Lightning

CERRITOS - Playing with a very sore left shoulder, Sage Hill School senior Robbe Simon kept battling. The lefty said he felt pain, particularly when serving. But there was no way Simon was going to take a seat in Monday's CIF Southern Section Division 3 semifinal boys' tennis match at Cerritos Regional Park. Simon swept a difficult Whitney singles lineup, somehow getting through three tough sets against Vignesh Sadras, Ruthwick Pathireddy and Sathwick Pathireddy. Simon, who Coach A.G. Longoria has called the best player in program history, stayed undefeated in the playoffs.

The Sage Hill School baseball team gets its third go-around in the second round of the CIF Southern Section playoffs. Coach Andy Berglund hopes the third time on the road is a charm. The Lightning (18-5) travel to Los Angeles to play Windward (9-13) today in a Division VI second-round game at 3:15 p.m. “We’ve got to get through this one,” said Berglund, who wants to lead Sage Hill to the quarterfinals for the first time in the program’s history. Before Berglund arrived in 2008, the Lightning never reached the second round.

High School Roundup GIRLS' TENNIS Sage Hill 10, Laguna Beach 8 NEWPORT BEACH - The Lightning's top two doubles teams swept in the nonconference win Friday at The Tennis Club Newport Beach. The No. 1 doubles team of Kaite Bick and Rian Billingsley swept, as did the No. 2 doubles team of Lauren Hsu and Ava Soleimany. The Lightning (3-0) won three singles sets, as No. 1 player Liana Korber won two.

The Newport Lightning Basketball Club's 10U boys' team captured last weekend's Focus World Championships in Anaheim. Continuing on the successful spring-summer seasons, the Lightning beat Basketball U White and Southeast Elite on Saturday in pool play and came back Sunday to beat Slam N Jam and Basketball U Blue to capture the 10U title. The Lightning were led by the stellar play of Max Morris, DJ Rodman, Matt Olson, Luke Chelf and Adam Flood. Mason Melcer, Matt Ueberroth, Cameron Kayl, Tyler Hollander, Bryce Motal and Tarik Aliyazicioglu all played key roles during the big weekend.

ROWLAND HEIGHTS — Every year when the CIF Southern Section boys’ tennis brackets are released, there is new hope for the Sage Hill School team. Maybe this will be the year that the Lightning can advance past the CIF quarterfinals. The Lightning certainly hoped so at the start of this season, setting three goals for themselves. They wanted to win the Academy League title and be ranked No. 1 in Division IV, and they accomplished both of those during the season, feats never reached in the program’s history.

CARSON — The Sage Hill School boys’ soccer team scored all its goals in the first half in its 4-1 postseason victory over California Academy of Math and Science at the Home Depot Center Wednesday. The Lightning advance to the CIF Southern Section Division VII quarterfinals, where it will play host to Rosamond Friday, in a match scheduled for 3 p.m. Senior Michael Bear scored twice and had an assist, while sophomore Colton Gyulay contributed two assists and a goal.

SIERRA MADRE ? Maranatha scored two second-half goals and defeated Sage Hill, 2-1, in the CIF Southern Section Division VI girls' soccer quarterfinals. Kellee Kim scored a goal early in the first half on an assist from Rachel Blitzer for Sage Hill. The Lightning held the lead until over midway through the second half. Maranatha rallied and scored the game-winner with two minutes remaining in regulation, scoring off a corner kick. "We are a little shocked the season is over.

Rick Devereux Starting the season winless in the first nine matches was not sitting well with the Sage Hill School boys volleyball team. "It didn't matter what strategy I used, we stopped playing hard in matches," Coach Merja Connolly-Freund said. Connolly-Freund switched lineups around, started different players in different positions, switched from one setter to two setters. It didn't matter. But the Lightning players had a moment of reflection brought from within the team.

The Newport Lightning Basketball Club (NLBC) continued its strong fall season by taking home two championships at the BCS "Back To School Bash" in Garden Grove and Anaheim. The NLBC Boys 11U team went undefeated and took home the trophy beating RC Bulls, Open Gym, PD and BCS over the Sept. 20-21 weekend. The boys played excellent team ball with timely passing and stifling defense and they hit key shots throughout the weekend. Sam Barela, Adam Flood, Will Hanna, Luke Chelf, Jack Garza, Peter Larsen, DJ Rodman, Cameron Kayl, Mason Melcer, Matt Olson, Tyler Hollander and Bryce Motal all played key minutes, while Chelf, Barela and Olson led the team in scoring and Flood, Rodman and Larsen led the team in rebounding.

CERRITOS - Playing with a very sore left shoulder, Sage Hill School senior Robbe Simon kept battling. The lefty said he felt pain, particularly when serving. But there was no way Simon was going to take a seat in Monday's CIF Southern Section Division 3 semifinal boys' tennis match at Cerritos Regional Park. Simon swept a difficult Whitney singles lineup, somehow getting through three tough sets against Vignesh Sadras, Ruthwick Pathireddy and Sathwick Pathireddy. Simon, who Coach A.G. Longoria has called the best player in program history, stayed undefeated in the playoffs.

CORONA DEL MAR - Everyone else had gone home, but Alex Manolakas and Eric Magliarditi were still on the court at Corona del Mar High. As 4 p.m. neared, the Sage Hill School doubles team was entering the seventh hour of its workday at the CIF Southern Section Individuals regionals. Manolakas and Magliarditi were locked in an intense match with Ricky Kurtz and Max Boice of Santa Margarita. Manolakas and Magliarditi survived, 6-3, 7-6 (7-4). In doing so, they made history. Their third win of the day made them the first player or doubles team in Lightning boys' tennis history to advance out of the CIF Individuals regionals.

ANZA - The Sage Hill School baseball team traveled roughly 105 miles to get to its CIF Southern Section Division 6 wild-card game at Hamilton High in Anza. Lightning coach Danny Gonzales left with a feeling of satisfaction after the long trip, nearly 5 hours total. "It's been a long ride, but it's well worth it coming home with a W," Gonzales said. Sage Hill made it worthwhile with a 12-2 victory Tuesday. Freshman pitcher Parker Reposa gave up only two hits in four shutout innings.

Coach John Emme said his Corona del Mar High baseball team could make a run at a CIF Southern Section Division 3 title. The Sea Kings will have to start early. Their road in the playoffs begins in the wild-card round, surprising Emme on Monday, when he learned of the section playoff pairings. "There is one third-place team that isn't playing a wild-card game," said Emme, referring to Paramount of the San Gabriel Valley League. "Since we were ranked 10th in the [final]

NEWPORT BEACH - The match started at 5:30 p.m., two-and-a-half hours later than normal for a CIF playoff match. The reason for the time change was simple. The Sage Hill School boys' tennis team had two starters, junior Sam Sherman and sophomore Eric Magliarditi, in an Advanced Placement European History test on Friday afternoon. Sage Hill Coach A.G. Longoria said visiting La Palma Kennedy had four players in the same test. Soon after the test ended at 4 p.m., Sherman was facing a different test.

BOYS' VOLLEYBALL Sage Hill def. Pomona NEWPORT COAST - Senior outside hitter Chris Zadra finished with 16 kills, eight service aces and seven digs in the Lightning's 25-12, 25-21, 25-11 victory in the first round of the CIF Southern Section Division 4 playoffs on Tuesday. Kent Kawaguchi had 40 assists and five kills for Sage Hill (19-9). The Lightning advance to Thursday's second-round match and will play the winner between Garden Grove and Crossroads of Santa Monica.

On the Sage Hill School volleyball court is where Kent Kawaguchi feels at his best. It makes sense why he invited the entire student body sitting on the bleachers down to the court on Monday. The junior wasn't in his usual volleyball outfit, shorts and T-shirt. He wore a collared shirt and tie with gray pants to this gathering, nothing too fancy or casual. Students made their way down to listen to what Kawaguchi had to say on this morning. More than 400 students stood around him in a circle.

NEWPORT BEACH - The match already had been rescheduled twice. On Wednesday, Mother Nature intervened at The Tennis Club. Rain forced the suspension of the Sage Hill School boys' tennis team's rivalry match against St. Margaret's. Sage was leading, 6-5, before the rain showers came. Sage Hill Coach A.G. Longoria said the teams will finish their first Academy League meeting Tuesday, right before their second meeting at Rancho San Clemente Tennis & Fitness Club. Sage Hill (7-11, 5-2 in league)