Story by Jose Arredondo | Photo by Elijah Lopez |
The Rough Riders, a team who didn’t make playoffs last year, adjusted in the summer and became a ranked team in the city, making it to the second round of the playoffs before falling to Steele.
The Rough Riders had a tough off season leading in to this season.
“After last year, the players knew they had to get a win so they lifted more, they ran more and most importantly they bonded as a team built chemistry and results showed up on the football field,” Coach Boykins said.
The football team came out the gates quick with a 3-1 record in non district games, a vast start for the Rough Riders.
Though they suffered a big loss against Madison, the Riders bounced back by taking down MacArthur, but Roosevelt actually lost in this victory losing running back Frank Barnes.
Critics thought the Riders had no shot in the playoffs, but yet again Roosevelt adjusted and continued their success in the 2012 season, winning the rest of district games including a thriller game against Johnson Jaguars.
“We had to step up after losing Frank; we knew we all had to play at a high level and we did,” junior Marcell Mayes said.
