Vavro opts for Youngstown State
BUTLER TWP — In opting for Youngstown State University, Butler distance runner Sage Vavro will have plenty of competition on the track during practice.
That’s OK. He’s used to it.
Vavro, who graduates from Butler High School Thursday, placed ninth in the PIAA cross country meet last fall. During his high school track career, he ran against the likes of older brother Skyler, Drew Griffith and state champion CJ Singleton every day.
“All of those guys made me better, especially my brother,” Vavro said. “We argued about running all the time. We really pushed each other.”
Skyler Vavro is a freshman runner at Robert Morris University. Sage considered RMU and Edinboro before deciding on running cross country and track Youngstown State, which recently wrapped up its third consecutive Horizon League men’s track championship.
Vavro plans to major in environmental science at Youngstown State.
“I considered Robert Morris mainly because my brother’s there, so I knew all about the program,” Sage said. “Youngstown State was a better fit for me academically and when I saw how strong the (track) program was, I reached out to them and it all worked out.”
YSU senior Sean Peterson was named MVP of the Horizon League Championships, winning the 800 and 1,500 meters. He is a senior. But sophomore Riley Jackson (fourth in the 1,500) and freshman Evan Alten (sixth in the 800) placed high in the Horizon League meet. Knoch graduate and former WPIAL standout Mike Formica will be a sophomore distance runner with the Penguins next season.
“Sage is one of the fastest distance runners I’ve seen,” Butler track coach Mike Seybert said. “A lot of guys have the foot speed, but Sage is a racer. I really believe an athlete is born with that trait. It’s a character thing and he’s got it.”
Golden Tornado cross country coach Rick Davanzati agreed.
“He wasn’t a workout runner,” Davanzati said of Vavro. “We’d be on the track during practice and he’s running 10 yards behind CJ and Drew. Then race-day arrives and he’s running ahead of them.”
“His pre-race regimen is chillin,’ almost taking a nap moments before he’d go out there,” Seybert said, laughing. “But Sage knew how and when to turn it on. He loves to compete.”
Vavro dealt with a stress problem in his foot that plagued him from the end of his sophomore season through part of the indoor campaign this year. He said he’s healthy now, but admitted the foot still bothered him a bit during this outdoor season.
His health is fine now.
“I’m anxious to find out what my ceiling is as a runner, because I don’t know that yet,” Vavro said. “I’m ready to find out.”
During his childhood years, Vavro played baseball, basketball and football. He was a basketball player through eighth grade.
“My brother got started as a runner and I just followed him,” he said. “That was the sport I decided to focus on.”
Brian Gorby has been Youngstown State’s track coach for 28 years. Between cross country and men’s and women’s track, he’s been league Coach of the Year 50 times. He’s coached athletes to 378 individual titles and has had 15 All-Americans. During the 2017-17 and 2018-19 academic years, he guided the Penguins to Horizon League cross country, indoor and outdoor team titles.
Seybert said Vavro can run any distance from the 400 meters through the 3,200. He’s run a leg of the 4x400 relay in 50 to 51 seconds, run the mile in 4 minutes, 13 seconds, the two-mile in 9:36.
“Sage will fit in well there,” Davanzati said. “That kid runs with heart. It won’t take them long to see that.”
