With nine games played and five to go before the end of the season, Los Medanos’s scrappy soccer team is sitting at fifth in the Bay Valley Conference.

It’s been a tough schedule so far, but head coach Zach Sullivan is rolling with the punches.

“We’ve definitely had some growing pains. When you have some players on the field with no soccer experience and others who have played since they could walk, it’s easy to have frustrated players,” said Sullivan. “But our experienced players have been very supportive and positive.”

In addition to a green squad, Sullivan’s late hiring meant he had little time to recruit, resulting in a skeletal 13 player roster, leaving just two substitutes on the bench. This shortage of players means some players have to play through injuries.

Though the team hasn’t always , they’ve showed flashes of potential, a good sign for a coach looking to build a strong soccer program over the next few years.

“We have moments in every game where we show we can play with every team,” said Sullivan. “We can still work on our speed of play and defending in transition.”

Despite their adversities, the Mustangs sit higher in the conference than they finished last season, and Sullivan is targeting a fourth place finish.

Two of the Mustangs’ last four games are at home. They face Napa Tuesday, Nov. 1 and Merrit Friday, Nov. 4. before ending their season the next week at Yuba.