Sage Hill Northeast Division

Sage Hill School enters the postseason for the fourth time in the school’s history with an edge: The Lightning are facing a team they’ve already seen.

Sage Hill (8-2), the No. 2 team out of the Academy League, will face Linfield Christian (7-3) at home at 7:30 Friday.

Sage Hill played Linfield Christian during the regular season, and whisked by with its narrowest victory margin of the year, a 36-35 win.

“The biggest advantage is having already played the team and having already prepared for them once,” said coach Pete Anderson. “Every player’s already played a game against them. As far as preparation goes, you have a huge advantage, but it goes the other way too.”

This is Anderson’s first year as head coach, but he was an assistant in 2004 and 2005.

This marks senior quarterback Jamie McGee’s fourth trip to the playoffs, so it’s an atmosphere he knows well.

In four years at Sage Hill, the Lightning’s quarterback has thrown for 7,681 yards and 83 touchdowns, and he’s raked in the post-season honors. During McGee’s freshman year, the Lightning lost in the first round, then improved to the second round in 2005. Sage Hill sustained another first-round loss in 2006.

“It’s been pretty stellar,” Anderson said of McGee’s career. “He’s definitely gotten better each year. His arm has gotten stronger every year. His ability to make decisions and read defenses has gotten better every year. His leadership ability has improved every year.”

Sage Hill senior quarterback Jamie McGee scrambles during a game against Brethren Christian. McGee has thrown 83 career touchdowns. Sage Hill enters the playoffs with the momentum of a 60-37 win over Capistrano Valley Christian.

If the Lightning win Friday, they will play the winner of the Brentwood-Desert Christian game Nov. 23.