Lightning under the lights

Barry Faulkner

A Sage Hill High football team Coach Tom Monarch said grew up in

last week’s 31-22 victory over Calvary Chapel of Downey will now get

to stay up late for its first varsity night game.

The Lightning (2-0), which has moved into the CIF Southern Section

Division XIII poll at No. 7, will meet Calvary Chapel of Murrieta

(0-2) tonight at 7 at Linfield High.

“We did play one or two night games last year, so this won’t be

new to our sophomores, junior and seniors,” Monarch said.

Winning, is also becoming old hat for the first-year varsity

program, which came from behind to top Calvary Chapel of Downey,

31-22, after polishing off Midway Christian, 42-24, in its varsity

opener.

“I think last week’s game made veterans out of a lot of our kids,”

Monarch said. “I was especially pleased about us coming from behind.

There was a point where we were starting to get worn down and the

game could have slipped away. But our kids approached it as a gut

check and they became men out there.”

The Lightning appears to have the upper hand this week, as the

Warriors have been outscored, 61-13, this season, including last

week’s 41-0 loss to Brethren Christian, Sage Hill’s Academy League

rival, ranked No. 1 in Division XIII. The Warriors lost to Grace

Brethren, 20-13 in Week 1.

“We want to make them pass, because I think they’re a much better

running team than a passing team,” Monarch said. “They were horrible

when they tried to pass against Brethren.”

Sage Hill has had success running and passing thus far.

Senior fullback Cliff Swanson has rushed for 249 yards and three

touchdowns on 40 carries, while senior quarterback Zach Friedrichs

has thrown for 316 yards and five TDs.

Friedrichs has completed 11 of 18 without and interception and

senior tight end Scott Cho, as well as senior receiver Erik Williams,

have made the most of their receptions.

Cho has seven catches for 179 yards, including TDs of 61 and 43

yards, while Williams has three catches for 97 yards, including TD

hookups of 48 and 43. Williams also has 37 yards and a TD on seven

rushing attempts this fall.

Monarch said Cho has been slowed by a pulled groin, but his team

is otherwise healthy.

Monarch, who predicted before the season that his unit would not

hit its stride until the third or fourth game, believes his team is

well ahead of that time frame.

“I’m a perfectionist, so I’m still not satisfied,” he said. “But I

think we’re a little ahead of where I thought we would be.”

CIF Division XIII Top 10

1. Brethren Christian (2-0); 2. Pasadena Poly (2-0); 3.

Campbell Hall (1-1); 4. Capistrano Valley Christian (1-1); 5.

Saddleback Valley Christian (2-0); 6. Linfield (1-1); 7. Sage Hill (2-0); 8. Rio Hondo Prep (1-1); 9. Hamilton (0-2); 10. Flintridge

Preparatory (0-2).