By Victoria Garcia Avila and Jesse Pena
The first football game was last Thursday against Stevens High School at Gustafson Stadium, where it was televised live on the CW35 network.
The varsity team beat Stevens High School 39-27.
“The other team was slow and not too good,” senior captains, Roger Hoffman said, “You could tell they were not ready.”
Senior Jacob Preciado passed five touchdowns and rushed for another. He completed 15 out 22 passes for a total of 217 yards, and also rushed the ball 11 times for 53 yards.
Alumnus, and new head coach for our football team Matt Carroll, has returned. He said is happy to be back and working with the students that have Rough Rider pride. He returns after coaching in Waco where he coached for five years, then at Reagan two years, and before all that he coached for Roosevelt for 11 years.
Carroll said the first game had its challenges.
“It was stressful being new with new kids and the first game,” Carroll said.
As for the players it was no easy task, with the game being televised and the first one of the new school year they had a lot on their plate.
“The seniors from the previous year showed us juniors and sophomores (now seniors and juniors) that team work is the key to success,” senior Victor “Soloman” Hunter, one of the teams’s five captains said.
Hunter and Hoffman agreed: “I think we started fast and finished strong.”
The Rough Riders take on the John Jay Mustangs tonight at Heroes.
