Frogs leap past Lightning

Roger Carlson

Sage Hill School’s Lightning let a second straight nonleague football

foe off the hook Friday afternoon as Ribet Academy’s Fighting Frogs

took advantage of five turnovers and a bad center snap on a punting

situation to claim a 17-12 victory.

It was a classic example of a team’s punishing and fundamentally

sound offense, as well as a swarming defense, forced to settle for

second-best.

“We really did outhit them and our line dominated,” said Sage Hill

Coach Tom Monarch.

The Lightning dug a hole early, again, as Ribet jumped to a

two-touchdown lead on the strength of a 47-yard drive after Sage Hill

fumbled the ball away on the fourth snap of the game, and after

forcing Sage Hill to punt, got the gift of the game.

Sophomore center Bryan Kornswiet was injured in the first series

(arm) and did not return, and it was costly, as Sage Hill gave the

ball up on its 16 when the ensuing punt failed to materialize.

Five plays later Troy Guanzon took a pitch and swept to his left

from a yard out and Brett Harris toed his second PAT to give Ribet a

14-0 lead.

Ribet would net just 47 yards the rest of the game as Don Ayres,

Kyle Ramer, Kurt Gumerman, Michael Morgan, Marcel Sohl, Michael

Solomon, Bryan Forrest, Peter Haderlein, and the rest of the defense,

smothered almost everything the Frogs could throw at them.

Sage Hill broke through early in the second quarter when Morgan

Brief recovered a fumble at the Ribet 18, and on the first play from

scrimmage, freshman quarterback Braden Ross found Ayers, another

freshman, on the left side and the latter sprinted the final 10 yards

for the touchdown.

Sage Hill was turned away after marching to the Ribet 5-yard line,

a drive highlighted by Huang’s 16-yard burst to the 5 after center

Morgan and left guard Sohl cleared the way in the middle.

On the ensuing possession Ribet was again handled by the

Lightning’s defense, forced to punt and paid the price.

Sohl broke through to block James’ punt from the 22 and Haderlein

emerged from a scramble in the end zone for the touchdown with 10:55

left. A second two-point attempt was again thwarted.

James padded the lead with a 41-yard field goal with 7:32 left and

Sage Hill responded with its final drive, which seemed to have the

momentum.

From Sage Hill’s 34 the Lightning drove to the Ribet 25 with 1:17

remaining, but Joseph Marcos of Ribet intercepted a pass attempt to

snuff out the final threat.

Ribet improves to 3-2, while Sage Hill has a week off with a bye

to think about its (very deceiving) 1-4 record.