RANCHO CORDOVA, CA (MPG) - In what has been a rough start to their season, the Cordova Lancers’ varsity football program has suffered five consecutive lopsided losses in their first five games. Yet despite another frustrating 61-7 loss at home against visiting Ponderosa last Friday at Cordova High School, team morale remains high with Greater Sacramento League play right around the corner.

Against the Bruins (3-2 overall), the tone of the contest was set early after Lancers’ senior quarterback Joey Estrada fumbled the snap on Cordova’s second play from scrimmage, resulting in a Ponderosa touchdown after Bruins’ senior tailback/linebacker Colin Taylor would recover the ball for a 35-yard scoop and score. That play was a microcosm of the game, as Cordova would fumble five times, three of which would be recovered by Ponderosa. For the Bruins, Taylor would contribute the initial touchdown on the fumble recovery defensively, and carry his team offensively as he tallied 11 rushing attempts for 120 yards and two more scores.

Miscues by the Lancers resulted in a 47-0 halftime deficit that they would be unable to overcome.

The scoreboard was not indicative of the effort on the part of Cordova, however. With the game well in hand in the fourth quarter, Lancers’ senior all-purpose threat Brandon Gray would sprint for a 57-yard touchdown that would excite his teammates along with his coach, Jason Bumbaca. Gray would finish the game with 10 carries for 81 yards as the bright spot for Cordova.

"He’s a receiver by trait and it’s taken him a little bit of time to get adjusted to taking it between the tackles,” Bumbaca said. “But he’s done a great job and done everything this coaching staff has asked.”

Bumbaca also referenced a recent player-led meeting that the team held earlier in the week, praising his team’s accountability and the leadership in the locker room. He also mentioned that his team sees the bigger picture, and knows that their difficult preseason schedule should pay huge dividends once league play starts.

“We’re essentially trying to look at the light at the end of the tunnel with league coming up,” Bumbaca said.”

The Lancers travel to Oakmont this Friday, September 27, in their final non-league contest. Greater Sacramento League play will begin for the Lancers on Friday, October 4, when they host Johnson.