Cordova High School boys soccer head coach Eric McCahon has been adjusting his players to the change of seasons.

The Lancers, along with the rest of the Sierra Valley Conference and the Sac-Joaquin Section, have played boys soccer during the fall season for more than three decades. But two years ago, the section approved a measure to move high school boys and girls soccer to the winter season. This is in hopes of setting up state playoffs that is already set such as football, volleyball, cross-country, boys and girls basketball and track and field.

“The toughest part of the switch to the winter was the long layoff between competitive contests,” McCahon said. “But I feel we took full advantage of the long off-season.”

Part of the Lancers’ off-season workouts was McCahon running full summer strength and conditioning program. Those workouts were extended into the fall season “to maximize the boys’ physical development,” the coach noted.

“This also allowed the boys extra time to bond and develop a better team chemistry,” McCahon said. “I hoping the extra time in training will translate to better chemistry on the field, too.”

This season, McCahon has plenty of key players returning from the fall 2015 team that earned one of the conference’s three playoff berths. Cordova finished the 2015 season with a 5-3-2 record in the SVC and 12-10-3 overall mark. In the midfield are Bernardo Valdez, Antonio Ortega, Pedro Garcia and Eugene Kharamtsova in the midfield. Playing as one of the fullbacks is Eder Gamez. Kevin Bejines returns as the team’s goalie.

“I feel one of the main strengths of this team is experience,” McCahon said. “Having so many returning players from a playoff team should serve us well in tough matches.”

Newcomers for Cordova are juniors Oscar Natalio, who will start on defense, plus Izayjah McKinney and Erick Hernandez. All of them played on the fall 2015 frosh-soph soccer squad.

“The team is also very well balanced throughout all positions the field,” McCahon said. “It's a very versatile team, with many players able to play multiple roles in many different spots on the field.”

Next Monday, the Lancers scrimmage at Burbank of Sacramento. Then Cordova plays for real on Tuesday, when it hosts River City; game time is scheduled for 6 p.m. at Lancer Stadium. Then on Thursday, Dec. 1st, Cordova plays an afternoon game at Jesuit; start time is 3 p.m.

The Lancers continue their preseason schedule with eight more pre-season games, plus competing at the Del Campo Tournament a week before Christmas.

“I feel we have a non-league schedule that sets up well to prepare for league,” McCahon said. “Two tough matches right off the start with River City, and Jesuit on the road. The Del Campo tournament presents some challenging matches well. I like having a team that is tested before heading into league play.”

Plus, the Cordova varsity boys and girls soccer teams will host a doubleheader; on Jan. 3rd, 2017, the squads will host Laguna Creek of Elk Grove. Cordova boys start SVC action on Jan. 12th at Rosemont.