Lightning wants a win before bye

Patrick Laverty

With a roster hovering around 20 players, Sage Hill School’s football

team could use a midseason break to rest the lingering injuries that

occur over the course of a season.

The Lightning will get a chance to rest next week because of a

bye, but they’d like to enter that bye week with a victory against

Ribet Academy.

Sage Hill will play host to Ribet Academy Friday at 3:30 p.m.

The Fighting Frogs (2-2) come into the contest on a high after

defeating La Verne Lutheran last week, 65-0. But Sage Hill scrimmaged

La Verne Lutheran prior to the season and knows that the large margin

of victory over a weak opponent doesn’t mean too much.

Ribet Academy, located in Los Angeles, has also posted an 18-14

victory over Malibu and has lost games to Chadwick and Webb. None of

the Fighting Frogs’ opponents are ranked in the CIF Southern Section

polls.

“They’re similar talent-wise to Fairmont [Prep, which defeated

Sage Hill, 26-13, last week],” Lightning Coach Tom Monarch said. “It

should be tough. Obviously, any game is tough with our limited

resources. Where they have the advantage is upperclassmen. But we’re

pretty similar in size and speed.”

The Lightning (1-3) start two freshman on both offense and

defense. Three sophomores start on both sides of the ball and two

others start on defense.

But Sage Hill’s playmakers are both seniors.

Tailback Eddie Huang leads the team in rushing (412 yards) and has

scored four touchdowns. Fullback Ray Lim has rushed for 222 yards and

two touchdowns.

Sage Hill will add a second fullback in the backfield this week,

senior Peter Haderlein, switching to a power-I formation.

Sophomore cornerback Nick Sohl leads the defense in tackles with

31. Haderlein has made 21 tackles, including five sacks.

Ribet Academy is led by quarterback Joe Angulo, who has completed

32 of 50 passes for 494 yards and four touchdowns.

Kyle Lewis leads the Fighting Frogs’ rushing attack, with 346

yards and two touchdowns on 30 carries.

Brett Jones, who has also spent time at quarterback, has rushed

for 219 yards on 11 carries and scored one touchdown.

Shutting down Ribet Academy’s offense would go a long way toward

entering the bye week with momentum as the Lightning gears up for

Academy League play.

“I’ll probably give them a day off,” Monarch said of the bye week.

“Then we’ll likely prep for St. Margaret’s, our first league game.

Not to look past Sherman Indian [Sage Hill’s foe on Oct. 24], but I

think it gives up some time to prep for league.”