The Varsity White season in Southern California is underway and the Inland Conference has expanded to four teams.

Rossevelt HS has joined the Dead Rabbits, Deserts Sands, and Citrus Valley in the conference. This weekend, Citrus Valley opened up with a 24-12 win over Roosevelt.

"Roosevelt has many talented athletes and will be a strong program in our area," enthused Citrus Valley Coach Pete Smolin. "They played very well in thier first game ever."

Citrus Valley has some exciting takent. Captain and flanker Jason Lucero was player of the game and center Voi Fata combined nicely with outside center Stephen Plaisted and the two are big, imposing, and athletic.

Citrus Valley has 55 players on the roaster and Smolin and Coach Jay Lucero have been able to add four more coches to the staff to work with the athletes - Roger Light, Doug Callahan, Keith Jones, and Jeff Fox. Three of those four were with the Riverside men's club that was so strong ten years ago.

"With the new coaches and more experienced players we feel we are improving every year and getting better every week as we make the transition from football season to rugby season," said Smolin. 

Rossevelt did get two tries and will look to build on their first game. Most of the Roosevelt players will join the Empire club when the HS club season starts in the spring.