Sage wins handily

Not only does the Sage Hill School football team not have to wonder any longer what it feels like to win, it wasn’t long into their second game of the season that the Lightning had a grasp on what it’s like to be in championship form.

The Lightning halted a five-game losing streak by scoring on their first four possessions and cruising to a 41-14 nonleague win over visiting Fairmont Prep on Friday.

“We came out hitting on all cylinders,” first-year coach Abram Booty said of the first win in charge. “The boys played well. The quarterback [junior Caden Sheetz] was on fire. We executed. Our receivers made plays and our running back, DJ Henry, fought for tough yards all night long.

“And then our defense, under [coordinator and] former USC star Mike Salmon played a heck of a ballgame.”

Henry, a senior, scored four touchdowns on his way to collecting 81 yards on just 11 carries, while Sheetz completed 12 of 15 passes for 260 yards and two more scores.

Junior receiver Jacob Copeland had touchdown receptions of 80 and 11 yards to finish with three catches for 136 yards to help Sage even its record at 1-1.

The loss extended the losing streak to seven games for Fairmont Prep (0-2), which moved the ball effectively all night, but had trouble stopping the Lightning.

After the end of the first half stopped the hosts’ fifth possession, they scored on their first two second-half chances to finalize the scoring with 10:43 left.

Sage Hill had touchdown drives that lasted a mere 17, 21 and 87 seconds and turned a fumble recovery in Huskies’ territory, as well as a 63-yard kickoff return by Copeland into eventual visits to the end zone.

“This was big to bounce back like this after a loss to a very tough football team in Calvary Chapel, so we’re very excited,” Booty said.

There was plenty of offensive excitement, as five of Sheetz’s completions went for more than 20 yards and Henry simply covered all the real estate necessary while darting and driving around and through the Fairmont Prep defense.

Henry had scoring runs of six, eight, 17 and three yards. The 17-yard score was the most dynamic, as he broke a tackle and dragged a second would-be tackler the final seven yards to the goal line.

Copeland also ran through tackles and away from defenders, while senior Jake Fisher (three receptions for 53 yards) and junior Miles McCord (three for 47 yards) were also frequently wide open to make Sheetz’s job easier.

The Lightning offensive line did not allow a sack and the defense had three sacks (two by senior end Jack “the sack” Dickinson), while tackling Huskies behind the line of scrimmage 11 times.

Junior defensive tackle Brett Jordan and senior outside linebacker Alfonso Corona were additional defensive standouts, though Fairmont Prep did compile 272 rushing yards.

Elusive senior tailback Daniel Chatman made Sage tacklers miss all night with stops and starts, jump cuts and mere determination on his way to 193 rushing yards on 18 carries.

The Huskies used 9:36 and 17 plays to cover 86 yards on its final scoring drive.

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Sage Hill 41, Fairmont Prep 14

SCORE BY QUARTERS

Fairmont 0 7 0 7 – 14

Sage Hill 7 21 6 7 – 41

FIRST QUARTER

SH – Henry 6 run (Rosoff kick), 4:28.

SECOND QUARTER

SH – Copeland 80 pass from Sheetz (Rosoff kick), 9:02.

FP – Malaga 8 run ( Steele kick), 6:54.

SH – Henry 8 run (Rosoff kick), 4:22.

SH – Henry 17 run (Rosoff kick), 2:43.

THIRD QUARTER

SH – Henry 3 run (run failed), 8:36.

FOURTH QUARTER

FP – Malaga 2 run (Steele kick), 11:00.

SH – Copeland 11 pass from Sheetz (Rosoff kick), 10:43.

INDIVIDUAL RUSHING

FP – Chatman, 18-193; Malaga 30-87, 2 TDs.

SH – Henry, 11-81, 4 TDs.

INDIVIDUAL PASSING

FP – Gines, 3-8-0, 29.

SH – Sheetz, 12-15-0, 260, 2 TDs.

INDIVIDUAL RECEIVING

FP – Mendoza, 2-18.

SH – Copeland, 3-136, 2 TDs; Fisher, 3-53, McCord, 3-47.