Sage Hill clocks Twin Pines

Barry Faulkner

With 16 underclassmen on the roster, including 13 freshmen, Sage Hill

School football coach Tom Monarch tends to focus on the future.

But, for one week at least, Monarch and his staff ventured back in

time in hopes of shoring up the Lightning’s performance.

“We turned back the clock,” Monarch said after Friday’s 40-7

nonleague romp over visiting Twin Pines. “We focused less on game

film and more on our own fundamentals in practice this week. We went

back to good ol’ blocking and tackling. We did a lot of hitting this

week and the electricity today was much higher.”

The results were impressive, though the competition was not, as

the Lightning breezed to the most lopsided victory margin in the

third-year program’s 22 varsity games.

Sage Hill (2-1) scored on its first four possessions and six of

its first seven to bury the Bobcats (0-3), who had as many turnovers

(four) as first downs.

The Lightning defense limited the visitors to 17 yards rushing and

10 passing. Sage missed out on the program’s second all-time shutout

when Anthony Smith went 86 yards for a touchdown with the Lightning’s

final kickoff, after the hosts had pushed their lead to 40 points.

“We had some younger kids in on that kickoff return and they have

to learn that’s what can happen when you arm tackle,” said Monarch,

who substituted liberally in the second half.

Another factor in the strong performance, Monarch said, was the

return to health of freshman quarterback Jamie McGee.

McGee, limited in last week’s 21-7 loss to Villanova Prep, had

been plagued by ankle and shoulder problems.

“It makes it a little tough to game plan, when your quarterback

can’t run and his shoulder is bothering him when he throws,” Monarch

said. “Jamie is as healthy as he has been all year and it showed in

his play.”

McGee, whom Monarch was quick to point out was protected well by

the offensive line, triggered a sharp short-passing game for the

winners. He completed 14 of 17 for 127 yards to help bolster a

running game that also found consistent success.

Sophomore fullback Don Ayers rushed for 96 yards and two

touchdowns and also fielded three passes for 27 yards.

Junior tailback Keya Manshadi rushed for 68 yards and three TDs,

while catching two passes for 10 more yards. He also returned an

interception 58 yards to the Twin Pines 16-yard line to set up the

Lightning’s fifth TD and sprinted 19 yards with the Lightning’s lone

punt return.

Sophomore receiver Braden Ross had a team-high five receptions for

51 yards, while senior tight end Stephen Hancock had four catches for

39 yards, all in the first half.

“Ross ran some great routes and I liked the battery he formed with

McGee,” Monarch said.

Manshadi capped an eight-play, 68-yard march with a 12-yard run to

open the scoring and junior linebacker Nick Sohl gave Sage Hill

possession by recovering a fumble on the Twin Pines 46 just 93

seconds later.

The Lightning needed just four plays to cash in, as Ayers scored

on a 16-yard run. Amy Werblin added the first of her four conversion

kicks and it was 13-0 with 5:01 left in the first quarter.

Sage went 46 yards on seven plays to up the lead to 20-0, with

Manshadi capping the drive on a 12-yard scoring run.

After a subsequent Twin Pines punt, Sage used 10 plays to cover 52

yards, with McGee running in for a 2-yard capper with 4:36 left in

the half.

Manshadi’s interception halted the visitors’ first second-half

possession and set up a two-play mini-drive that he capped with a

6-yard scoring run.

When Lightning junior defensive tackle Morgan Brief collected an

errant pitchout on the first play after the ensuing kickoff, Sage

needed just four plays to cover the 17 yards. Ayers scored on the

1-yard run with 5:40 left in the third quarter and Sage, with

plentiful backups in the mix, instituted a conservative running game

to help limit the onslaught.

McGee also had an interception, while senior defensive end Jimmy

O’Hare had the lone Lightning sack, flinging the quarterback down for

a 12-yard loss.

Tackle Brandon David, end Michael Morgan, linebackers Bryan

Kornswiet, Ayers and Dylan Milstein, as well as cornerback Ross

joined the aforementioned defensive standouts in making things tough

for the visitors.

The Sage offensive line featured tackles Bryan Forrest and Morgan,

guards David and Brief, and center Kornswiet.