Savannah Park has been a catalyst for Springville's string of state titles.
File photo by Dave Argyle
There are tons of basketball players who would trade places with
Savannah Park in a heartbeat if given the chance.
Who can blame them? Park has lived the good life as a four-year starter for
Springville (Utah). She has helped the Red Devils reach the Class 4A championship game in each of her first three seasons and claim two state titles in that stretch.
Park has gained a reputation as a fearless player onboth sides of the ball.
File photo by Dave Argyle
"It's been unbelievable," Park said. "It's definitely been a dream ride for me. Everybody has the same goal to end it being the state champion. I've really been blessed to make it (to the championship game) all three years."
To say Park has played a valuable role in making it all come to pass is a massive understatement.
The 5-foot-2 point guard filled the stat sheet in helping Springville put together an undefeated season a year ago. Park averaged 13.2 points, 2.5 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 3.4 steals per contest. She first made a major impact as a sophomore, averaging 10.3 points and 1.1 steals per game.
Park is averaging 12.5 points per game in four games this season.
It's not uncommon to see Park find multiple ways to test defenders – even when they have a distinct height advantage over her. This complete lack of fear makes her a natural leader for the Red Devils.
"She is a competitor," Springville coach Cami Oakey said. "She doesn't really shy away from opponents. There's not many times where she sees somebody bigger than her in the paint and she's afraid to go into them. That's hard to find."
If Springville needed any extra evidence of Park's value to the team, how things played out in the preseason for the Red Devils answered any question on the matter.
Injuries have caused Park to miss three full games and part of another. She did not play in the season opener against Riverton after suffering a concussion. Park returned to the lineup in the second game against Alta, only to be sidelined again after suffering a high ankle sprain against Mountain View. She subsequently sat out games against Viewmont and Timpanogos.
Springville is 2-2 with Park in the lineup. The Red Devils are 0-3 in her absence.
"They're not necessarily discouraged, but they're disappointed because they're not quite where they expected to be when we started the season," Oakey said. "But I think they're good at keeping it in perspective too. They know the difference Savannah will make."
Park's absence has shown in Springville's recordthus far.
File photo by Dave Argyle
The good news is Park expects to be fully healthy before region play starts next month. Her high ankle sprain in a loss to Mountain View earlier this month came on a hard fall. Park injured her ankle while moving it to take pressure off her knee as she fell.
"I moved my ankle so the knee wouldn't get the impact and it resulted in the ankle sprain," Park said. "They thought it was definitely fractured at first, but we're confident it's not right now."
Park has been doing what she can to help her teammates from the sidelines. She offers input into gameplans and gives encouragement through tough losses. Park can't wait to resume taking a more active role in the action when she is finally cleared to play.
Being a point guard is fun for her because she can control the pace, get the offense going and set her teammates up for success.
"You can still be a team captain, but it's not the same as being the point guard," Park said. "You're responsible for a whole lot more than just running the play. You have to make sure you're setting it up and getting things organized."
With Park back at the controls, it's a safe bet Springville will be a team to watch once again in the Class 4A playoffs later this season.
John Coon covers Utah high school sports for MaxPreps.com. He is a former prep sports reporter with the Salt Lake Tribune and the Deseret News. You can contact him at john_coon@hotmail.com or follow him on Twitter at @johncoonsports
