Sage Hill Football Preview

Sage Hill (1-4) vs. Firebaugh (2-4)

When/where: Friday, 7 p.m. at Sage Hill

Key Lightning: Sr. RB Eric Cheng (314 yards, three TDs rushing); Sr. WR-QB Taylor Petty (four catches, 64 yards, two TDs); Sr. LB David Fenner (50 tackles, one INT); Sr. LB Ford Hanour (38 tackles); Jr. DE Thomas Fenner (27 tackles, two sacks).

Key Falcons: Sr. RB Darrell Washington (373 yards, five TDs rushing); Sr. DL Arthur Lamas (37 tackles, three sacks) ; Sr. LB Victor Sanchez (37 tackles); Sr. DL Jose Ramirez (26 tackles, three sacks).

Breakdown: The Lightning have lost four straight and have lost five in a row only once (2008) since the 2003 season … Sage has been outscored, 171-21, during the losing streak … Sage’s four losses have come against teams with a combined 16-4 record … Lynwood-based Firebaugh’s four losses have come against teams with a combined 15-7 record … The Falcons have been outscored, 139-20, in their four losses … Sage roster has three players who weigh more than 210 pounds; Firebaugh has 12 such players … Firebaugh is 8-26 as a varsity program, beginning in 2008 … Sage begins Academy League play Oct. 21 against Crean Lutheran (5-0) … Firebaugh is named for former California Assembly majority floor leader Marco Antonio Firebaugh, who died in 2006 at age 39.

— Barry Faulkner