Sage lands seven on first team

Taylor Ross highlights one of seven Sage Hill School football players earning first-team All-Academy League laurels after leading the Lightning to a runner-up finish in league and a five-win improvement overall.

Sage Hill (7-4, 2-1 in league) qualified for the CIF Southern Section East Valley Division playoffs after winning two games in 2008.

Joining Ross, who was named the league’s Kicker of the Year, on the first team were senior tight end Connor Gaughan, senior linebacker Dusty Orrantia, junior offensive guard TJ Danner, senior linebacker Brendan Killaly, and senior linemen Adam Donchess and Sam Simon.

Ross, a Newport-Mesa Dream Team pick, also started at safety and running back. He finished with 51 tackles, two interceptions and recovered two fumbles. As a running back, Ross rushed for 610 yards and five touchdowns.

Ross made four field goals and converted 25 extra-point kicks.

Gaughan caught five touchdowns and finished with 19 catches for 355 yards. On defense, the 6-foot-5, 220-pound lineman led the Lightning with six sacks, made 39 tackles, intercepted two passes and recovered one fumble.

Orrantia was second on the team with 71 tackles. He caused two fumbles, recovered one, and intercepted a pass. He rushed for 494 yards and eight touchdowns as a fullback.

Danner helped the Lightning rush for 24 touchdowns. On defense, he had 43 tackles, four sacks and recovered three fumbles.

Killaly had 39 tackles, one sack and one fumble recovery.

Donchess led Sage Hill with 87 tackles, and he collected four sacks, three fumble recoveries and caused two fumbles.

Simon finished with 34 tackles and caused two fumbles.

Sophomore defensive back Taylor Petty, junior defensive back Eric Cheng, senior lineman Mo Kreitenberg, junior quarterback Randall Mycorn and junior linebacker Tanner Etherton made the second team for Sage Hill.

— From staff reports