The Savage Beat

Some games you never forget

Larry Savage — Thu, 20 Oct 2016 21:18:40 +0000

It has been more than 23 years since former Leesburg High football coach and science teacher Matt Wettstein left this world. But as I get ready to cover the Yellow Jackets for only the second time, playing Gainesville High at Citizens Field on Thursday, I can’t help but think of him. And how, in a small way, he impacted my love of sports. Growing up in Leesburg, some 45 miles north of Orlando, I was always involved in sports. Baseball… Read More »

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Huge games of October begin this Friday

Larry Savage — Thu, 13 Oct 2016 19:25:06 +0000

We are close to midway in October, which means high school football in Florida is close to separating the pretenders and the contenders for the state playoffs. There are some big games ahead and they begin Friday. Let’s break down the impact of these six games: District 3-7A The Game: Buchholz (3-2, 1-0) at Bartram Trail (4-2, 2-0) The stakes: The Bobcats will decide their playoff and district title fate over the next three weeks, beginning with the most important… Read More »

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Reaching a mountaintop

Larry Savage — Wed, 08 Jun 2016 21:47:55 +0000

For many seniors, the day has already come and gone – Graduation Day. But for Buchholz, Eastside, Gainesville, Hawthorne, Newberry and Santa Fe’s seniors, that day is within the next three days. Conquering high school is a big accomplishment and should be celebrated. You look back at all those years leading up to this day – all the early morning wake-ups, tests upon tests, fitting in that big school, making new friends, succeeding the challenges of a day. Many friends… Read More »

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Perfect ending to high school sports season

Larry Savage — Thu, 12 May 2016 10:07:52 +0000

After Thursday night, except for spring football (which of course doesn’t count), area high school sports officially ends for the 2015-2016 season. So it makes sense, doesn’t it, that two of our area schools will play for a state championship. Chiefland and Lafayette, 56 miles apart from two counties bordering on different sides of Gilchrist County along U.S. Highway 129, will play some 260 miles south at JetBlue Park in Fort Myers, spring training home of the Boston Red Sox,… Read More »

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It’s time for Gainesville

Larry Savage — Sat, 07 May 2016 00:39:34 +0000

On Saturday, it is not just Gainesville High playing for a state softball title at Historic Dodgertown in Vero Beach. It’s Gainesville softball playing for it. Today, all of Gainesville should be behind the Hurricanes. Three times before – twice by P.K. Yonge (2003, 2014) and once by Buchholz (2002) – a Gainesville school has come close to winning the city’s first state softball title but fell short. None more painfully so than the Blue Wave two years ago, one… Read More »

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Has loyalty and pride in a school dwindled this much?

Larry Savage — Thu, 03 Mar 2016 22:24:59 +0000

I will never forget my years in high school, although yes, they were a long time ago. Particularly my years on the Leesburg High swim team. Swimming in high school wasn’t such a big deal considering my family had been involved in swimming since I was 9 years old. So going from a year-round program to a high school program didn’t seem inconvenient at all. It was just for a couple of months any how, and I wasn’t just swimming… Read More »

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Three chances for state

Larry Savage — Thu, 28 Jan 2016 22:24:27 +0000

On Friday, three area girls soccer teams will play in the regional finals with the winner heading to Melbourne next week for the state semifinals. Buchholz (Class 5A), Eastside (3A) and Santa Fe (2A) are one game away from the ultimate goal of any team. Santa Fe (23-2-1) was the only area team that reached this far a year ago. And the Raiders will once again be hosting Orlando Bishop Moore, ranked No. 1 in 2A. The Hornets beat Santa… Read More »

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Incredible state title haul for Gainesville schools

Larry Savage — Tue, 17 Nov 2015 22:17:43 +0000

A week ago our area had no state titles for the 2015-16 school year. Within a 26-hour span from early Friday evening to Saturday evening, we had three. And all were in female sports. For the hundreds of female high school athletes in Gainesville, this was a proud moment. All had the right to say, “Girls Rule.” That P.K.Yonge volleyball team won its second straight state title, sweeping Miami Palmer Trinity 3-0 which wasn’t a surprise at all. That result… Read More »

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Volleyball takes center stage on Tuesday

Larry Savage — Mon, 26 Oct 2015 19:23:11 +0000

On Tuesday and Wednesday, volleyball takes center stage in Florida high school sports. The state playoffs officially begin. I know most coaches see playoffs beginning at district tournament time, and I guess they are right in a way. Only two can advance from there, so you have that. But to me, the state playoffs start after districts, when you are out there walking the volleyball tightrope. One slip and your season is over. This is the time when a team… Read More »

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Playoff football scenarios update

Larry Savage — Sat, 24 Oct 2015 14:55:53 +0000

Here is an update on playoff scenarios after Friday’s results. State playoffs (regional quarterfinals for 8A-5A, regional semifinals for 4A-1A) begin on Friday, Nov. 13 Class 7A 2-Columbia vs. District 1: would host Lincoln in reg. quarters if Chiles beats Leon on Friday, if not, 3-way tiebreaker in District 1 on Nov. 2 to determine district champ and runner-up 3-Buchholz vs. District 4: hosts loser of Friday’s Hagerty at Edgewater game in reg. quarters Class 6A 5-Gainesville vs. District 6:… Read More »

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