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Winter Sports Finish League Play With Last Home Games
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Riverbank senior Jesus Garcia, 22, bounces a pass off of his chest in the first half of last Thursday’s varsity boys soccer match. It was the last home game of the season, with the Bruins blanking the Cougars of Escalon, 2-0, and now heading to the Sac-Joaquin Division V Section playoffs.
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Lady Bruin senior Alysia Beecroft, 12, pulls up to take shot in the first quarter of last week’s varsity girls basketball game. The Feb. 7 contest was the last home game for the 2018-19 Trans-Valley League season, where senior players and their families were recognized and introduced to the crowd before the game started.

The Trans-Valley League winter seasons wound down this past week, with final games, both on the road, but also with last appearance by Riverbank High School seniors on their home courts and fields.

 

Last Basketball Bounces

On Tuesday, Feb. 5, the Bruin varsity boys basketball team recorded a resounding victory at home against arch rival Ripon Christian, a team noted for its height, and an accompanying winning record.

The jam packed crowd was on hand at the Ray Fauria Memorial Gymnasium, honoring Riverbank seniors that night who would be playing the last home game of their careers. What the crowd got, though, was an action-packed, runaway game in which the Bruins maintained control almost from the tip-off.

They were ahead by two after the first quarter, but stretched that to a 20-point margin by halftime. They ended up defeating the Knights, 76-50, in the end.

The Bruins concluded their TVL season with a road win in Livingston on Friday, Feb. 8, taking down the host Wolves 71-60, and were headed to the playoffs this week.

 

Lady Bruins Finish Season

Varsity basketball concluded for the Riverbank girls, with a game at Ripon Christian on Tuesday, Feb. 5, then their last game at home, against Livingston, on Thursday, closing out the season. Unfortunately, the Lady Bruins suffered a 51-28 loss to the Lady Knights, and a similar, 51-19, final at home to the Lady Wolves.

Though they ended with a losing TVL record, the locals played hard in every contest, but most times were faced with opponents with taller teams and more consistent outside shooting.

 

Bruin Soccer

Varsity boys soccer saw a relatively crowded grandstand, hosting Escalon for their version of Senior Night, on Thursday, Feb. 7. The Bruins scored twice in the first half and were able to shut out the Cougars for the remainder of the match, resulting in a 2-0 Riverbank win as they completed TVL play. By virtue of an earlier week win at Hilmar, the Bruins punched their own ticket to the playoffs, as the win against Escalon gave them a better TVL mark and the third and final playoff spot.

Riverbank ended with a TVL record of 7-4-1, and were in the Division V playoff bracket, which was to begin Tuesday in Sacramento.

 

Lady Bruin Soccer

Varsity girls soccer finished its 2018-19 season on the road last week, with a 10-0 loss to the Lady Yellowjackets in Hilmar on Feb. 5, and a 5-0 loss at Escalon, to the Lady Cougars on Thursday, Feb. 7. Riverbank ended with a 1-9 TVL record.