Anticipated preseason contests did not go off as planned this past week for the Bruins. Not much to report this week, in fact, for sports fans across the region as the smoky skies in the North Central Valley forced cancellations and postponements of competitions at all school levels. Officials are hoping once the holiday week is over and school resumes, the sports seasons can continue on schedule as well.

The boys basketball preseason games for the Bruins, meanwhile, a scrimmage against Sierra High on Tuesday and against Enochs on Friday, were both cancelled. Preseason boys and girls soccer matches on Friday were cancelled as well due the poor air quality.

This week, the basketball team’s Foundation Games were scheduled for Monday evening, Nov. 19 with the Lady Bruins varsity set for 6 p.m. and the Bruin boys varsity starting at 7 p.m., and by press time, the games were still on.

The girls aren’t scheduled to play again until after Thanksgiving, but the boys were expecting to host games on Tuesday, Nov. 20 as well.

Soccer girls were hoping to play at Linden on Tuesday and at Stagg on Wednesday, air quality permitting. Soccer boys were expecting to host Linden on Tuesday, after The News went to press.

This past week in sports, Riverbank High School Athletic Director John Bartlett announced that the Fall Sports Awards banquet has been canceled. He cited the conflicts with winter sports that have already begun playing in addition to the unavailability of some coaches. He said awards would be presented in separate sports gatherings as their coaches could schedule them.

One, the cross country team, has reportedly already held its awards event.