There aren’t many student-athletes around that play three sports, let alone excel at all three. 

The latter was the case for Warwick Vets junior Natasha Savage this year, as she was a major contributor on the field hockey field, in the hockey rink and on the softball diamond for the ’Canes throughout the year. 

And, because of that, Savage is the Girls’ Athlete of the Year. 

Juggling three sports can be tough, particularly with overlapping seasons in the Rhode Island Interscholastic League, but Savage handled those inconveniences with ease, making seamless transitions into each season. 

Savage wasted no time making her last year at Vets a memorable one, posting a team-high six assists for Vets as a midfielder and the heart and soul of the field hockey team. 

“She’s probably one of the best all-around players I’ve had in my coaching career,” Vets field hockey head coach Jim Areson said. “She’s just a phenomenal player. I told her on the last day of school that she was one of the top 10 players I’ve coached. I’m going to miss her a lot.”

Vets made a deep playoff run thanks in large part to Savage’s play. Unfortunately, the ’Canes would fall to eventual Division II champion Cumberland, 1-0, on a fluke goal in overtime of the semifinals. 

Savage was then on to the winter season, where she and her Warwick Co-op teammates were looking to win a championship for a third straight season. 

As one of the top defenseman in the state, Savage posted a team-high 11 assists and was third on the team with 16 points. 

“Natasha was a selfless player, always sacrificing her body and blocking more shots than anyone on the team,” Warwick Co-op head coach Dave Tibbetts said. “Her work ethic, personality, leadership and clutch performances with the game on the line were her trademarks.” 

The Lady Titans were the best team in the D-I playoffs, sweeping their way past top-seeded Barrington/Mt. Hope/Portsmouth Co-op and into the state final against La Salle, before a rules violation kept Warwick out of the title series. 

“I had been playing with those girls since I was 5 years old, so they’re all my best friends,” Savage said of her Warwick Co-op teammates. “We got the call to the cafeteria the day of Game 1, and we thought we were just going to get a pep talk for the game and they gave us the news that we were disqualified. We were shocked, but after the weekend, I had to just move on with a positive attitude and move on to softball.” 

That positive attitude paid dividends for Savage on the softball field. 

The star second baseman went on to hit .538 this spring while playing outstanding defensively. 

“She meant everything to our team,” Vets softball head coach Paul Kennedy said. “She had the highest average on the team and it wasn’t even close. She was also outstanding at second base and was our best baserunner. She’ll finish her three years here with 76 hits, so she was on pace for well over 100.” 

Vets went on to make the final three in the Division II playoffs, before dropping a lopsided game against Moses Brown with a title berth on the line. 

Now, with Vets closing, Savage is opting to go the prep school route and will attend Worcester Academy in the fall. 

She’s planning on continuing to play all three sports. 

“I’m going to play all three, but the main focus is hockey, always,” Savage said. 

“I think she’ll seamlessly slide right in,” Areson said of Savage going to Worcester Academy. “I don’t see her having any problems. She’s just such a great athlete.” 

Although her experiences at Warwick Vets will soon be a thing of the past, Savage enjoyed every single moment as a Hurricane. 

“When I was going to high school, I had to choose between Vets and La Salle,” Savage said. “I don’t have one regret about my decision. It’s the most positive thing I’ve ever done. The sports, community and school were all great.”  

“She was an absolute pleasure to coach and just a great person to be around,” Kennedy said. 

-Matt Metcalf