September 16, 2021
VOL. MMXXI, No. 2
RAM’S EAR R I O V I S TA H I G H S C H O O L
2006 graduate Ingalls accepts vice principal position
Photo courtesy of Mrs. Gornto
Boone Hurley (12) and Dominic Vieira (2021 graduate) weighing in at Lake Hartwell at the High School World Finals and National Championship in South Carolina on June 30-July 3.
Bass Team competes in South Carolina and Georgia
Photo by Brook Summitt
by Chloe McGahey, Staff Writer
Mrs. Ingalls settling in nicely to the vice principal’s office.
by Brook Summitt, Staff Writer
Words of Wisdom
which is exciting for her and looks forward to giving everyone new opportunities. She is excited for the challenge and also feels comfortable starting as vice principal in a place that she is familiar with. Her goal is to help students make decisions that relate to the real world and wants all kids that go through RVHS to become successful. By her being here, she hopes she makes an impact by giving the students someone to trust and by showing that she genuinely cares for every student. Ms. Ingalls also hopes to build relationships with each and every student.
to qualify in the 2021-2022 Worlds. They’re all friends on the bass team which makes fishing together more enjoyable for them. It is good that they all made a team out of something that they all love, and get together and have fun with it. Even if they don’t win they still have a good time together and cherish all of the moments they have made with each other. Fishing is a very relaxing thing to do, but you need to have the patience to fish and sit still. There are so many different ways to fish, like on a boat or a dock or on land. The Bass Team is a very exciting sport to be a part of. Having fun on the water and going out as a team is really the highlight of these students’ high school years. Knowing that they have good coaches and a good support system behind them really compliments the schools’ spirit and sporting activities.
New math teacher, Ms. Moran, is a great addition to school by Jordan McDonald, Staff Writer
Photo by Brook Summitt
Mrs. Ingalls attended Rio Vista High School and remembers her experience being positive due to being heavily involved in school such as athletics and student body. She participated in basketball, volleyball, softball, and cheerleading. She was also very involved in clubs such as ASB and AFS. Of course this pandemic has changed high schoolers,’ lives tremendously and it breaks her heart that the students at RVHS are missing out on a part of their high school experience, but she believes that the students will be more resilient than most by enduring a lot more. A word of advice from Mrs. Ingalls herself is to “Enjoy the moments while they happen and try to be involved as much as you can!” Although she originally majored in kinesiology and was once an athletic director, “It’s been super fun getting to know everyone and everyone has been super nice. It feels nice to be back home,” said Mrs. Ingalls as she describes her experience here at Rio Vista so far. She’s excited that all the kids are back on campus and looks forward to all the events such as dances like prom, homecoming, and being able to cheer on the student athletes at all the games. Mrs. Ingalls actually has a baby boy, Harrison, which the students will soon get to meet at school events. She loves athletics as they have become a big part of her life as she is still heavily involved in CIF. She has also traveled a lot and seen many things and loves the adventure. An interesting fact is that Mrs. Gomes was actually her high school teacher and influenced her to be a school teacher. Now she fills the title of vice principal
Daniel Hurley, aka Boone, is a senior at Rio Vista High School, and has been going to this school for all four years. Fishing-wise, things were very different from last year. The experience was different for them during the time of COVID 19; the rules were much more lenient. “For not ever being there I think we did pretty good,” said Boone. It was a three day tournament, and each day they caught their limit of fish, and even beat some of the local teams. “The other teams were just like us,” said Boone. “They all had the same experience and passion for fishing, and being away from home was pretty fun since it was summer time,” he stated. Out of 400 teams, they placed 180. On July 2 at the Second Chance Tournament, Boone and past senior Domonic Viera placed 17 out of 234 boats. On August 6 sophomore Gracie Medders and Boone competed at Big Break in hopes
Math teacher, Ms. Moran, has quickly become a favorite teacher among students.
“Keep your mask on so we can stay in school!” -Mrs. Ingalls
Ms. Moran grew up in Elk Grove, and attended Franklin High School, home of the Wildcats. During high school she participated in photography and soccer. Along with soccer and photography her other hobbies involved skating. After high school, Ms. Moran attended Sonoma State College for her undergraduate studies. She studied to be a mathematician and got her bachelor’s degree in math. She participated in extracurricular activities just like she had in high school and continued skating and playing soccer for fun. While in college, she worked at a bike shop and then over summer she worked at county and state fairs. In her free time, she went to music concerts, art museums, and practiced soccer. Ms. Moran and her four cats named Drew, Lexie, Gabe, and Tia live in Sacramento as of right now, and she also has one dog named Harlow. Ms. Moran loves traveling and she has traveled to a lot of states: New York, Colorado, and Utah.
She’s planning on going to a number of concerts in the near future: Kings of Leon Easy Life, Hippo Campus, and Faye Webster Sir Sl. Ms. Moran also has a serious Croc addiction. She prefers not to wear shoes with laces, and recommends for you all to do the same. Her favorite color is yellow. She loves to cook and watch Netflix shows, and recommends watching Manifest. She graduated from Sonoma State in 2019. Then later, she attended Sacramento State and graduated with her teacher’s credential in 2020. Ms. Moran started teaching at Rio Vista dHigh School last year. She also is the youngest teacher at Rio Vista High School. She says that her favorite part of teaching is, “making copies of homework.” She also thinks that the most difficult part about her job is “lesson planning and doing so many notes.” “Just keep trying and do your best,” is the advice Ms. Moran would give to all of her students.
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September 16, 2021
RAM’S EAR
CURRENT EVENTS of School Events Sophomore Javier Corona’s Calendar Summer of International Soccer
September
Sophomore Javier Corona (with the ball), playing for college scouts this summer in San Diego. by Diana Freyre, Staff Writer
After finishing a year with distance learning and having to balance school and soccer at the same time, Sophomore Javier Corona finally was able to focus on enjoying summer a bit more. Javier started his summer by going to Mexico to try out for one of the biggest teams in Puebla, Mexico, Puebla FC. Javier and 600 other students from all around California went to Puebla, Mexico and stayed there for three weeks to try out for the Puebla FC team. Javier commented on how they would get up bright and early, would go down to the training field, and did up to two hours of training with the whole Puebla FC team. “Having to train with the actual team was pretty exciting and fun,” he said. Unfortunately, this trip for tryouts didn’t go well. Javier said that only four of the 600 students made the team. Although he was one of the four, he wasn’t able to join because he lives here in the United States and would need to move to Puebla, Mexico if he wanted a chance to play for the team. Javier has grown up in Rio Vista and has been here almost his whole life, so it would not be easy moving to another country. Javier commented, “I was pretty
bummed out not being able to stay because this has been my dream to make it into the big leagues in the soccer world. I know there will be so many more opportunities for me later on so I just have to keep on working hard and keep my head up for another chance I get to go big.” About two weeks later, Javier got a chance to be seen by college scouts and the only thing required of him was to play soccer and enjoy it. Javier went on a week trip to San Diego to go to a program that consisted of him playing a couple games each day for a week. There college scouts were able to see everyone, play. “There were about six teams of boys and we all were put in teams to play against each other and got to be seen by college scouts,” said Javier. “I really enjoyed just doing what I love the most and having fun with everyone I got to meet.” Javier spent his whole summer traveling and working hard to be able to make it big. His biggest accomplishment was being able to do what he loves and getting lots of opportunities. Overall, Javier enjoyed his summer which consisted of going to Mexico for almost a month to ending with going to San Diego.
RAM’S EAR
Published by Rio Vista High School, Digital Publications Class 410 South Fourth Street | Rio Vista, California 94571 (707)374-6336 ext. 1224 email: rvhsramsear@gmail.com Printed by School Paper Express, Wappingers Falls, New York Letters to the Editor: To be published, letters must have the author’s name, address, and telephone number.
Editors Kayla Delk Jorie Forbes Donny Roos Adviser Julie Griffin
Ram’s Ear Staff Kyra Atkinson, Victoria Coronado, Greta Dole, Diana Freyre, Monica Garcia, Sherley Guerra, Boone Hurley, Shannon Laurens, Braeden McCann, Jordan McDonald, Alex Ornelas, Synia Reed, Roxana Segoviano, Brook Summit, Diego Torres, Jenna Torres, David Torrez, Melissa Uribe, Jovany Vega, Kristiana Vega, Ryan Zamarripa
September 13 - Volleyball vs Vacaville Christians (home) (JV) 5:30 p.m. (VAR) 6:00 p.m. September 15 - Volleyball @ Highlands (away) (JV) 5:00 p.m. (VAR) 6:00 p.m. September 15 - Back to School Arena. Parents will receive their child’s progress reports at the area and have opportunities to meet with individual teachers. We will keep contacts to 3 minutes in order to meet with all parents. It is our goal to provide parents with a clear picture of your child’s classes and teacher’s expectations. September 17 -Morning Assembly featuring Kevin Bracy of R.E.A.C.H. 1 Alliance. Huge Rally in the afternoon September 17 - Football vs Esparto (Home) (JV) 5:00 p.m. (VAR) 7:00 p.m. Homecoming Dance after varsity game until midnight! It will be outside so dress accordingly. This is not a formal event. September 20 - Volleyball vs Golden Sierra (home) (JV) 5:00 p.m. (VAR) 6:00 p.m. September 22 - Volleyball vs San Juan (home) (JV) 5:00 p.m. (VAR) 6:00 p.m. September 23 - School Bond Meeting. RDUSD will be hosting a community meeting with the architectural firm that will be planning how best to use the funding for our community schools. The meeting is scheduled from 5:00 - 8:00 in the RVHS Theater. September 24 - Football @ Linden (away) (JV) 5:00 p.m. (VAR) 7:00 p.m. September 25 - Cross Country Pacific Invitational (Elkhorn GC) 8:00 a.m. September 29 - Volleyball @ Linden (away) (JV) 5:00 p.m. (VAR) 6:00 p.m. September 29 - RVHS Family Wellness Night 5:30 Focus of the quarter is self care. Please plan on attending. September 30 - Cross Country SDL Center Meet 1 (Renfree) 3:30
October
October 1 - Football vs Vacavillle Christian (home) (JV) 5:00 p.m. (VAR) 7:00 p.m. October 4 - Volleyball vs Esparto (home) (JV) 5:00 p.m. (VAR) 6:00 p.m. October 6 - Volleyball @ Vacaville Christian (away) (JV) 5:00 p.m. (VAR) 6:00 p.m. October 8 - Football @ Golden Sierra (away) (JV) 5:00 p.m. (VAR) 7:00 p.m. October 8, 9, & 10 - 73rd Annual Bass Derby & Festival. Parade is Sunday at noon. October 11 - Volleyball vs Highlands (Senior Night) (home) (JV) 5:00 p.m. (VAR) 6:00 p.m. October 12 - Cross Country SDL Center Meet 2 (Golden Sierra) 3:30 p.m. October 13 - Volleyball @ Golden Sierra (away) (JV) 5:00 p.m. (VAR) 6:00 p.m. October 18 - Volleyball @ San Juan (away) (JV) 5:00 p.m. (VAR) 6:00 p.m. October 22 - Football vs Highlands (home) (JV) 5:00 p.m. (VAR) 7:00 p.m. October 28 - Cross Country SDL Finals (Lagoon Valley) 3:30 p.m. October 29 - Football @ San Juan (away) (JV) 5:00 p.m. (VAR) 7:00 p.m.
FREE COVID-19 TESTING Rapid Testing - On site results in 15-30 minutes PCR Testing - Results take 48 - 72 hours When: Every Thursday from 1 - 4:45 p.m. Where: Walnut Grove Elementary 14181 Grove Street, Walnut Grove WALK-INS WELCOME
PRE-REGISTER with QR Code For more information call/text: (916)417-1121 or (916)776-1844
September 16, 2021
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RAM’S EAR
Photo by Sherley Guerra
Students trade vacation time for pay checks
Ms. Stark helps James Mentee and Alonzo Chavolla find the perfect club during Club Rush.
School Year begins with new challenges and new opportunities
Photo by Brook Summitt
by Jovany Vega, Staff Writer
Greta Dole, lifeguard, protecting both young and old at the Rio Vista City Pool.
by Boone Hurley, Staff Writer
During summer vacation, some students preferred to spend their days working and getting pay checks instead of enjoying their vacation. For some students, they got summer jobs just because there was not much to do due to the restrictions of the pandemic. But for the most part, students love to have money so they can spend on new clothes, gas, car upgrades, and more. They are also working to prepare themselves for life and getting some work experience. Senior Braeden McCann said “It was pretty fun because I got to work ,with my friends Alonzo Chavolla (12) and Kamren Robles (Class of 2020).We got work done, but it was still fun,” Senior Alonzo Chavolla said, “During my summer job, my best experience was either getting paid or just working with Braeden because we work really well together. It definitely gave me something to do instead of just being stuck inside, and the end results are me getting money so I liked it.” Senior Diego Torres worked at The
Human Bean and said “I’d say my most memorable moment during my summer job was when someone ordered 12 shots of espresso in their drink, and then someone tipped us nine chicken nuggets from McDonalds.” Senior Bella Saldana had a job as a lifeguard at the city pool. “It was fun and gave me something to do besides practice. It was my first time having a job and was probably one of the best summer jobs someone could have. I got to work with a lot of other people at this school and some of my friends, which made the job that much better. I got to spend a lot of time in the sun and just hang out when I wasn’t on the stand and watching the pool.” Rio Vista High school students have all really loved their summer jobs. It seems they loved the memorable experiences that they made with their friends and co-workers. Regardless of having to work during the summer, all the students that had summer jobs didn’t have anything to complain about. They would do it again and they would recommend doing it.
This new school year brings new challenges and many new opportunities. After a period of uncertainty, RVHS students are back on campus. “My favorite thing about coming back to school was being able to attend school in-person rather than being on Zoom the whole day,” says Junior David Torres. As students re-adjust to school and their daily schedules again, it will be a challenge to maintain all the responsibilities as a student on campus. Our RVHS activities are resuming slowly after a long pause. Sports like football, volleyball, and cross country are back and running. “I’m definitely looking forward to playing sports again like soccer and cross country since it’s been a long time since I’ve competed,” says Senior Alex Ornelas. This new school year has been particularly hard for a lot of people, it’s been difficult to adapt to new circumstances. Having to wear a face mask all day and continually sanitizing everything is hard but also necessary. Our teachers and staff are working hard to keep our school in optimal conditions for everyone to be safe. Even with all the challenges this school year brings, it also offers opportunities to have lots of fun. Being able to participate in rallies, dances, and sports events is something that excites almost everyone. Everybody is encouraged to participate in
school activities to make the best out of their time at Rio Vista High School. RVHS has said goodbye to last year’s seniors and welcomed this year’s freshman. “I like school so far and the teachers there!” said Freshman Adrian Bermudez. Being in school with our teachers and classmates allows us to have a better learning experience. With this, we can set new goals and try our best to accomplish them to become both a better person and student. School also allows us to socialize more with our friends, meet new people, and make new friends. RVHS teachers are also happy to be back just like most of us. “I’m excited to be on campus because my classes are really difficult to do on Zoom,” said Mrs. Griffin. They are thankful for having students back in their classrooms and being able to teach without technology issues like in Zoom. “I’m most excited to actually get to play sports and getting Ms. Roman as a teacher!” said Junior Daniela Roman. With a lot of challenges to overcome, students are back on campus. Rio Vista High School students and staff are expecting to have an amazing school year. With perseverance and hard work, students and teachers are prepared to work together to get the best out of both parts. Rio Vista High School is prepared to have a fun and intriguing school year.
by Monica Garcia, Staff Writer
On August 11 at 6:00 a.m., the senior class gathered in the school parking lot with their Senior Sunrise shirts, hoodies, and blankets to start off their last first days of school with their fellow classmates. They all walked down to the track, where some RVHS staff members and parents were waiting for them on the track with hot chocolate and breakfast burritos. After getting their breakfast, they walked to the bleachers, sat with friends, and took a class picture. The class sat patiently, feeling lots of different emotions waiting for the sun to rise and to start their senior year. The students were experiencing many different emotions, but most were very excited to start their senior year. “I was excited to come back to school and to see everybody, it also felt good to get back into the groove of school. I think Senior Sunrise means it is your last first day of your last year of high school,” said Boone Hurley. “It was pretty exciting. It felt like it
was the beginning of my adult life, “ said Melissa Uribe. “It is basically the same thing as a new day, so it means it is the last start of your last year. I felt excited to see my classmates since I had not seen them since COVID-19. I was nervous because I had some hard classes and because I could be in contact with some people who are sick. It is a fun way to start off our last first day of our year.” states Alex Ornelas. Lastly, Braeden McCann said, “It was very exciting being back at school and seeing all my friends, especially after not seeing them for a while. It means getting together for our last first day.” After the sunrise had finally arrived and the pictures were taken, the seniors then headed to their cars with plenty of time still to spare. They then left campus to go home and take naps, get ready for school or be with their friends. At 8 a.m., they came back to campus, ready to start off their first day of senior year.
Photo by Brook Summitt
Seniors gather for their last first morning of high school
Monica Garcia, Roberto Calvo, Sam Lara, Jenna Holden, and Angelna Arriola up early for the first sunrise of their senior year.
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RAM’S EAR
September 16, 2021
In the Good Ole’ Summer Time
Summer spontaneity creates the US dominates medal count at best adventures and experiences 2021 Tokyo Summer Olympics by Greta Dole, Staff Writer
by Melissa Uribe, Staff Writer
Summer is the time when water gets warmer, drinks get colder, music gets louder, nights get longer, and life gets better. Spontaneity is the best kind of adventure, like Senior Greta Dole who went to Savannah, Georgia. There, she tried a new and fascinating food she said was called “hush puppies.” Like many people, Greta had an exciting summer as she roamed through the colleges of Arizona State, Colorado State, and Savannah College of Art and Design. Junior Berenice Sandoval went to Mexico City this summer. An interesting place she went to in Mexico was San Miguel de Allende where she saw beautiful nice landscapes and visited some interesting churches. She also visited Santo Toribio Jalostotilan where she went shopping and ate some bomb tacos. Something new that Berenice tried was riding a motorcycle for the first time. She never expected or ever saw herself riding one. “Near my house there was also this river where my cousin and I went on the motorcycle and it was really fun!” Berenice stated. Senior Monica Garcia stayed home this summer. With everything that happened this year, she really didn’t expect to go out or do much. Monica does say, “she was supporting her friends while they got
their license.” A common food she ate at home was pizza, and she drank lots of water. Senior Silvia Valencia worked in the vineyards over summer. “It was a nice experience,” she said. But, she says she probably wouldn’t do it again. Her favorite summer memory was throwing her best friend a surprise party. She prefers to stay indoors most of the summer. Silvia’s biggest accomplishment over the summer was saving up quite a good amount of money. Her best summertime memory was going shopping with her friends. What annoyed her the most about summer was that “I didn’t get enough sleep in the way Iwould’ve liked to,” she said. Mrs. Griffin went to Mexico with her youngest daughter and her friends. There they went on a yacht and they also snorkeled. Later on, she also threw her oldest daughter a baby shower. She also got a Kindle over summer because all she loves to do is read, but she got it waterproofed so that she could read while she relaxes at the beach. One thing she said is, “I don’t like that summer is too short.” Many people went to different places over the summer and I’m sure everyone can agree that summer should never end.
August & September Birthdays August 2 Seth Burris Samantha lyon Bryce Rosen Jaydan Titone August 4
Synia Reed Kayla Brazil August 5
Tristin Davis Bryan Garcia August 6
Leland Jennings Donald Roos Jr. August 7
Kalei Bledsoe Kailyn Henderson
August 22
September 14
Hanna M Reyna Murrieta
Jeanette Chavez
August 24
Madison DeGroot
Wesley L. Adams
Chloe McGahey
Marco A. Carrillo Jr. August 26 Isaac Ortiz
August 27
September 15
Briana Chapman Isaiah Turner
September 16
Jason Calvin
Greta Dole
Bryan Gutierrez
Scarlett Dole
August 28
Li’yah Aragon
Ryan Zamarripa September 18
August 31
Aaron Avalos-Ortega
Roberto Mandujano
Adam Avalos-Ortega
Ryan Witcraft
Shannon Laurens
September 1 Marya De La Torre
Nicole Monreal September 19
Caraemay Rose
Azaria R Maffei September 2
September 20
Jayden Hilario
Brooklynn Jackson
Valerie Cazares
Maria Madrigal Garcia
Susana Valencia Luna
August 9
August 10
August 11
Yamilec Carrillo August 12
Charles Jeffers Mason Kitchens August 14
Jose Arellano Jameson Bloesch Isabella Saldana Sophia Saldana Santiago Serrano-Gallegos August 17
Christopher E. Barros
September 3
Silvia Valencia Luna September 4
Brian Ruble
Chloe Goddard Sean Kelly
September 21 Andrea Mandujano Escobar
Andres Chaves
September 22
Hannah Patin
Angelina Bawer Emmons
Evan McWilliams
Joseph Fonbuena
Gracie Medders
Emily Oglesby
Kaleohano Ybanez
September 24
Dylan Jelly
September 25
Michaela Delazzar
September 26
September 5
September 7 September 8 September 9
September 23
Otto Vielhauer
Kristiana Vega Chantal Lund
Dominic Rogers
Lesly Garcia
Max Vielhauer
Angeles Varelas Soto
Colby J. Milligan
Karen Mandujano Mesa
Trinity McQueen
Daniel Cazares
Damien Castelllanos Jose DeSantiago
September 30
Gerardo A. Mendoza
Adrian Tejeda
Briseida Flores-Garcia
Andy Freyre Alondra Garcia August 18 August 19 August 21
September 11 September 12
September 27 September 29 Raudel Tejeda
The 2021 Summer Olympics occurred in Tokyo, Japan from July 23 to Aug. 8. The United States had 613 athletes competing this year. The US ranked highest in medals earning 39 gold, 44 silver, and 33 bronze. The 2021 Olympics also introduced four new sports including karate, surfing, skateboarding, and sport climbing and also reintroducing softball back into the Olympics. Swimming is always a popular sport to watch during the Olympics. The US always comes out with amazing swimmers, like Michael Phelps, who holds the record for most Olympic medals. An exciting moment happened in swimming this year when swimmer Ahmed Hafnaoui won gold in the 400 men’s freestyle, winning Tunisia its fifth olympic medal. Senior and swim team member Sophia Saldana’s favorite swimmer is gold medalist Katie Ledecky. “I think it’s cool how dominant she is in a competitive field,” said Sophia. Caleb Dressel also made an impact at this year’s Olympics by breaking the olympic record for 50 freestyle and breaking his own world record in the 100 meter butterfly. The U.S. Women’s Soccer Team was the one to watch this year. After winning the FIFA women’s world cup in 2019, the next step was the 2021 Olympics. The women’s team has won four gold medals in the past and were trying for another this year. In the first match for the US team, they lost to New Zealand 6-1, but some say it was a good thing that they lost because it helped get rid of their nerves for the other matches and helped them enjoy the games more. The U.S. came back and tied their match with Australia 0-0 and won against the Netherlands 4-2 with penalty kicks. The U.S. played Canada in their final match and lost 0-1, while still earning themselves a bronze medal. Junior Bri Shafer said that her favorite part of watching the women’s team was that “they were still excited and happy that they earned bronze. They had very good sportsmanship.” One of the biggest highlights of the Olympics this year was 18 year old gym-
nast Suni Lee being the first Asian-American to win Olympic All-Around Champion. Gymnast Simone Biles stepped out of the competition for a bit due to her mental health and her safety. It was hard for her to decide to step out of the competition because of the backlash she might receive, but her team supported her and hopefully everyone else did as well. A result of Simone Biles stepping out, 21 year old Jade Carey was able to compete in her first olympic All-Around Competition. Carrey may have placed 8th in the all-around competition, but won gold on the floor exercise. The women’s gymnastics team won silver in the team competition, and Mykayla Skinner won silver in the vault final. Simone Biles re-entered the competition and won bronze for her beam performance. America dominated in the new sports that were introduced into this year’s Olympics. In surfing, Hawaiian Carrissa Moore won gold in her debut for the Olympics. Forty athletes competed in sport climbing and Nathaniel Coleman took silver in the men’s competition. America has a rivalry with Japan on the softball field. After Japan had beaten them back in 2008, the last time softball was in the Olympics, Team USA was hoping to get Japan back in this year’s Olympics. After a close game, Japan came out the victor, winning 2-0. The U.S. softball team still won a silver medal for their comeback to the sport. Skateboarding had some of the youngest competitors out of all the other competitions. The women’s street skating competition gold medalist was Momiji Nishiya, a 13 year old representing Japan. The silver medalist, Brazilian Rayassa Leal, is also 13 and bronze medalist Funa Nakayama from Japan is 16 years old. Even though the Olympics were postponed a year, they still were as exciting as ever. The athletes had to train in unexpected places and in weird ways but it all paid off this summer when they finally got to compete. Now that the 2021 Olympics is over it’s time to prepare for the 2024 Olympics that will be held in Paris, France.
New summer hobbies keep students entertained and in shape
by Victoria Coronado, Staff Writer
Do you ever feel bored doing nothing over the summer? Maybe you want to find something new to do? Hobbies are a fun way to keep you busy throughout the summer. Some include baking, writing, and dancing. Sophomores Angie Lopez, Hannah Patin, and Brooklyn Koziol are a few of many people who found a new hobby over the summer. Angie got into playing video games. She decided to play games when her brother wanted to play Donkey Kong with her. She enjoys playing them, but not all of the time. Angie sometimes plays them during her free time so she doesn’t have to worry about school. “It helps me de-stress,” said Angie. Sometimes she plays games with her friends because it makes her feel good. She has thought about starting a Twitch streaming channel if she had enough money for it. Angie doesn’t see herself playing video games as a career, but she is interested in finding new hobbies in the future like a fun sport. “I need more movement in my life, but I don’t like running,” she added. Hannah decided to try out swimming. She enjoys playing the sport and finds it fun to do. Hannah felt like swimming affected her health positively.
She feels healthier and fitter. Hannah shares this hobby with some of her close friends and her parents. She feels happy and excited whenever she swims. Hannah swims for fun, so she does not see herself as a swimmer or trainer in the future. She is interested in learning new hobbies like painting and playing the piano. Brooklyn studied and learned how to speak Japanese over the summer. She decided to learn the language when she went to Japan when she was 13. She enjoys learning it and feels like she accomplished something. “I’m not fluent, but I can have a conversation with people in Japanese,” she stated. She wishes to go back to Japan to test her skills and see if she has gotten better. She believes that she could put her new language skills into good use in the future. Brooklyn has thought about learning how to dance as a new hobby, “I want to learn how to dance. It sounds fun, but it seems so hard to do.” She wants to gain the ability to learn difficult choreographies. These students had fun learning new, different experiences and enjoyed their summer. Many other people might have hobbies that they enjoy doing. Who knows, maybe you might find a new hobby.
September 16, 2021
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RAM’S EAR
Students look forward to exciting homecoming
by Jenna Torres, Staff Writer
Homecoming is one of the events that students and teachers look forward to the most. It is the first dance of the year, and the most exciting because it is full of adrenaline, and energy. Ms. Gornto is the leadership teacher and her students are the people that come up with all of the creative ideas. Ms. Gornto said, “the students are most excited for the floats because the theme is going to be scary movies.” It was an elective vote between scary movies and music genres. There will also be a class meeting on the 8th of September, and you will vote for the king and queen. They will start working on the floats from the 9th to the 17th of September. Homecoming is also on the 17th of September, and it will start right after the homecoming football game, and we will be facing the Spartans, and the
dance will be from 10 p.m. to 12 a.m..” Gracie Medders had said, “I’m really excited to see what all of the classes do with their floats, also how we decorate the quad for it. I will even be involved with building the floats. The color themes of this dance will be red, white, and black since the theme is scary movies, and that’s all we really have so far. I also will be going to the dance, but I will be going with friends.” This year’s Homecoming will be one for the books! Everyone is full of excitement. Make sure you come to the Homecoming game, and support our JV and Varsity teams. Come help and supply resources for building the floats. Make sure to take plenty of pictures to remember the first Homecoming after everything that we have been through. GO RAMS!!
RIO VISTA HIGH SCHOOL HONOR ROLL Block B 2nd Semester 2020-2021
FRESHMEN
PRINCIPAL’S HONOR ROLL SOPHOMORES
Oscar Antunez Zaragoza Tad Bowers Victoria Coronado Lisandra Figueroa Nathalya Garcia Sherley Guerra Brooklyn Koziol Leyun Liu Angie Lopez Samantha Lyon Benny Rojas Mandujano Jasmyn Meyer Hannah Patin Caren Perez Sandoval John Peterson Rodriguez Zambrano Caraemay Rose Otto Vielhauer
Victor Reyes Antonio Bellante Lillian Burch Daniel Cazares Bridget De Flores Valerie De Flores Breona Hoff Jordan Lauitzen Gracie Medders Yolanda Montano Kiara Perkins Daniela Roman Katherine Rossi Scarlett Ruiz Berenice Sandoval Raudel Tejeda David Torrez Jovany Vega Genesis Zepeda
Mrs. Reis experiences 23 years of change
by Kyra Atkinson, Staff Writer
Mrs. Reis has been teaching at Rio Vista High School for 23 years, making her the teacher whos been here the longest. She currently teaches in the building across from the barn. She’s a Rio Vista High alumnus. Before she was working full time at Rio Vista High, she was a substitute teacher for our district. She grew up in Rio Vista before moving to Modesto. After Modesto she went to Chico, and then she lived in Dixon for 12 years before coming back to Rio Vista. The school has changed quite a bit since she’s worked here, from principals and teachers leaving, to school buildings being knocked down and changed. While she has been working she’s seen four principals leave and too many vice principals and teachers to even count. She’s been in her current building for 11 years, but before that she was in a portable in what they used to call “the village.” “The village” had 13 portables all together down where the last two stand. The only original portable still remaining from the village is the culinary spot. When she first started working here there were three more buildings than there are now. Her first classroom used to be in the main building close to the office. Mrs. Reis is the FFA advisor, teacher of our AG science classes, and also helps when the students are raising animals in the barn on campus. She leads the FFA meetings and sets up the events for them to attend, and makes it go smoothly. This block, she is teaching Ag Environment, Ag Earth, and Floriculture. Her favorite class to teach is Floriculture. While she’s been teaching, the class that has stood out the most for being into FFA and ag classes was
FRESHMEN
the class of 2014-2015. She says one of the hardest things she has done while teaching was teaching online last year. She said it was like her first year of teaching all over again since it was all online. All FFA events got moved to Zoom last school year due to COVID-19, but hopefully this year all events will get cleared for in-person attendance. Mrs. Reis is an amazing teacher and mentor for the Rio Vista High staff. She’s helped many kids get into agriculture and potentially find out that agriculture is something they want to do in the future for a career or even just as a hobby. Her kind teaching and fun activities have been amazing for this school for years. “We hope to see more students get into ag in the future so we can take the title from classes 2014 and 2015.”
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ARTIST OF THE MONTH NATHAN PANEL “Besides his mask
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Page 6
September 16, 2021
RAM’S EAR
Movie theaters open In the eyes of a true gamer after COVID-19 closures by Sherley Guerra, Staff Writer
People love going to the movie theaters with friends and family to enjoy a movie. In 2020, that was not available for us to do. Ever since COVID-19 struck the United States, everything started shutting down. For example, stores, restaurants, and even movie theaters closed down. People were very unhappy because they could not go to the movie theaters to watch newly released movies. “Since they shut down the theaters, I haven’t been able to watch newly released movies and I also have not been able to have fun with friends and family,” stated junior Jose Torres Solis. “The only way to watch newly released movies has been by buying pay-per-view movies, but they cost way too much money than just going to the movie theater and paying 10 to 14 dollars a ticket.” Luckily, earlier this year, California started to open businesses again, which led to theaters opening up. Even though theaters have opened up, there are still some rules that need to be followed at the the-
aters. For example, you will need to wear a mask while watching the movie and there has to be about 3 seats apart from other random people in the theater. Even though wearing a mask can get annoying, the good thing is that you can now go to the movie theaters with friends and family. Junior Jose Torres Jr. commented,“I am very happy that the movie theaters have opened up again. I can now return to going to the movie theaters with my friends and watching new movies that come out. I have never been so happy to be going to the movie theaters again to watch movies.” For people that are planning to go to the movie theaters soon, you should go watch F9, Free Man, Black Widow, Jungle Cruise, and The Protege. Hopefully people will follow all protocols that are in place at the movie theaters so we can keep watching movies at the movie theaters, be able to hangout with friends and family, and most importantly keep yourself and others around you safe.
Photo by: Greta Dole
Freshmen worries calmed after first couple weeks of school
Freshmen Bianca Lopez, Emily Carpenter, Kennedi Lehigh, and Morgan Arroyo enjoying the shade of the trees in the quad during lunch.
by Roxana Segoviano, Staff Writer
Freshman Nataly Mandujano was interviewed about how she felt in highschool. Nataly, or Naty for short, said, “In the very beginning when we had to go to school, I was kinda anxious because I didn’t really know how everything worked.” She also said the only thing that made her less nervous was the fact that she would get to see her friends. “Seniors scared me the most,” Naty said, “because for some reason before I entered high school I used to think the seniors were aggressive and mean.” Naty prefers to keep her distance and not bother anyone. Naty continued to talk about her classes and what she prefers. She said, “I personally like both online and in person, although I do prefer in-person, but online I could concentrate better and I could hear the teacher better and homework was easier.” She also said that there are some bad sides about online classes, for example, bad connections which prevent you from attending the classes. But for in-person
classes, she explained how you don’t need the internet, which was better because the internet sometimes lagged. The first day of school for Naty was very nerve wracking. “I didn’t know where any of my classes were, which made it even harder for me. I eventually found them but I still struggled and was still very nervous.” Naty continued talking about how the upperclassmen made her nervous. She also said that she just wants to stay drama-free for the year and not bother anyone. Naty was also scared if the teachers were going to be strict,“I was nervous and excited but more nervous,” she continued. In the beginning she was definitely nervous, but now two and a half weeks into the semester, she is more calm. “I thought high school was going to be more chaotic, but it’s actually the complete opposite, surprisingly, and it’s really not bad at all,” Naty said. Her experience so far at high school is going pretty well and she got comfortable really quick.
The Rio Vista High School Ram’s Ear staff is pleased to present this publication to our fellow students. The Ram’s Ear school newspaper is written, edited, and created by and for students. Every effort is made to be accurate and inclusive in student body coverage. We apologize for any mistakes may have been made during this educational process. Sincerely, the Ram’s Ear Staff
Nowadays, playing video games is popular, but during quarantine it got even more popular than ever before because of people staying home. Gaming is a way to entertain yourself without leaving your house and to just play with friends online. Some people even got better in video gaming by the amount of free time they had during quarantine and even mastered some games. Seniors Alex Montes, Christopher Barros, and Oscar Aguilera Rodriguez have been gaming since their childhood. Alex enjoys playing Super Smash Bros. It is one of his favorite games of all time. He enjoys it because “It’s a party game and it is fun to play with other people.” Super Smash Bros. is about fighting other players and kicking the players out of the arena, chosen by a player when they start the game. Oscar enjoys playing Minecraft because “It is a good, fast game for beginners and it’s enjoyable. It is one of my favorite games.” Minecraft is about surviving, crafting, and beating the Ender Dragon. Christopher enjoys playing Bloons TD 6 because it’s an enjoyable game to play. Bloons TD 6 is about Little Monkey popping balloons, you just place down monkeys and the monkeys pop them. People always have a favorite song from a game that they enjoy. Alex enjoys listening to Mute City by Super Smash Bros. “I like it cause it is upbeat,” said Alex. Oscar enjoys Sweden by C418, “It is a calming song to play while you play any game. It helps you concentrate.” Christopher enjoys hearing Watery Grave by Laura Shigihara,“It was made by the best musician on earth.” What is surprising is when you ask a gamer, “What game have they spent the most hours on?” You can get surprising answers as to when you ask for an entire amount of hours played in a month and how many they play every day. Alex plays eight to nine hours a day on a game called Breath of the Wild. The game is an open-world game where you can explore and do things like cooking and winning a pet wolf. Oscar plays Minecraft for four or five hours a day. Christopher plays on Garry’s Mod 30 minute to an hour a day. It’s a game where you can play with a lot of people and do anything in it. When it comes up to a beginner or expert in gaming they have to choose which gaming system they choose to play in. Alex prefers playing on a PC, because it is a system where you can emulate other games and connect other game consoles. Oscar also prefers playing on a PC. Oscar considers the PC one of the most powerful devices that has a powerful platform on it. Chris recommends playing on a PS4 as a beginner so that you start with some small things and then move to a PC once you gain more knowledge in gam-
ing and become an expert to know how to function in games. Who doesn’t have a reason about what got them into video games. Alex got into video games because of his dad. He would watch his dad play on a PS1, which called his attention and got him interested in games ever since . Oscar got into video games by his friend Jeff. It started with Jeff showing him how to play on a 3DS, which got him to get a 3DS so they can connect and play together. Christopher got into video games with his sister. She asked Chris if he wanted to play Mario Kart, and ever since that he found an interest in video games. Every gamer has a favorite game genre. Alex likes horror, adventure, art png, fighting, and racing. Oscar likes fighting and creativity because they are genres you play with knowledge on what to do next or what to create next. Christopher enjoys the strategy genre because it is a game you incorporate yourself in more and the knowledge you put in to help you out. When you play a game you have a choice to play multiplayer or solo. Alex prefers playing both multiplayer and solo. He considers playing multiplayer because of the fun time you enjoy with friends playing, but also when you play solo you concentrate more. Oscar prefers to play solo. He thinks playing solo is better than playing multiplayer because you can’t coordinate as much when you play with friends. Christopher prefers playing multiplayer or else if he plays alone he falls asleep because it’s no fun when you don’t have anyone to play with. Everyone has played bad games in their life. Alex doesn’t like mobile games. He says they are games you don’t do as much in. Oscar doesn’t enjoy PUBG mobile, it is a game that has a lot of bots and doesn’t have good graphics. Christopher’s worst game played was CS Go, Counter-Strike Global Offensive. It is a bad game with bad mechanics and it takes a long time to master it or you play against cheaters and waste your time. Everyone was excited to get their first console of gaming. It is a memory saved in our childhood or telling someone how they got their first console. Alex got his first console, a PlayStation 1, passed down from his grandma or dad, he doesn’t remember, Oscar’s first console was the 3DS, “I got it as a gift from my parents and that’s how I got to play with my friends and got into gaming,” Christopher’s first console was a Nintendo Wii. “I got it passed down by my sister and went to play more and more games with the Wii.” Video games are out of this world and with the experiences these students gave us. They taught us a little about their journey as a gamer since their youth. Games will always be part of our lives for a long period of time so that each and every person will have a memorable experience.
2021-22 ASB Officers
Photo by: Brook Summitt
by David Torres, Staff Writer
Introducing your new Associated Student Body officers: Bella Saldana, secretary; Sophia Saldana, treasurer; Valerie de Flores,activities director; Daniela Roman, vice president; and Sam Esperson, president.
Septmber 17, 2021
RAM’S EAR
Page 7
by Ryan Zamarripa, Staff Writer
On August 20, the JV football team had their first football game in 570 days ago. The Rams JV and varsity teams played Orestimba on this outing. The JV team played at 5:00 followed by varsity at 7:00. On Thursday, August 19, an RVHS interviewer went around campus and interviewed three JV players to get their thoughts ahead of their first game. “I am comfortable with our offense. We have a strong offensive line and skilled running backs that can get the job done,” said freshman runing back Daniel Diaz. Diaz was not able to play this game due to a collarbone injury, but he stated he was excited to get back on the field with his team. “I was a bit doubtful going into the game, but now that we are here I am feeling a lot more comfortable and trusting in my teammates abilities,” stated sophomore running back Isaiah Turner. This will be Turner’s first year playing high school football due to his freshman year season being cancelled. He is one of the four captains for his team and is a great team leader who always performs out on the field. “I believe we have a really good team who can compete against other great teams,” said freshman running back Isaiah Holley. “I believe we can win our division.”
In all three interviews, all players stated that they felt very comfortable going into their first game, and they felt like it was going to be a good game for the season opener. Although spirits were very high going into the August 21 game, the Rams ended up losing to Orestimba 44-8. “I feel like the team as a whole could have performed better,” said Jameson Bloesch. “I could have played defense a lot better and made all the plays that came my way. Next game we will be a lot more prepared with the first game out of the way and with more players coming out that could really make a difference for us.” The JV team consists of 11 Freshman: Daniel Diaz RB and DB, Mathew Canedo WR and DB, Angel Mendoza RB and DB, Isaiah Holley RB and DB, Cesar Valentin OL, Daniel Antunez OL and DL, Devin Carpenter OL and DL, Charlie Jeffers OL and DL, Carlo Mandujano OL and DL, Miguel Magana OL and DL, and Jose Desantiago WR and DL: three Sophomores; Jameson Bloesch QB and DB, Isaiah Turner RB and DB, and Damien Castellanos RB and DB; and three Juniors: Saul Torres TE and DB, Angel Valentin OL and DL, and Noah Bidou WR and DB. This is your 2021-2022 Rio Vista Rams JV football team.
Boys and girls cross country teams training for season by Alex Ornelas, Staff Writer
The 2021 cross country team is looking toward a very memorable and exciting season. Both the boys’ and the girls’ teams are hoping to improve in every aspect of the running game so that they can challenge any team that comes their way. Last season, the team had practiced about four-five days a week from July 2020, all the way to February 2021, with everyone required to wear masks while running. Sadly, they put in all of that practice and hard work to end up not competing in any meet. This summer, the entire cross country team has been running to have a head start towards what looks to be a very strong and successful season, with a guarantee to be competing once again. “I expect us to give it our best shot. It’s been two years for most of us since we have ran a real meet so it might take a bit of time for us to get back in the swing of competition,” said Captain Sam Esperson when asked how well he expects the team will do in their meets. The cross country team has been practicing four days a week, with the practices starting early in the morning at 6:00 a.m. Coach Noelle Gomes and Assistant Coach Edwin Okamura have come up with a variety of different workouts for the runners, between 1-hour runs, doing speed work, and hilly runs across town. The team was hit with a week full of injuries as several people had felt some pain and discomfort while running but a couple days of healing time was just what they needed to get back where they left off. Now, since everyone is able to record their progress on their Garmin watches, the coaches are able to look at everyone’s individual statistics to customize personal runs for each and every person. Coach Okamura explained how he expects runners to know what their “strengths and weaknesses are’’ by the time they have their first race. “At that point in the season, we expect runners to have a solid base of miles and to have had over a month of consistent speed work.” He expects everyone to see personal improvement by the invitational race, but doesn’t want them to run so
hard that they become injured. Most runners need to work on their endurance because many of the student athletes only began running once the season begins. The goal is to build up a strong base, while not getting injured. “The tricky part of racing is understanding that training is a progression. You can’t rush it, and you must be strategic,” added Coach Okamura. The team has a meet-up practice with Vacaville Christian in Vacaville on Friday, August 27, hoping to get a feel of how it is to run with another team. Team pictures are on Sept. 16 and they have an invitational run in Elkhorn for the Pacific Invitational on September 25. This cross country team seems very eager to make it far, so it will be exciting to see what they can accomplish this season. “We’re really excited about this season. We have a solid core of returning runners with three of them on the boys team, and three of them on the girls team. Coach Okamura and I are anxious to see how the new runners Senior William Lindsay, Junior Victor Reyes, and Sophomore Forrest Drury on the boys’ team will do. New girls runners Sophia Saldana (12), Greta Dole (12), Sherley Guerra (10), Kristiana Vega (11), Sami Lyon (10), Brooklyn Koziol (10) and Tessa Jelly (10) will definitely add to the girls team’s performance. It’s looking like we’ll have a successful season if everyone stays healthy and keeps up the hard work,” Coach Gomes commented when asked how she is feeling about the new season. The RVHS cross country team seems very eager to show everyone what they’re really capable of. The boys’ and girls’ teams are doing everything in their power to improve their running, strength, and their running form to reach the top of the league. Both coaches want to make sure their cross country team is as prepared as possible so that the meets will go great! The 2021 cross country team is looking to have an amazing and great season ahead.
Photo by: Melissa Uribe
JV team ready to compete Can’t hide varsity cheer’s superb Ram pride and win division
by Synia Reed, Staff Writer
Varsity cheer is a very important sport at RVHS and it takes a lot of skill and technique. “Cheer gets hard sometimes, and people treat it as if it isn’t a real sport; but lifting girls over one hundred pounds is never easy,” said Kylee Carlson, a twelfth grade cheerleader whos been cheering for 3 years. Varsity cheer, for them, is an honor, working hard and moving up from junior varsity to being on varsity puts a lot of pressure and responsibility on these cheerleaders. Cheering on the crowd at rallies and games gives something for people to get excited about and can be such a great feeling for the team. The day of the game, cheerleaders wear their uniforms to school and let everybody know that they are a part of a team that communicates and works together. “It was really fun to learn the dance and cheer on the field for the first time; it was all very exciting,” said Greta Dole who is also a twelfth grade cheerleader. This is her first year doing cheer. This sport is more than just going out on the field. It’s a commitment to your teammates and to yourself that each one of them are all in this together, as a team. Teamwork is a really important aspect in cheer. Having to depend on your fellow teammate to catch you after being
tossed 20 feet in the air is a huge responsibility. While gathering more insight on varsity cheer, a fellow cheerleader explained what they saw cheer as in their eyes. “I think cheer is pretty fun, and a good way to occupy yourself. You, meet a bunch of new people, and get to try something new,” said Kristinana Veja, a junior in her first year of cheer. Anything can be done when you really put your mind to it. This is a mindset that is really important to cheerleaders; something they always need to think of. Being aware and having a good team behind you that can be counted on whenever is an indescribable feeling to have. “Cheer is such a nice place to be, everyone is so supportive and everyone is like a family,” said Jeanette Chavez, a senior cheerleader in her third year of cheer. When all is said and done, being a cheerleader isn’t the easiest thing. Having to go to school all day then having late night practices is tiring. Although it builds stamina and responsibility, there are days when they go home sore and tired, but it all pays off when they get out on that field and show everybody what we work and practice so hard for day and night. In conclusion, cheering is a big part of school spirit, and at games it really shows the school spirit.
JV cheer ready for the action
by Kristiana Vega, Staff Writer
There are 15 cheerleaders on 2021 JV cheer squad. This year along with coming back to school full time, the sports are full time as well, and the best part: football games! Last year there were no fall sports, which means cheerleaders weren’t allowed to cheer. Now the football team and cheerleaders are back! The cheer team attended Cheer Camp August 2-4, 2021, and started practicing Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays. At Cheer Camp, the team learned how to stunt, perform sideline dances, cheers and experienced team bonding. There are seven JV flyers: Sophomores Kaity Creedy, Rylee Frazier and Freshmen Molly Lutheran, Lacie McWilliams, Faith Jelly, and Destiny Lopez. Some of those girls also base. “With six sophomores and seven freshmen, we are excited for the first football game August 20,” said Co-Coach Gornto. “We haven’t had a game since November 1 2020, so we are really excited to make an appearance.” “They were all very good at practicing stunts at Cheer Camp,” Gornto added. “They are a very strong, enthusiastic, fast learning team. I’m glad they actually get to cheer at games.” The returning girls didn’t get to Cheer at any games last year so this is a good opportunity for them to bond and build friendships. Last year, the coaches planned on the team cheering for both football and basketball, but since there was no season for either sport there was no cheer. This year they plan on cheering for both sports, the first time in many years having cheerleaders for basketball at Rio
Vista High School. Rylee Fraser is a sophomore who has cheered for five years all together, including this year. She cheered for the Jr. Rams for three years and for RVHS for the last two years as a base and flyer. She has experience backspotting for the Jr Rams also. This year is her first time actually cheering in person for the high school, so she was really excited for their first performances doing Fight Song held on the quad in the morning, the Rally after fourth period held in the in the gym and what the town of Rio Vista has been waiting for the first football game in 570 days. For JV Cheer Captain Kaitlyn Creed this is her fifth year cheering. She cheered for the Jr. Rams for three years and this is her second year of high school cheer, with plans on participating all four years. She bases and flies for high school, but also has experience backspotting for the Jr. Rams. “The JV team are all very quick learners and they know what good qualities it takes to be a cheerleader and they all show lots of school spirit and that’s something I like about them,” said Kaitlyn. “That’s always something good to have.” She has also mentioned how excited she was to cheer at her first high school game since she didn’t get to cheer at a game last year. Freshman Faith Jelly has cheered for one year previously in sixth grade. This is her first year of high school cheer and she plans on cheering all four years. She’s 14 years old. She is a flyer. Faith also mentioned she wouldn’t mind being a base. As you can see, cheer is making a comeback and are glad to be back and showing their school spirit. Go Ram!
Page 8
September 16, 2021
RAM’S EAR
Varsity volleyball is back on the court
Athletes of the Month
by Brook Summitt, Staff Writer
by Diego Torres, Staff Writer
Volleyball, one of the many sports affected by COVID-19, is officially back after not having a season last year, and the players couldn’t be more excited to be able to play again. Not participating last year definitely was unfortunate, but this motivates the girls to work and play harder. People are excited to come out and watch the girls play. The girls have worked hard and have adapted to conditions to be able to play again. “It feels amazing! We didn’t get a season at all last year so having a full schedule and even a tournament scheduled for my senior year is super exciting!” Senior Sophia Saldana exclaimed about her thoughts on how it feels to be able to play volleyball again. With COVID-19 happening some protocols had to be introduced for volleyball. Sophia also commented, “Practicing with COVID-19 protocols isn’t that bad actually. We do have to wear masks while we practice but it is manageable and we are supposed to keep our distance from each other at all times and that works because of the rotation you do in volleyball.” Junior Gracie Medders is super excited to be able to play again, and is ready to get out there after a long time away. She commented, “It feels great to be back, and I’m just filled with excitement to finally
play again and see how the season turns out for us.” Gracie also thinks that they have a good season ahead of them, as they all have great chemistry together. This team has great chemistry since they have been playing together since their last game before COVID-19 hit. Everyone on the team are extremely hard workers and they are excited to be able to play again. Junior Daniela Roman says she feels really good about this season.“It feels really good to be allowed to play again especially since we are actually having a pre-season and a full season so I’m super excited!” Daniela says practicing with COVID-19 isn’t too rough. Daniela also commented, “At first it was hard to practice with a mask on, it got hard to breathe sometimes but I’d say as a team we all adjusted very well to wearing a mask.” Volleyball finally being back is super exciting for the whole school and it’s just a good step forward with Covid-19 going on that we are still able to play sports like volleyball. These girls have made adjustments to Covid-19 protocols and have overcome many obstacles they have all worked extremely hard to get ready for the season and they’re ready to go out on the court and get some W’s and do great things.
Bella Saldana Varsity Volleyball
JV Volleyball
Bella is one of our team captains and our libero. She is always asking how to perform better and will endlessly practice until she gets it right. Ask her about her “floater”. Bella is a huge asset to our team and I would imagine any team that she is on. -Coach Ann
This is Morgan’s first year in volleyball. She works hard everyday in practice, trying to learn and play the game. She is also an encouraging teammate, on and off the court. Morgan is a good example of a great teammate! -Coach Saldana
Boone Hurley
Angel Mendoza
Boone is an excellent representative of our program on and off the field. On the field, he is a hard worker, good teammate, unselfish, and he can play a little. Off the field, he works hard in the weight room and conducts himself well in the community. -Chris Medders
Angel is really hard working and plays the game the right way. He doesn’t talk a lot, but leads by example. Time will tell on grades and how he does in the classroom, but I got confidence in him. - Chris Medders
William Lindsay
Brooklyn Koziol
Varsity Football
photo by Brook Summitt
Morgan Arroyo
JV Football
Pictured left to right: Kiara Perkins, Daniela Roman, Gracie Medders, Sophia Saldana, Bella Saldana, Maia Stone, Brook Summitt, Guadalupe Valdenegro
Varsity football kicks off pre-season
by Braeden McCann, Staff Writer
Rio Vista High School hasn’t hosted a football game in almost 600 days. Parents, students, and staff were super excited to have their first home game of the season. The Rams’ opening home game this year was against Orestimba, and Rio Vista made it a very fun and interesting game. Orestimba is a division 2 team and Rio Vista is division 6, so the opposing team competes at a much higher level. The game was a super tight and close game but Rio Vista fell short to Orestimba 12-6 in overtime. Most people thought it wasn’t going to be as close of a game because they are much high division than the Rams. “I’d say the first game went really well and there was a lot of stuff that went nice and smooth and we definitely have a good season ahead of us,” said Senior Quarterback Diego Torres. For the first game of the season the crowd was quite loud and a lot of people showed up to the first game, hopefully more people show up to the next game because
Rio Vista hosts Winters and they are a pretty big rival. “It felt really good being back on the field especially for us seniors that got our season taken away from us,” said Boone Hurley, senior team captain. “We have been working really hard for a long time.” The majority of the varsity team has been playing together since Junior Rams, so they are all close and have played together for a long time. “Playing my first football game in over 600 days was very nostalgic and fulfilling for the passion I have in football and the sport as a whole. It felt good to get out there and play an actual game that I’ve been working towards for over the past year or two especially when we had a chance to play and have a season last year but our school board decided to go with spring sports instead of football,” Josh Davis said. It’s crazy because Rio Vista has 16 players while the other teams have way more, Orestimba had 46 kids on their team.
Cross Country
Cross Country
William Lindsay and Brooklyn Koziol have shown a new tenacity for running, Brooklyn sets goals and has been completing them. William quietly goes about his business, and never gives up. Their efforts are not unnoticed! Keep on running, Rams! -Noelle Gomes and Edwin Okamura
WRESTLING
Photos by Jorie Forbes
Wants You!
Quarterback Diego Torres getting ready for the snap.
Sign up using the QR code or see Coach Smith or Coach Moran for more information Varsity team preparing for the battle.