*Note: scheduled away games may be affected by PG&E shutdowns.
Marcus D. Smith–
High school volleyball, tennis and football are in full swing and the Citrus Heights Sentinel has all the updates and previews for you. Here’s the rundown from the most recent high school sporting events, along with upcoming events scheduled for later this week.
Girls Tennis. This week in high school girls tennis:
MVHS: The Mesa Verde Lady Mavericks varsity tennis team were in action on Oct. 8. They dropped that match in a tough, 7-2, sets against Dixon High School’s Lady Rams.
Mesa Verde will be back in action again Oct. 10 against Mira Loma High School. The Lady Mavericks will go on the road to face the Lady Matadors at 4 p.m.
Make sure to follow @mesaverdesports on Twitter for the update on this match and future matches.
Girls Volleyball. This week in high school girls volleyball:
MVHS: Lady Mavericks are looking to bounce back from their Oct. 7 loss against Pioneer High School, losing in three sets.
Mesa Verde is looking for their first win of the season, and continue to search for that victory against Mira Loma High School.
Mira Loma comes into this game with a 5-7-1 record, that tie coming to Oasis Academy from Fallon, Nevada. Overall they are 3-2.
The Lady Matadors got the best of Mesa Verde in three sets, back on Sept. 25. The Lady Mavericks will attempt to avenge that loss when they visit them on Oct. 14.
The first set is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. in the Mira Loma High School gymnasium.
SJHS: The Lady Spartans varsity volleyball team will be in action on Oct. 10th when they face Linden Lady Lions at 6 p.m.
This match will be at home for the Lady Spartans, held at San Juan High School’s main gymnasium.
With a win, they will get back to .500 in conference, they are currently 2-3.
San Juan Lady Spartans are undefeated so far when they play at home, 7-0. Overall they are 11-5 on the season.
Football. A look ahead at the Friday Night football games from local high schools in the Citrus Heights area:
MVHS: Mesa Verde looks to turn the corner as a program as they opened the Golden Empire League play with a 20-7 win against Pioneer last week.
Mesa Verde takes their 1-0 record to Dixon High School to battle with the Rams. The Mavericks have been a solid team on the road this season, winning both of their games.
This game will be a true test for them as Dixon High School comes into this game from a 42-25 loss against Woodland and will be looking to get back to .500 in league play.
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Last year, Mesa Verde lost to the Rams in a shutout, 48-0. Of course, this year has been a lot different for the Mavericks. They have had a complete turnaround under first-year Head Coach Bryan Golder.
Mesa Verde enters this game as winners of their last three games and are expecting to extend it to a fourth. Kickoff is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m.
SJHS: San Juan High School looks to respond from their 55-6 loss to Vacaville Christian in a heated environment.
In a game that featured five turnovers from the offense, the Spartans look to clean up the mistakes and communicate better.
There were a couple positive takeaways from the game:
Senior quarterback Wyatt Winalski and junior wide receiver Matt Colter have teamed up for at least a touchdown in consecutive games.
Defensively, the Spartans did force two turnovers. A fumble by sophomore defensive lineman, Conner Omari and an interception from Colter, who also starts at defensive back.
The Spartans went back to practice throughout the week in preparation for their duel with the Rio Vista Rams in their second game in the Sierra Delta League.
The Rams have similar style to Vacaville Christian as an offense that can and will put points on the board. After their previous game, you can expect for Rio Vista High School to come out ready to play.
Their first loss came last week when Sierra Delta League started and they went on the road to face Highlands High School, 42-7. The Rams come into this game with an overall record of 5-1.
Last year, the game against Rio Vista was a lopsided one, as the Spartans were dropped in a 53-12 loss. This game has a different setting though, as last year Rio Vista played at home for that blowout and there was a different coaching staff and group of players.
San Juan High School will be at home for this showdown against Rio Vista. Kickoff begins at 7 p.m.
Sports Reporter Marcus D. Smith covers high school sports in Citrus Heights. Smith is a Sacramento-area native and earned his bachelor’s degree in journalism in 2017. To follow local sports and support The Sentinel’s new sports coverage, click here to see subscription options.