Shutout No. 11 for Sage Hill

SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO — “Hey Jake, you OK?” Sage Hill School boys’ soccer coach Noureddine El Alam asked goalie Jake Blitzer.

Blitzer had just dived for a save early in the second half of the Lightning’s 1-0 win at rival St. Margaret’s Friday. He gave the thumbs up sign to his coach, who nevertheless asked the same question again a few moments later.

“Yeah,” Blitzer said confidently.

He had reason to be. Friday’s win marked the ninth straight shutout for the unbeaten Lightning (10-0-2, 7-0 in the Academy League). The team has given up just one goal all season — an own-goal against Laguna Beach on Dec. 5.

And Sage Hill, ranked No. 3 in CIF Southern Section Division VI, also earned a two-game lead in the Academy League with the win over St. Margaret’s (8-8-2, 5-2).

“The kids really look after one another,” El Alam said after the game. “You have a void, a space, a weakness, then someone covers. It’s team effort that keeps us going this way.”

Grade levels are unimportant to the Lightning. Blitzer is a freshman, one of three (Ben Capaldi and Chris Burke) for the Lightning, who also regularly play five sophomores (Nick Singarella, Michael Bear, Max Ellison, Mark Milner and Bayle Smith).

Singarella headed in the game’s winning goal in the 30th minute. Junior Beau Caillouette’s long throw-in went to senior Braden Ross, who headed it to Singarella in the box.

“The past three years, we’ve figured out that the defense can’t really stop me in the air,” said Ross, a four-year starter. “We’ll throw the throw-ins to me, and someone will get behind me to try to get it into the goal. We’ve been doing that for three years now, and now it’s really working.”

Senior Tyler Ellis’ shot hit the right post three minutes into the second half. But, for much of the rest of the game, St. Margaret’s really put the pressure on the Lightning.

A curving shot by the Tartans’ Fernando Almejo went just wide right in the 73rd minute. Four minutes later, Almejo’s shot from the top of the box was just wide left.

But Sage Hill senior sweeper Alex Edelstein, the reigning Most Valuable Player of the Academy League, helped to keep things under control.

“I think it’s good organization,” Edelstein said of the defense’s success. “A lot of people are talking. From the sweeper position, I get to organize the defense how I choose. Coach El Alam gives me the freedom to set everything up in the back, and everyone’s working hard, from the forwards all the way back to me.

“We’re playing smart team defense. We’re working hard as a unit.”

El Alam agreed with that assessment. To his players, he said, it truly is about the team.

“It’s not because of the three or four defenders, it’s because of the movement of all the players,” El Alam said. “They’re a terrific group. They work well together, and they support each other.”

Blitzer made four saves in the first 62 minutes before Cailloutte finished the game in goal for the Lightning, and defenders Bear and Ellison were solid.

St. Margaret’s goalie David Mothander finished with 10 saves.

Edelstein said the team looks forward to a test on Monday, when the Lightning play at JSerra, which plays in Division I, at 3:15 p.m.

But, for now, a victory over a big rival would definitely suffice.

“It was huge for us to come here and beat them,” Ross said. “For the seniors, it’s probably the last time we play them, so that was just a really fun game for our last game.”