Lightning shut out Tartans

NEWPORT COAST — For those who might be worried, the Sage Hill School scoreboard is not broken.

It does have the ability to register goals for the opponents of the Lightning boys’ soccer team. Technical difficulties are not to blame for the score being stuck on zero all season.

In fact, technical proficiency is one of the reasons why the opponents’ score has not changed. The Lightning, the No. 7-ranked team in CIF Southern Section Division VI, continued their season-long trend of defensive prowess with a 2-0 Academy League victory over No. 10 St. Margaret’s Tuesday, holding the Tartans to one shot in the first half.

The two teams shared the league title last season.

It was the fifth time the Lightning (5-0-2, 2-0 in league) have posted a shutout at home this season and sixth overall. Sage Hill has allowed only one goal this season and it was an own goal on the road against Laguna Beach.

Sage Hill junior Beau Caillouette, in his first season as goalkeeper, made seven saves.

Senior sweeper Alex Edelstein, the Academy League Most Valuable player last season, said the credit for the string of shutouts extends past the defense.

“It’s our work ethic and communicating,” Edelstein said of the reason for the team’s defensive dominance. “The midfielders and forwards play a big part. It’s huge. It makes the team look good.”

Lightning Coach Noureddine El Alam said the midfielders and forwards defensive aggressiveness has allowed the defenders to pack the 18-yard box when the opponents’ offense is in scoring range.

“The midfielders support the defense and the forwards come back and become almost fullbacks,” said El Alam, who is in his seventh season. “That allows the fullbacks to go in the box and the box is full.”

Edelstein said he wants the scoreless streak to remain intact.

“My goal for league is no goals against for the season,” Edelstein said. “If we don’t allow any goals, we’re going to win.”

In the first half, the Lightning showed their offense is capable of matching the defense’s level and that defenders play an important part in scoring.

Edelstein picked up an assist when he sent a free kick ahead to Richard Gadbois, 25 minutes into the first half. Gadbois was wide open and followed the pass into a better position to shoot.

The four-year starter made sure he took advantage of the opportunity, blasting it past the Tartans’ goalkeeper to give the Lightning a 1-0 lead.

“At first I didn’t think I was going to get it,” Gadbois said. “I thought I should have touched it earlier. I thought I let a golden opportunity go. But then I got the ball before the defender got there.”

Less then five minutes later, Sage Hill went up, 2-0. Freshman Ben Capaldi stole a pass, cut inside and ran past the defender before firing the shot just inside the left post.

It was Capaldi’s seventh goal of the season.

From the opening of the season up until Tuesday when the second section rankings were released, the Tartans were ranked ahead of the Lightning providing extra motivation for Sage Hill.

“They’re our big rival,” Gadbois said. “We played with a lot of heart. It’s a big morale boost. They were ranked really high. It’s a big win over a great team in our league.”

El Alam said the team stuck with his philosophy of keeping things simple only into early in the second, but the team’s conditioning, due in large part to a three-week break before the Academy League season, is something it will have to improve.

“We didn’t connect simple balls. The kids were a little anxious,” El Alam said. “We dominated the first half. But fitness that is our weakness right now. Overall, I’m very proud of the kids.”

Sage Hill plays host to Whitney Thursday at 5 p.m.