Varsity Football Victory Caps Homecoming Activities

Bruin Wrap 9-27-23

Three defensive players push the Burton High quarterback into his end zone, where he drops the ball, creating the first two points of the game for Riverbank at last Friday’s varsity football game. It was a great start for the Homecoming celebration, with a safety that put the home team ahead early, 2-0. They ended up posting their third win of the season, the first on their home field.

SAFETY — Three defensive players push the Burton High quarterback into his end zone, where he drops the ball, creating the first two points of the game for Riverbank at last Friday’s varsity football game. It was a great start for the Homecoming celebration, with a safety that put the home team ahead early, 2-0. They ended up posting their third win of the season, the first on their home field.

NEWS PHOTOS BY RIC MCGINNIS

Spirit Week activities concluded with the Homecoming football game on the Riverbank High campus this past Friday, with the Bruins notching another win, the first at home this season. It was a satisfying way to cap the busy week.

The night before, the girls of the Junior/Sophomore class team defeated the Senior/Frosh unit in the Homecoming Powder Puff flag football game, also in the Angelo Novi Stadium on campus.

Bruin Football

The varsity squad hosted a team from Burton High School in San Francisco. Riverbank continues its independent league schedule on the way to a new league assignment dictated by the CIF, California Interscholastic Federation, for the 2024 fall season. The Bruins will move in to the Mother Lode League.

Their Friday night opponent, from Burto, traveled from their San Francisco high school located near Hunter’s Point and named for Phillip Burton and his wife Sala. He served as San Francisco’s Representative in the U.S. Congress, from 1964 to 1983. When he died in ‘83, his wife took over the office, serving until 1987.

The Bruins didn’t disappoint the hometown fans for the Homecoming contest, scoring first, with about three minutes remaining in the first quarter, with a safety, earning them two points. Three linemen captured the Puma quarterback in the end zone. Just a little later, the host team scored a touchdown, missing the PAT, but ending the frame with a 9-0 lead.

Burton managed to score in the second quarter, ending the half down, 9-6. Riverbank scored again in the third frame, and held on for the 16-6 victory.

The only downside of the contest was the news reported on Thursday that Burton would not be sending a JV team. They only had 10 qualified players remaining after an outbreak of COVID had sidelined the others.

The Bruin squads are to host the Bulldogs of Gridley this Friday, Sept. 29.

Lady Bruin Golf

Girls golf coach Ismael Mercado reported that his team wrapped up their first round of matches last Tuesday at the Jack Tone Course, against Ripon. He said his squad lost, but noted that Ripon is still undefeated in Trans-Valley League play.

“We played them tough,” he said, adding that “We go into the mid-year tournament with a 2-3 record.”

He said they were to play in that tournament on Monday, in Manteca. The second round of TVL play begins for the girls on Thursday, Sept. 28 against Escalon.

Lady Bruin Volleyball

Girls volleyball had only one match scheduled for this past week, against Modesto Christian, but it was called off. The schedule had them traveling to face off against Ripon earlier this week, and hosting Hughson on the home court on Sept. 27.

Co-Ed Cross Country

The runners are set for the second of the TVL meets on Wednesday, Sept. 27, at River Bluff Park in Ceres, then will travel to take part in an invitational at Folsom High School on Saturday, Sept. 30.

The first half of the Powder Puff Football Game at Angelo Novi Field on Thursday night saw the Senior/Frosh squad, in black, working hard to move the ball down the field, ultimately scoring a touchdown near the end of that first frame. The Junior/Sophomore team fought back, however, managing to score twice in the second half, including one TD in the last minute and a half, to take the 14-6 victory. With the absence of rosters and custom, handmade shirts, it remained difficult to identify individual players on the flag football teams.

PP SENIOR — The first half of the Powder Puff Football Game at Angelo Novi Field on Thursday night saw the Senior/Frosh squad, in black, working hard to move the ball down the field, ultimately scoring a touchdown near the end of that first frame. The Junior/Sophomore team fought back, however, managing to score twice in the second half, including one TD in the last minute and a half, to take the 14-6 victory. With the absence of rosters and custom, handmade shirts, it remained difficult to identify individual players on the flag football teams.

Despite the hustle and bustle of the halftime coronation of Riverbank High’s Homecoming Queen and King on Friday, the Bruin Cheer Squad still takes time for a presentation of their own. The event was notable because, with only four home games scheduled this season, they would lose the opportunity to perform for RHS football fans. But they took the field and managed to get the full routine in before the second half play got underway.

CHEER 1 — Despite the hustle and bustle of the halftime coronation of Riverbank High’s Homecoming Queen and King on Friday, the Bruin Cheer Squad still takes time for a presentation of their own. The event was notable because, with only four home games scheduled this season, they would lose the opportunity to perform for RHS football fans. But they took the field and managed to get the full routine in before the second half play got underway.

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