Prep football: A grand debut

Barry Faulkner

SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO - Though most football teams save their awards

for the postseason banquet, Sage Hill High players, coaches, teachers,

parents and students will be rewarded for their patience Friday

afternoon.

The Lightning, whose 27-player roster includes six juniors, six

sophomores, 15 freshmen and no seniors, will make its varsity football

debut at 3:15 p.m. at Saddleback Valley Christian.

As it turns out, the Newport Coast private school that opened last

year, is also opening its 2001 season, after last week’s scheduled debut

against Francis Parker of San Diego was canceled in the aftermath of the

Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

“Our kids are hungry,” said Sage Hill Coach Tom Monarch, who guided

the Lightning to an 0-8 season on the frosh-soph level last fall. “It has

been so long since we’ve played, even the coaches’ wives are ready for a

game.”

Monarch, who said he scheduled two varsity opponents this year to

reward his players for their hard work (the other is Oct. 5 against

Fairmont), noted the school is also extremely excited about Friday’s

game.

“We’re approaching this as a varsity game,” said Monarch, whose team

has five junior varsity games remaining on its schedule. “Our kids know

this is a big game for us. Winning this one, could set the tone for the

rest of the year.”

The Lightning’s I-formation offense is led by junior quarterback Zack

Friedrichs, as well as running backs Ray Lim, Marty McKee and Miles

Williams.

Friedrichs played running back last season, while Lim, a 6-foot,

200-pound sophomore, will play both fullback and tailback.

McKee is a junior, while Williams, a sophomore Estancia transfer, has

already made an impression on Monarch.

“(Williams) is really going to be fun to watch,” Monarch said. “He is

a legitimate runner ... at any school.”

Sophomore Eddie Huang and junior tight end Scott Cho lead the

receiving corps.

Cliff Swanson, a 5-11 junior who at 215 pounds joins Lim as the

heaviest Lightning players, anchors an offensive line that also includes

juniors Ryan Cohan and Grayson Ross, as well as freshman Jimmy O’Hare.

Swanson (middle linebacker), Cho (nose guard), McKee and Williams

(outside ‘backers), as well as secondary members Huang and Friedrichs,

assume double duty as defensive starters.

Sophomore end Marcel Sohl and freshmen defensive backs Patrick Smith

and Danny Cinto will also be asked to limit Saddleback Valley Christian’s

offensive thrust.

The Warriors (1-1) defeated Fairmont, 12-6, Friday, after absorbing a

30-6 loss from Linfield Sept. 7.

Coach Mike Henjum’s squad, playing a free-lance schedule, has 26

players, up from 14 a year ago, when it went 0-7.

The Warriors are led by sophomore running back Brian Harbin. He rushed

for 107 yards on 12 carries against Fairmont, including fourth-quarter

scoring runs of 26 and 14 yards. He returned a kickoff for a touchdown

against Linfield, so he has scored all the Warriors’ points this season.