By Christopher Dietrich

PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT (Christopher Dietrich)

By Christopher Dietrich

As the Riverside City College football team worked its way through its first week of practices for the season, one word could describe the scene of coaches giving orders and players dashing about Wheelock Field: energy.

Energy filled the air as players ran through the last set of practices before the final cut is made on Aug. 28.

Which players will make the cut?

According to head coach Bill Brown, the rookies he has this season are some of the best the team has had in years.

“We’ve got a good crop of returning running backs and a returning backup quarterback, John Zertuchi,” Brown said. “Offensively we’re better than we were last year.”

What does offensively better mean?

One of Brown’s visions for the team was to play at the level of other football programs.

“So far we’ve matched them all except for El Camino,” Brown said. Last year the Tigers’ season ended in the playoffs by El Camino in the National Bowl game.

With last season’s overall record of 7-4 and a conference record of 4-1 the team is looking to improve.

“We’re looking forward to a championship,” said Adam Lucky, a second-year running back. “But we’re just going to play it game by game. We have to take every game seriously.”

The team’s biggest concern is the upcoming game against Los Angeles Southwest on Sep. 2.

“LA Southwest is as fast a team as we’ve ever played,” Brown said.

Lucky believes the first game of the season will be the team’s most important.

“This game will set the tempo for the rest of the year,” he said. “I hope our team will live up to our expectations.”

RUNNING DRILLS (Christopher Dietrich)