A flurry of games, matches and meets filled the schedule for Riverbank High School athletes this past week, as they wind down the spring campaign. Some Bruins will continue on to the postseason.
Here is a look at some of the recent action.
TRACK AND FIELD
On Thursday, April 23, Riverbank had a league dual meet against Summerville High School and came away victorious, said coach Sam Gong. The varsity boys won by an 81-51 final while the varsity girls won 70-57.
“Friday (April 24) Riverbank hosted the annual German Fernandez Distance Carnival,” Gong added. “Fifteen Riverbank athletes competed and all 15 set personal records in their respective races.”
Keeping up the hectic pace, some team members took part in the Saturday, April 25 Sacramento Meet of Champions.
“Giselle Fernandez lowered her own school record in the 800-meter race, running a time of 2:14.60,” Gong said.
Additionally, the girls 4-by-800 relay team of Fernandez, Gianna Cruz, Antoinette Wilkerson and Samantha Silva set a new school record as well, completing the race in 10:00.88.
TENNIS
Taking part in the Mother Lode League Individual Tournament, head coach Bruce Edwards said some of the Bruin tennis players put together strong efforts.
“We qualified in three spots for the section individual tournament to be held at Oak Park in Stockton on Monday, May 18,” Edwards explained. “Nathalie Garcia won the singles tournament again and also got MVP for the second year in a row. It was not easy for her as she has been having wrist soreness for the last three weeks.”
The girls doubles team of Isabel Fernandez and Noemy Torres also took first in the Mother Lode League, the coach said, “sailing through” the competition.
The boys doubles team of Omar Gomez and Victor Jacobo took second in what Edwards termed a “very exciting match against an outstanding” Summerville team, with the Bears coming away with a 7-5, 6-3 decision.
“It clearly was the best tennis of the tournament,” said Edwards.
Riverbank got six All-League selections: Nathalie Garcia, girls singles 1; Emily Ramirez, girls singles 2; Isabel Fernandez and Ava Maez, girls doubles 1; Victor Jacobo, boys singles 1; and Elijah Zamora, boys singles 2.
On Friday, May 1, the fifth seed Bruins will host a match in the first round of section team playoffs against the 12 seed, Liberty Ranch.
“If we win, we would most likely play Woodland (number 4 seed) at their place in the quarterfinals on the following Tuesday, May 5,” Edwards said.
SOFTBALL
On the road at Big Valley Christian on Friday, April 24 for their only game of the week, the varsity Lady Bruin softball squad fell in a 14-5 decision. Maya Guzman went 2-for-4 with a home run, two runs scored and an RBI. Janelle Montoya added a double and an RBI and Peyton Shrider had a triple. Also contributing runs batted in were Arizona Navarro and Gabriella Gonzales.
The team was scheduled to play at Calaveras on April 28, then host Linden on Thursday, April 30 and host Big Valley Christian in the season finale on Monday, May 4.
BASEBALL
Games against Big Valley Christian on Friday and Saturday both went in the loss column for Riverbank’s varsity baseball team. They fell 9-3 at Big Valley on April 24, scoring single runs in the first, third and sixth innings. Isaiah Deras had a double.
Saturday, April 25 they hosted Big Valley and battled in a 10-9 heartbreaker, tying the game at 9-9 with five runs in the bottom of the fifth. But Big Valley scored the game winner in the top of the seventh. For the Bruins, Cody Martin had a double, two RBI and a run scored; Deras had a double and two runs scored; Austynn Givargiznia drove in two runs and Lorenzo Lopez had a double and a run scored. They were to play at Calaveras on April 28 and close out the season hosting Linden on April 30.
VOLLEYBALL
Closing out a very tough season – going 0-12 in league – the Riverbank varsity volleyball boys took on Ripon on April 21. The visiting Indians swept the Bruins, winning in scores of 2-11, 25-9, 25-9 over the host team.
