Sage rips Braves

The Sage Hill School football team wanted to improve its passing.

Don’t let that make you think they are going to stop rushing, though.

The Lightning, ranked No. 10 in CIF Southern Section Division

XIII, excelled in all facets of the game, pummeling visiting Sherman

Indian, 52-8, in a nonleague game Friday night.

Sage Hill amassed 298 yards and four touchdowns on the ground. As

expected, Don Ayres (140) and Keya Manshadi (58) earned the majority

of the yards.

Ayres, the fleet footed junior, scored three touchdowns. The third

was an 85-yard sprint late in the second quarter that included Ayres

hurdling a Sherman defender and receiving a crushing block from

senior Brian Kornsweit to spring Ayres down field.

In addition to the ground display, Sage wanted to improve its

passing game before moving to league play.

Sophomore Jamie McGee completed 4 of 7 passes for 99 yards and a

pair of touchdowns.

“Jamie is maturing. He is gaining confidence, and is becoming a

better passer for us,” Sage Hill Coach Tom Monarch said.

McGee believes coaching and his surrounding players are what has

helped.

“The coaches have had us improving on our focus and execution,”

McGee said. “I am also lucky to have a great offensive line, and

receivers that will make the catches.”

Sage’s defense was equally impressive. The Lightning defense held

the Braves offense to 46 yards on the night. The defensive front

sacked Sherman quarterback Tony Grier three times. The secondary

limited Grier to one complete pass for only 8 yards.

Sage Hill never gave Sherman Indian an opportunity to let the game

get competitive.

The Braves’ first drive of the game appeared to be ending in a

punt. On fourth down from the Braves 24, the snap flew over the

punter’s head and out of the end zone.

The Lightning’s first offensive drive showcased Ayres’ on the

ground. The junior carried five times on the 41-yard march, capped by

a 2-yard scoring run.

The Lighting added a second touchdown in the quarter on Jamie

McGee’s 2-yard rush.

The second quarter was not one to remember for Sherman Indian. The

Braves began the quarter by having a second punt attempt end up in

the end zone for their second safety of the game.

Sage Hill worked again from a short field to convert to score on a

four-play forty yard drive.

On the following kickoff, Keya Manshadi recovered a mishandled

kickoff return at the Brave 36. On the next play from scrimmage,

McGee found Manshadi in the right corner of the end zone.

On Sherman’s next possession, the Sage defense forced another

three and out. Braden Ross returned the punt to the Brave 29.

On another one-play scoring drive, McGee found wide receiver Zach

Milder in the end zone. The senior jumped high to pluck the ball out

of the air and land in the end zone.

Sage Hill scored on two more one play scoring drives to finish the

quarter.

Sage Hill (4-0) goes on the road Oct. 1 to play Viewpoint at

Calabasas High School.

SCORE BY QUARTERS

*--*

Sherman Indian 0 0 0 8 - 8

Sage Hill 16 36 0 0 - 52

*--*

FIRST QUARTER

SH -- Safety, punt snap out of end zone, 10:15.

SH -- Ayres 2 run (Ross kick), 7:15.

SH -- McGee 2 run (Ross kick), 0:00.

SECOND QUARTER

SH -- Safety, fumble recovered in end zone, 9:45

SH -- Ayres 5 run (Ross kick), 8:06

SH -- Manshadi 36 pass from McGee (Ross kick), 7:52

SH -- Milder 29 pass from McGee (Ross kick), 5:55

SH -- Ayers 85 run (Ross kick), 3:23

SH -- Torres 36 run (kick failed), 2:34

FOURTH QUARTER

SI -- Clack 5 run (Felton run), 11:54

A -- 250 (est.)

INDIVIDUAL RUSHING

SI --Melton 10-57; Black 2-10, 1TD; Grier 9-minus-29.

SH -- Ayres 10-140, 3TDs; Manshadi 7-58, Torres 8-55, 1 TD; McGee

1-18, Mulrati 7-17, Higgins 2-10.

INDIVIDUAL PASSING

SI -- Grier 1-6-0, 8; Tom 0-3-0, 0.

SH -- McGee 4-7-0, 99, 2 TDs; Higgins 0-3-0, 0.

INDIVIDUAL RECEIVING

SI -- Black 1-8.

SH -- Manshadi 1-36, 1TD; Milder 1-29, 1 TD; Ayres 1-20; Ross

1-10.

GAME STATISTICS

*--*

SI SH

First downs 9 16

Rushes-yardage 21-38 35-298

Passing yardage 8 99

Passing 1-9-0 4-10-0

Net return yards* 0 61

Sacks-yardage 3-30 0-0

Net yardage 46 458

Punts 6-25.8 2-32.5

Fumbles-fumbles lost 6-2 2-2

Flags-net yardage 2-10 2-20

Time of possession 20:45 27:15

*Punt returns, interceptions, fumble returns

*--*