Even though York High (Elmhurst, Ill.) runner Donald Sage finished his high school career this spring, he continues to lap the field when it comes to superlatives. Sage beat out 471,000 other high school track athletes this week in the race to become the Gatorade National Boys' High School Track & Field Athlete of the Year.

	"He's the best I've ever seen," says longtime York boys' track coach Joe Newton.

The award, given by Gatorade and Scholastic Coach & Athletic Director Magazine, was presented to Sage Monday night in Oak Brook, Ill. According to Gatorade executives, the award is given to someone who achieves success both on and off the field.

"We believe that true success in a high school athlete is predicated on more than just skills," says Tom Fox, vice president of sports marketing for Gatorade. "While Gatorade athletes are the best in their sport, being a winner also means having character, being a leader and caring as much about your test scores as your games scores. Donald Sage is a shining example of the positive role that sports can play in a teenager's life."

Sage, a National Honor Society student who graduated with a 3.7 GPA from York, will enter Stanford University this fall. He was arguably the nation's No. 1 high school distance runner this year, putting up blistering times in the mile (4:00.29 at the Prefontaine Classic's legendary Bowerman Mile) and the 3,200 (8:42.89). His time at the Prefontaine Classic was the fastest mile time for a high school runner since Marty Liquori broke the four-minute mark in 1967.

Sage was chosen by the Gatorade National Advisory Board, a collection of 10 national and regional sports journalists who received nearly half a million nominations nationwide.

"He's the best I've ever seen," says longtime York boys' track coach Joe Newton, who predicts Olympic glory for Sage by 2004. "In my opinion, I've seen a lot of runners since I started in 1956, and there's no one like Donald Sage."

"We're most proud of him as a person," says Sage's father, also named Donald. "We are also extremely proud of his accomplishments in track and field. To almost break the four-minute mile - he's wanted to do that since he was in the eighth grade. And then to come so close as a high schooler - that was outstanding."