Sage Hill seeks first league win

Barry Faulkner

Barring a tie, the eighth week of the high school football season

will bring the first Academy League victory to either Sage Hill or

visiting St. Margaret’s, which square off in a league contest today

at 2:30 p.m.

It’s the final league game of the season for Sage Hill (3-4, 0-2

in league), which hopes to avoid a winless league campaign in its

first varsity season.

San Juan Capistrano-based St. Margaret’s (3-3) has yet to play a

league game and had a bye last week in order to prepare for its

three-game closing stretch against Academy opposition.

It’s a game Sage Hill Coach Tom Monarch has said would be his

team’s best chance for a league win.

“St. Margaret’s is a good team, but I think, size wise, and in

terms of quickness, we pair off well,” Monarch said. “This is a pride

game, especially for our seniors. You only go to high school once.

Later on in life, when you sit down at the dinner table and tell your

family about when you played football, you can either tell what a

great game it could have been, or what a great game it was.”

Monarch’s continually improving team, which starts more than a

handful of freshmen, is coming off a solid effort last week in a

34-20 loss to Mary Star of the Sea.

“I think we played our best game of the year last week,” Monarch

said.

The Lightning has evolved into a passing-dominated offense, keyed

by senior quarterback Zach Friedrichs, who has propelled the offense

in recent weeks despite a severe thigh bruise that has limited his

mobility.

“Zach has matured greatly,” Monarch said. “And the poor guy has

basically been on one leg. If he were at full strength, he would be

remarkable. He’s throwing off one leg and it really hurts his

scrambling.”

Monarch said Friedrichs, who has thrown for 1,132 yards and nine

touchdowns (completing 67 of 143 with 10 interceptions), was held out

of practice this week in order to maximize his recovery.

Friedrichs’ leading receivers have been senior Erik Williams (20

receptions for 334 yards and four TDs), senior Scott Cho (20 catches

for 285 yards and two TDs) and freshman Keya Manshadi (13 catches for

283 yards and three TDs).

Senior fullback Cliff Swanson’s 287 rushing yards are tops among

ground gainers. He has also scored six TDs.

Williams has also rushed for 220 yards and one TD and has scored

another touchdown on an interception return.

The Lightning was held to minus-4 yards on the ground last week,

after netting minus-24 the previous week against Capistrano Valley

Christian.

But Monarch said both Mary Star and Capo Valley Christian were

much bigger up front than St. Margaret’s.

“Our linemen are looking forward to this week because they’ve been

going up against some horses the last two games,” Monarch said.

“After watching the film, they’ve seen it’s back to reality this

week. St. Margaret’s linemen are good and quick, but they’re closer

to 200 pounds than 255.”

The Tartans favor the ground game, which has been keyed by

6-foot-2, 180-pound senior running back Chris Pike. Pike has 552

rushing yards and eight TDs on 68 carries.

Sebastian Bacon and Cory Westrope have alternated at quarterback

for St. Margaret’s. Bacon has completed 28 of 70 for 235 yards and

two TDs, with six interceptions. Westrope is 15 of 34 for 220 yards

and two TDs, with two interceptions.

Hutch Parker is the Tartans’ leading receiver with 17 catches for

214 yards and two TDs.

The two teams have two similar opponents this season. Sage Hill

defeated Fairmont, 26-0, while St. Margaret’s earned a 31-0 victory.

Sage Hill lost to Saddleback Valley Christian, 39-6, while the

Tartans dropped a 14-13 verdict to the Warriors.

The victory over Fairmont, Oct. 4, is the only win in the last

five games for the Lightning, while St, Margaret’s has won two of its

last three.