Rough fourth quarter leads to Sage Hill dropping first game of the year

In a battle between two unbeaten teams, Animo Robinson won 46-20 against host Sage Hill School in a nonleague 8-man football contest.

Sage Hill, which celebrated Homecoming during the game, dropped to 6-1 on the year, but not without a valiant effort against a Monarch team that was averaging 55.6 points per game coming in.

“I was proud of our defense.” Sage Hill coach BJ Crabtree said. “Our defense didn’t fold. Our defense stood up and made some really important stops to where, if we don’t make those stops the game gets out of hand early.”

The Monarchs (6-0) scored the first two touchdowns of the game and converted on both two-point conversions. Sage Hill didn’t get its first touchdown until the 7:57 mark of the second quarter, when quarterback William Leong hit Michael Sherlock for a two-yard touchdown pass, but the Lightning went into halftime down 16-6.

The Lightning got closer as Leong hit Sherlock for another two-yard touchdown pass, cutting Animo Robinson’s lead down to 16-14. After that the two teams traded touchdowns.

Brandon Villapando scored on 17-yard touchdown run in the third quarter, while Leong found Darius Shayan-Smith for a 15-yard touchdown. After Leong’s pass and the failed conversion, Sage Hill trailed 22-20 with 11:39 in the game.

“Our boys knew it was going to be a shootout, so we just had to keep faith. I was a little nervous at one point,” Monarchs coach Derris Orange said.

The Monarchs scored 24 points to close out the game, one of which came on a pick-6 from Jose Landa.

Leong, despite battling cramps, finished with 270 and three touchdowns for Sage Hill.

“He’s so tough,” Crabtree said of Leong. “What’s great about him is he’s not afraid to sit in the pocket and take the shot in order to wait that split second longer to make that throw.”

Animo Robinson 46, Sage Hill 20

Animo Robinson………… 8 8 6 24 — 46

Sage Hill……………………..0 6 8 6 — 20

First Quarter

AR – Zargoza 11 YD pass to Zapata (2PT conversion good) 8:14

Second Quarter

AR – Villapando 6 YD run (2PT conversion good) 7:57

SH – Leong 2 YD pass to Sherlock (2PT conversion no good) 5:41

Third Quarter

SH – Leong 2 YD pass to Sherlock (2 PT conversion good) 7:58

AR – Villapando 17 YD run (2 PT conversion no good) 4:53

Fourth Quarter

SH – Leong 15 YD pass to Shayan-Smith (2 PT conversion no good) 11:29

AR – Zargoza 25 YD pass to S.Landa (2 PT conversion no good) 9:33

AR – J.Landa 40 YD pick-6 (2 PT conversion no good) 9:03

AR – Villapando 17 YD run (2 PT conversion no good) 7:14

AR – Zargoza 75 YD run (2 PT conversion no good) 5:24

Individual Rushing

AR – Zargoza 19-154, 1 TD

SH – Karahalios 8-11

Individual Passing

AR – Zargoza 9-18, 114, 2 TD

SH – Leong 21-44, 270, 3 TD, 2 Int.

Individual Receiving

AR – Zapata 3-43

SH – Shayan-Smith 8-123, 1 TD

TERAN RODRIGUEZ is a contributor to Times Community News. Follow him on Twitter: @TeranRodriguez1