High School Football Preview: Sage Hill expects to contend in 2019
Sage Hill School’s goals last season were to win the Express League and the program’s first CIF Southern Section 8-man football playoff game.
After meeting both those goals, this year’s team is focused on one thing, getting past Canoga Park Faith Baptist.
The Lightning will be a junior-laden squad after losing the Express League MVP in running back Nick Karahalios to graduation. He helped Sage Hill go 10-1 overall and 6-0 in league play, and beat La Cañada Flintridge Prep 28-26 in a Division 1 playoff opener, before losing to Faith Baptist 56-7 in the quarterfinals.
Faith Baptist went on to lose to Mojave 54-22 in the championship game last season.
“I challenged the kids on how it felt after Faith Baptist,” Lightning coach BJ Crabtree said. “That is our driving force. Every time we met this summer, that was our conversation. When we break from a huddle, that’s what we talk about. That’s their chase, to beat teams like that. We’ve beaten good teams, but those upper-echelon teams like Mojave and Faith Baptist, that’s the cream of the crop and we haven’t beaten a team like that.”
Last year’s goals were met despite losing quarterback Van Freund to an injury in the third week of the season. With Freund out for the year, Sage Hill ran a balanced offense and it plans to stick with it.
Saturday night was a celebration for Sage Hill School.
“It was really hard not being there with them,” Freund said. “But seeing them come together as a team and as a family, I was really proud of them. We are going all out this year.”
Freund will get a helping hand from a familiar face at Sage Hill. Former Lightning quarterback Randall Mycorn will be helping the signal-caller.
Sage Hill returns five key pieces, all juniors, including Freund.
Karahalios’ younger brother, Christopher, is one of those juniors back at wide receiver and defensive back. Joining Christopher Karahalios in the secondary and at receiver will be junior Benjamin Romeo. Senior Jake Nadelman returns at defensive back and running back.
While the defensive backs are the strongest group on the team, Crabtree said the defensive line will be in for the toughest challenge. Alvaro Corona returns at defensive end, as does Christian Moyano.
“We are young on defense,” said Crabtree, who is in his fourth season at the helm. “Alvaro is a stud. We are going to widen his plate a little bit this season. We are going to play him more at running back and give him some more touches this year. He has a high ceiling.
“We only have three seniors. We are set with this group for a couple of years. This junior class is a deeper class.”
Corona will be helping Nadelman in the backfield as his fullback. Both runners will follow Moyano, a right guard.
“We definitely had some great players that took us very far,” Nadelman said. “There’s a lot of hungry guys on this team. We’ve been working really hard in lifting. We are ready to show everyone what we can do.”
Sage Hill’s top two competitors in the Express League are Avalon and Downey Calvary Chapel.
“We can pound the ball and spread the ball,” Crabtree said. “I call the plays. The game against Avalon, we pounded the rock. When we played Downey Calvary Chapel, we had to spread it around. We have to have the ability to do both. It was tough without Van last season.”
“They feel they have a lot to prove,” Crabtree added. “In the school’s eyes, we accomplished so much last year that people expect this team to take a step back, but that’s not the plan.”
SAGE HILL LIGHTNING
CIF Southern Section 8-man Division: 1
Coach: BJ Crabtree (fourth year)
Staff: Ricky Sharpe (defensive coordinator/wide receivers/secondary), Hunter Simmons (offensive line/defensive line/assistant offensive coordinator), Randall Mycorn (quarterbacks)
2018 season: 10-1, 6-0 in the Express League (first place), lost 56-7 to Faith Baptist in the quarterfinals of the CIF Southern Section 8-man Division 1 playoffs
Offensive scheme: Balanced
Defensive scheme: Multiple
Returning offensive starters: Six
Returning defensive starters: Four
Returning with honors: Sr. RB/CB Jake Nadelman, Jr. DE/FB Alvaro Corona, Jr. DB/WR Christopher Karahalios, Jr. OG/DE Christian Moyano
SCHEDULE
August
30 — vs. Sun Valley North Valley Military Institute, 7 p.m.
September
6 — vs. La Cañada Flintridge Prep, 7 p.m.
14 — vs. La Verne Lutheran*, 6 p.m.
21 — at Lucerne Valley, 6 p.m.
27 — Bye
October
5 — vs. Downey Calvary Chapel* at Downey High, 6 p.m.
10 — vs. Brethren Christian*, 6 p.m.
17 — at Silverado St. Michael’s Prep*, 3:15 p.m.
25 — vs. San Pedro Rolling Hills Prep, 7 p.m.
November
1 — vs. Avalon*, 2:30 p.m.
*denotes league game
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