Sage Hill Football Preview

Sage Hill (0-3) vs. Mission Prep (3-0)

When/where: Friday, 7 p.m. at Sage Hill School

Key Lightning: Sr. QB/S Harrison Ray (166 yards passing, two TDs, two INTs; 21 tackles); Sr. WR/NG Thomas Fenner (nine catches for 109 yards, three TDs; 24 tackles); Sr. RB/LB Joe Melita (56 carries for 453 yards, two TDs; team-best 30 tackles).

Key Royals: Sr. QB Tyler Baty (769 yards passing, 11 TDs, no INTs); Sr. WR/DB Joey Hall (12 catches for 310 yards, seven TDs); Sr. RB Michael Cardwell (34 carries for 268 yards, two TDs).

Breakdown: The banged-up Lightning appear to be heavy underdogs against San Luis Obispo-based Mission Prep, which is ranked No. 2 in the CIF Southern Section Northeast Division ... Mission Prep has outscored its first three opponents by a combined 134-27, scoring at least 40 points in each win ... The wins for the Royals included a big 47-14 victory on Aug. 31 at Rio Hondo Prep, last year’s Northeast Division champions ... Mission Prep went 8-2 last year but played an independent schedule and didn’t receiving an at-large berth into the Northeast Division playoffs ... This is the first time Sage Hill and Mission Prep have played in football.

— Matt Szabo