Sarah Savage article (CA)

[rainbowgirl28]

http://www.fresnobee.com/sports/hs/stor ... 8800c.html

Buchanan, Clovis net titles

Savage's pole vault effort highlights girls' victory while Cougars best among boys.

By Maggie Thach / Special to The Bee

(Updated Friday, May 5, 2006, 4:35 AM)

Sarah Savage feels rushed at every track and field meet. As she gets into position to take her next attempt in the pole vault, Savage says a prayer.

Nothing too fancy, though. She just says enough to unrattle her nerves.

"It's quick. I say, 'Please God, I know this isn't the time but just let it be. Thanks, amen,'" said Savage, who also took first for Buchanan in the long jump in the Tri-River Athletic Conference meet at Buchanan High on Thursday. "People are always saying, 'only 30 seconds left.' I always take a long time."

With the other events over, and her teammates and coaches watching, Savage, a junior, attempted a vault of 11 feet, 6 inches and cleared it to break Clovis' Andrea Greenman's mark of 11-5 for the best mark in the Central Section.

"Coach [Brian Weaver] doesn't want anybody to leave until all the events are over," said Nick Paramo, Savage's pole vault coach. "All the attention was on her but I don't think that gets to her at all. As I coach, all I was doing was looking at the bar and thinking 'stay, stay.'"

But Savage did feel the pressure.

"It was nerve-racking," she said. "I felt the eyes boring into me but I felt this was going to be it.

"I've been trying for this record for a couple of meets and I've been really close so I knew I had to get it this time."

Savage's first place in the pole vault and long jump helped Buchanan to the girls' title, with a 99-point gap between the Bears (200) and Clovis. The Cougars took the boys' title with 164 points.