Sophomore Shazad Hazem looks for a teammate to pass to during the game against Kennedy on Jan. 9.

RANCHO CORDOVA, CA (MPG) - Cordova Lancers varsity soccer coach Eric McCahon has seen this before. 

McCahon, in his 20th season at the helm of the program, has dealt with the highs and lows that come with varsity competition. Year to year, some teams find themselves more inexperienced than others as it pertains to roster turnover. This season, the Lancers (2-9 overall, 0-2 Metro League at press time) have been taking their lumps as a much younger team than in years' past, but McCahon knows his squad will be better for it moving forward. 

Freshman Sawyer Nyberg makes a great save on a goal attempt by the Cougars on Jan. 9.

Cordova has gotten off to a slow start in its first season within the Metro League, dropping their first two games to McClatchy and Kennedy by a combined score of 12-0, respectively. According to their coach, it's all a part of the process. 

"I think the best way to describe this whole journey with this part of the season, is it has really been an adjustment for the program in its entirety," McCahon said. "We're trying to build a core that can compete at this level, and when you do that with young players, it takes time."

Head coach Eric McCahon gives his players a pep talk during the halftime break against Kennedy.

Perhaps more difficult than competing against more experienced teams is maintaining high team morale when the victories aren't piling up, according to McCahon. With young players, he finds himself having to maintain positivity and keep his team focused no matter the outcome on the pitch. 

"The emphasis right now is morale," he said. "I know that sounds kind of cliche' but they are young. I've done this multiple times before, and I don't want to sound old, but different generations of Cordova kids respond differently. So, the biggest focus for me right now is keeping them in a good headspace."

Sophomore Misael Ceja Rojas (No. 8 left) and junior Aldo Rios (No. 11) battle for the ball at midfield against Kennedy on Jan. 9. 

McCahon mentioned a pair of young midfielders who are quickly becoming leaders in the locker room as well as on the field, in freshman Raul Aguilar and sophomore Nikos Bautista. Both have stood out to their coach in the way that they practice and provide a positive energy to their teammates. Their coach stated that both players could find themselves being relied upon as team captains in the near future if they keep up their current efforts. 

Sophomore Shazad Hazem dribbles up-field against Kennedy.

Despite the rough start to Metro League play, McCahon noted that he is loving the "grit" his team is showing as of late and feels the second half of league play will go a long way in determining the direction of his program moving forward. 

"I'm loving our mentality, I like where we're going with this," he said of the positives he's seeing this season with his young group. "I understand the defeatist feeling after some big score lines and it's been a while since these guys have tasted victory, but they're starting to show that resilience."