Daniel Tovar (middle left), a 17-year-old senior and wider receiver at River City High School sits at the bleachers with a smile after winning a cup snatching game at the Oct. 24 homecoming rally. Photo by Seth Henderson

WEST SACRAMENTO, CA (MPG) - River City High School students, staff and faculty celebrated a week of homecoming festivities from Oct. 20 through the final homecoming dance on Oct. 25, celebrating seniors, school programs and school spirit. 

Performances from multiple school programs including the Majorettes, marching band, cheer team and others took place through Oct. 24, featuring an afterschool rally as well as senior night for multiple sports programs such as football and water polo.

River City High School teachers conduct a performance to Montel Williams’ “This is How We Do It,” during the Oct. 24 homecoming rally after school. Photo by Seth Henderson

Athletic Director Brittany Adame said that a goal of the high school is to make the community feel like one big family that can have fun while also staying safe. 

“It's really supportive. I love to see that multiple generations are able to come,” Adame said during the football program’s senior night. “We definitely want our families to know that this is what it's all about, getting our kids to be out, to be active and enjoying high school. That's one of the biggest things, having the family's support of our district, of our high school. It's really fun to see.”

Students filled the gymnasium bleachers after school, showing their school spirit during an Oct. 24 pep rally. The rally featured numerous performances, including from teachers who performed a choreographed dance to Montell Williams’ “This is How We Do It,” drawing a roaring applause from the entire gym at the performance’s end. 

Daniel Tovar, a 17-year-old senior and wide receiver at River City High School, competes in a cup snatching game, winning the entire event through several rounds of elimination. Photo by Seth Henderson

Leadership students organized, led and directed the rally with some students DJing atop a tall tower, crafted and painted with a city skyline, following River City’s “Heroes and Villains" theme for homecoming. During the rally, students competed against each other in various games, testing a player’s attention to detail and ability to follow directions. Some games included a fixed number of players racing for a limited number of chairs while blindfolded or pairs of contestants competing to grab a single plastic cup.

Daniel Tovar, a 19-year-old senior, wide receiver and cornerback on the varsity football team, participated in the rally’s cup game, winning the final head-to-head matchup, causing the senior section of the bleachers to erupt in cheer and applause. Tovar walked back to the senior section of the bleachers to sit with his teammates, as the football team had worn their jerseys to the rally. 

Players on the River City High School Raiders varsity football team pose for a photo during a senior night celebration at the end of homecoming week. Photo by Seth Henderson

Welcomed and embraced at the bleachers by not only his teammates but who Tovar called his brothers, Tovar said he was excited to play one last home game with the team he has connected with over the years. Before the varsity football game, Tovar said what he’s going to miss most about playing football at River City was the environment and the coaches because they have helped him grow tremendously. 

“It feels amazing,” Tovar said about being honored during senior night. “The crowd and everything tonight. Homecoming game, senior night it's just a big game, really excited for it.”

At the homecoming football game, family members and friends joined their senior football players on the track and sideline area, holding posters and taking photos to celebrate, as well as honor their students during a senior night celebration as they prepare for their final home game of the school year against Vacaville High School. 

Members of the River City High School Regiment marching band prepare to perform at the homecoming rally on Oct. 24 after school. Photo by Seth Henderson

Caden Silvestre, a 17-year-old drum captain and tenor drum player in the marching band, running for senior homecoming royalty, was considered in the nomination for River City High School’s homecoming king. Silvestre said running for royalty broke him out of his shell as he had to campaign with posters, fliers and other contributions to make his case for homecoming king. 

Madelyn Sadorra, a 17-year-old senior and head drum major for the marching band, said that she was looking forward to the rally and said it was the best one she had experienced during her time at River City. At the football game before the band’s halftime performance, Sadorra said she was excited but stressed because she wanted to put on an excellent performance for the exceptionally-large homecoming crowd. 

The last home football game of the year is not only a “last” for the seniors on the football team but also the final performance under the Friday night lights for seniors in the marching band, color guard, Majorettes and other programs. Multiple seniors told Messenger Publishing Group that they never put much thought into what their last day might be like, sharing bittersweet reflections of their newfound realization as they lived it in real time.

The River City High School water polo team carries out a longstanding homecoming tradition on Oct. 24 by supporting the football team with each water polo player painting a letter on their chest, spelling “GO RAIDERS” when the team stands together on the bleachers. Photo by Seth Henderson

“We’ve been waiting for this for so long, from being freshmen and seeing the seniors that year graduate and have these moments, and it all leads up to ours,” Sadorra said. “It’s just kind of like a full circle moment.” 

Sadorra said that this year’s marching band senior class was the largest in school history with a total of 29 seniors. 

Adeline Caldwell, an 18-year-old senior and section leader of the piccolos for the marching band, said she was also excited for the homecoming rally and to perform in front of the largest home crowd of the year, consisting of friends, family, alumni and supporters. 

“As we're going through this game, it's a ton of lasts,” Caldwell said. “This is my last time walking in, this is our last time doing pregame. It's going to be our last kickoff and so it's very surreal. I know that there are all of these lasts coming through, but at the same time, we’re just having a great time and a lot of fun.”

Caldwell said her high school experience would not have been the same without marching band, having spent more hours on the football field than anywhere else. Caldwell said a quality instilled in her by her previous section leaders was hard work and that she would take it with her after she graduates. 

Leadership students at River City High School pose for a photo after school on Oct. 24 during the homecoming rally. Photo by Seth Henderson

“When I was a freshman and when I was a sophomore, I was looking up to my section leader and now they're there and they're looking up to me and it's a position that I never thought I'd find myself in,” Caldwell said. “It's an incredibly fortunate position that my goal is always just to try to be the best example that I can be to them, like my section leaders were to me when I was a freshman.”

Silvestre said he set out to become drum captain and learn the tenor drums when he began his high school career and he did just that. He said a highlight of homecoming was having all the pieces of the performance come together, integrating songs such as “Family Ties” or “Like That,” made popular by Kendrick Lamar, to the pep band showtune list.  

“Last time playing these stand tunes, these band shorts. Last time in these bleachers with my peers and last time under the lights, really,” Silvestre said. “It goes by really fast and I don't think I've processed it yet, so I'm just trying to soak everything in.”

Silvestre said the last four years of high school, having been in marching band, were the best moments of his life. Being able to perform and present all the hard work he put into his craft is a feeling he said can never be beat. The nerves before taking the field and the relief after coming off a performance “are amazing moments” that Silvestre said he loved every minute of. 

Sadorra said the marching band competed on Oct. 18, winning first place in a Western Band Association competition and that the marching band, as well as the Majorettes had a senior night celebration that weekend. 

River City High School students perform during the homecoming rally in the gymnasium on Oct. 24 after school. 

After all the performances and celebrations on Oct. 24, the varsity football game ended in a 42-14 loss for River City but homecoming was not officially over until seniors had their last homecoming dance on Oct. 25. Leadership students stayed after the football game to clean up and tear down equipment before returning the next morning to set up for the dance. 

“You're going to win, you're going to lose but whatever's happening, you’ve got to be able to adapt and adjust and push through it,” head coach Marcus Tribble said about the team’s last opportunity to showcase their skills at home. “Toughness is my main thing.” 

The River City High School Raiders’ varsity football team prepares to take the field against the Vacaville High School Bulldogs on Oct. 24 for River City’s homecoming football game. Photo by Seth Henderson

The River City Raiders varsity football team’s final game of the season is at Sacramento High School against the Dragons on Nov. 1. Sacramento High School is located at 2315 34th St., Sacramento. 

River City High School is located at 1 Raiders Lane, West Sacramento. To learn more about the school, its athletics programs or events, visit https://rivercity.wusd.k12.ca.us/#.