RANCHO CORDOVA, CA (MPG) - The Cordova Lady Lancers’ varsity golf team is ready to go for the fall season under head coach Brian Botsford. 

After finishing in fourth place during their first season in the realigned Metro League last year and sending two seniors to Sectionals, the Lady Lancers will field a mostly young team who are eager to gain experience.

The group will feature two returnees in senior Grace Deems and sophomore Avery Arnold, whom Botsford said are much improved. 

"We have a great bunch of girls as always," Botsford said. "We have two returners in senior Grace Deems and sophomore Avery Arnold, and I've seen great improvement from them. Exciting to have two great players that I've seen improvement on but also excited that I have five new players who are out there swinging the ball. I'm very excited about the season."

Regarding Deems and Arnold, Botsford said that their improved knowledge of the game is evident in how they approach practice and how they utilize different golf clubs for different shots. Botsford hopes is that the two will compete for a trip to Sectionals later this fall. 

The rest of the team is comprised of first year players whom Botsford is excited to see compete. Seniors Savannah Buckner and Peyton Stocker, sophomore Anna Vusotsha and freshmen Lacey Boswell and Eva Adair will all be counted on this season as the team hopes to make some noise in the Metro League. 

According to Botsford, two Metro League rivals in both Grant and Antelope are having trouble putting together teams. That opens an opportunity for Cordova to compete for postseason play.

West Park, McClatchy and Kennedy figure to be strong opponents yet again but with the top three finishers in league play able to send players to Sectionals, there is optimism that the Lady Lancers will be in the mix, according to Botsford.

"We've worked on fielding our team, having them ready, getting them eligible. We're ready to play," Botsford said.

The Lady Lancers’ first matches of the season came after press time this week as they took on McClatchy at Bing Maloney Golf Course on Sept. 2 and then on Sept. 4 when they hosted Kennedy at Mather Golf Course.