 drubbing by host Ripon (11-0-1).
In the Ripon game, Kaitlynn Deabenderfer saved 17 shots on goal, taking over the netminder role for half the game, and Adriana Ramirez stopped six, but the Indians delivered shots from 15 different players and found their mark on 10 of the 42 attempts.
Celina Lopez was unable to find the Ripon net on any of her seven shots, and saw the same number of attempts on goal from the rest of her teammates combined also fall short of reaching the back of the net.
Against Escalon on Wednesday, April 28, the visiting Lady Cougars grabbed an early lead, firing in three goals in the first five minutes of the contest. They went on to add two more and Riverbank was able to get off roughly a half dozen shots in the contest, but they couldn't get any past the tandem of keepers the Cougars used on the afternoon.
The team hosts Ripon Christian today at 4:30 p.m.
BASEBALL
Five unearned runs in the second and third innings proved too much to overcome for Riverbank's varsity baseball team on Wednesday in a 6-0 loss to Ripon Christian.
Miguel Hernandez belted three hits in three at bats but was the lone Bruin to collect a base knock.
On Thursday, Hernandez went 2-for-3 in a 15-4 loss to the visiting Knights.
"Miguel had a very good week," Riverbank coach Ismael Mercado said. "He just really enjoys the game and he plays hard every day."
Riverbank (0-11, 0-21-1) is at Hughson (2-9, 4-16) today, Wednesday, May 5 at 4 p.m. The Huskies won the last meeting by just one run.
TRACK AND FIELD
The Bruins kept up sharp league performances with wins over both Ripon and Modesto Christian in a three-team meet on Wednesday, April 28.
Jackie Herrera took the 1600 meter race while Lizzie Uscanga was second in the event and added a first place time in the 3200. Nia Zamora won both the 100 and 300 hurdles as well.
Jorge Gomez and Robert Martinez paced the Bruin boys with victories in all four of their events. Martinez set a new personal best of 42 feet to win the triple jump and also took the long jump with a new best distance of 19-10.
Cesar Ramos won the shot put with a new top throw of 43-3 while Bill Bairos returned to the track strong (following a January surgery) with a discus win at 124 feet.
"At the end of the meet we always ask for new personal records and almost every kid raised their hand, which is a good sign that our kids continue to improve," Bruin coach Monte Wood said. "I thought the girls competition would be closer, but our girls really stepped up and ran well."
Freshmen and sophomores took on the Escalon Sunrise Rotary JV Invitational on Friday, and saw a team win from the Bruin girls and a fourth place finish by the Riverbank boys.
Christian Contreras, Kenny Veliz, Alex Reynaga, and Robert Martinez turned in a winning 400 relay to highlight competition.
The Bruins are at Hughson today in the final TVL meet of the season. The league championships are on May 12.
SOCCER
A pair of 1-1 ties to Modesto Christian and Ripon Christian in previous Trans-Valley League play indicates two good chances at the Lady Bruins' first TVL win this week on the varsity soccer field.
Riverbank played MC on Monday, though results were not available at press time. Today, May 5 the Bruins (0-10-3 TVL, 2-13-3 overall) get a shot at Ripon Christian (2-8-2, 8-8-3) as well.
Riverbank is deep into a 15-game streak of ties and losses, the latest a 5-0 defeat against visiting Escalon (9-3) and a 10-0 drubbing by host Ripon (11-0-1).
In the Ripon game, Kaitlynn Deabenderfer saved 17 shots on goal, taking over the netminder role for half the game, and Adriana Ramirez stopped six, but the Indians delivered shots from 15 different players and found their mark on 10 of the 42 attempts.
Celina Lopez was unable to find the Ripon net on any of her seven shots, and saw the same number of attempts on goal from the rest of her teammates combined also fall short of reaching the back of the net.
Against Escalon on Wednesday, April 28, the visiting Lady Cougars grabbed an early lead, firing in three goals in the first five minutes of the contest. They went on to add two more and Riverbank was able to get off roughly a half dozen shots in the contest, but they couldn't get any past the tandem of keepers the Cougars used on the afternoon.
The team hosts Ripon Christian today at 4:30 p.m.
BASEBALL
Five unearned runs in the second and third innings proved too much to overcome for Riverbank's varsity baseball team on Wednesday in a 6-0 loss to Ripon Christian.
Miguel Hernandez belted three hits in three at bats but was the lone Bruin to collect a base knock.
On Thursday, Hernandez went 2-for-3 in a 15-4 loss to the visiting Knights.
"Miguel had a very good week," Riverbank coach Ismael Mercado said. "He just really enjoys the game and he plays hard every day."
Riverbank (0-11, 0-21-1) is at Hughson (2-9, 4-16) today, Wednesday, May 5 at 4 p.m. The Huskies won the last meeting by just one run.
TRACK AND FIELD
The Bruins kept up sharp league performances with wins over both Ripon and Modesto Christian in a three-team meet on Wednesday, April 28.
Jackie Herrera took the 1600 meter race while Lizzie Uscanga was second in the event and added a first place time in the 3200. Nia Zamora won both the 100 and 300 hurdles as well.
Jorge Gomez and Robert Martinez paced the Bruin boys with victories in all four of their events. Martinez set a new personal best of 42 feet to win the triple jump and also took the long jump with a new best distance of 19-10.
Cesar Ramos won the shot put with a new top throw of 43-3 while Bill Bairos returned to the track strong (following a January surgery) with a discus win at 124 feet.
"At the end of the meet we always ask for new personal records and almost every kid raised their hand, which is a good sign that our kids continue to improve," Bruin coach Monte Wood said. "I thought the girls competition would be closer, but our girls really stepped up and ran well."
Freshmen and sophomores took on the Escalon Sunrise Rotary JV Invitational on Friday, and saw a team win from the Bruin girls and a fourth place finish by the Riverbank boys.
Christian Contreras, Kenny Veliz, Alex Reynaga, and Robert Martinez turned in a winning 400 relay to highlight competition.
The Bruins are at Hughson today in the final TVL meet of the season. The league championships are on May 12.
