Lightning show flashes of future

Bryce Alderton

By the time Sage Hill School’s offense got in rhythm, the clock

showed all zeroes and the Lightning fell short yet again.

The host Sage Hill football team scored all nine of its points

with less than a minute left, but visiting Sherman Indian had a

comfortable lead and cruised to a 22-9 nonleague win Friday

afternoon.

The future flashed before Sage Hill Coach Tom Monarch’s eyes as he

watched freshman quarterback Braden Ross march the Lightning (1-5) on

a seven-play, 74-yard drive that culminated in a touchdown by senior

Eddie Huang. The senior tailback and wideout took a screen pass from

Ross and ran toward the sideline before cutting toward the middle and

sprinting into the end zone to make it 22-6 with 44 seconds left

after the extra-point attempt was blocked.

Sage Hill senior linebacker and guard Marcel Sohl recovered the

ensuing onside kick and, five plays later, junior Amy Werblin booted

a 38-yard field goal -- her second this season -- as time expired,

sending the Lightning faithful into the weekend with something to

cheer about.

“I liked that last quarter. If we could just put together four

good quarters instead of one ... ,” Monarch said. “The thing that

killed us was the fumble on fourth-and-one and the fumbled [shotgun]

snap on third down. Those were crucial plays and [Sherman Indian]

scored on those [turnovers].”

Sherman Indian running back Justin Hedrick ran 24 times for 204

yards and scored all three of his team’s touchdowns on runs of 50, 30

and 25. The latter two scores came on the first play of two

successive possessions during the fourth quarter to break open a game

Sherman Indian (3-3) led, 8-0, at the end of the third quarter.

“Their line was stronger and quicker than ours,” Monarch said.

“[The Braves] got in our linebackers’ faces and pushed them back. I

give them all the credit in the world.”

The Lightning were forced to abandon the run early and rely on the

pass due to the Braves’ physical front, but Ross remained poised in

the pocket despite a sea of hands that resembled tentacles reaching

upward to try and block his lofted throws. Sage gained just 38 yards

on the ground compared to Sherman Indian’s 237.

Ross completed 14 of 17 passes for 201 yards and one interception

and threw primarily to Huang (nine receptions for 142 yards). Ross also found junior receiver Alex Samel twice for 31 yards, Don Ayres

once for 22 yards and completed a 5-yard pass to sophomore Keya

Manshadi -- his first game this season after sitting out the first

five contests with a fracture above the ankle.

Sophomore right guard Morgan Brief and Kyle Ramer, starting his

first game at center in place of Bryan Kornswiet (ligament tear above

his elbow), helped provide pass protection for Ross.

Monarch, holding his 3-year-old son Chase after the game, said the

Lightning will have to throw more in the three Academy League games

to finish the regular season. But he was pleased with what he saw

from Ross.

“His confidence is starting to develop because he is throwing

more,” Monarch said. “I just wish we would have started throwing

earlier.”