By Justin Feil, The Packet Group
Once a middle of the pack distance runner, Ryan Conway is now among the top javelin throwers in the state.
”Every day it seems like something new pops up,” said the Hillsborough High School senior. “Some of it hasn’t sunk in yet, but I’m definitely enjoying it.”
Conway doesn’t miss running, though it’s what first brought him to the team. Last year, Conway competed in the fall cross country and winter and spring track and field seasons. His specialty was the 800 meters, but he never ran faster than 2:14. He was prepared to give up the sport to lift weights and enjoy some time off after school in his senior year. He didn’t go out for the cross country or winter track teams, but fellow senior Shawn Cavalieri convinced Conway to give spring track one more try — in a new event.
”I played baseball for most of my life, all the way up to high school,” Conway said. “When I started to do track, I decided to do middle distance and distance.
”I wasn’t planning on doing track. He convinced me to come out and try jav.”
Conway was in the 140-foot range in his first meet, but something clicked in when the Raiders competed in the Skyland Conference Relays on Apr. 14. That’s when Conway launched his first throw 175-feet-5, a mark that stands 13th in the entire state, to help him and Corey Reddington win the event, barely one foot off the relays record.
”I was extremely surprised,” Conway said. “I did not expect it at all. I did it at conference relays. Leading up to that, I was around 140-145. My first throw, it went 175.”
Raider boys coach Eric Rosenthal calls Conway the brightest spot of the early season. Rosenthal, too, was impressed and shocked by the development of his new javelin star.
”After three years of distance running, he was throwing javelin,” Rosenthal said. “He launched a 175, so he’s within eight inches of the school record. They just missed the conference relay record by a couple inches.”
Conway showed it’s now fluke. He threw 171-4 as he and Reddington teamed up again for victory, this time in the Raider Relays on Saturday.
”Right after that (conference meet), I was a little inconsistent,” Conway said. “I went back to mechanics and I’ve been trying to get them more consistent. Then this weekend, I went back and nailed it.”
If that’s a lot to handle, it gets better. Conway is now considering joining the Rutgers University men’s track and field team. He was already committed to study for six-year program in the Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy at Rutgers University, but now he is considering spending the first four years with another commitment — to the Scarlet Knights track and field team.
”In the beginning of the season, I never thought college athletics was in the realm of my possibilities,” Conway said. “My coach emailed the Rutgers coach, and he asked for my contact information and I’m waiting to hear back from him.”
Conway is the epitome of untapped potential. He’d never attempted the javelin before this year, and he may never have if not for the urging of Cavalieri.
”I don’t know his rationale why he left distance,” Rosenthal said, “but it’s worked out.”
Everything has changed for Conway, from his post-graduation plans to his potential for this year.
”Starting this year, I was just fighting for a starting spot to be one of the three guys to go to conferences, counties and sectionals,” Conway said. “Now I think I’m No. 1 in Group IV, so I want to go to the Meet of Champions.
”I never thought I could. With running, I never thought that was possible. I was trying to make varsity spots. With this coming about, it’s a quick jump from just getting out there to trying to get to Meet of Champions. It’s hard to believe.”
The Raiders are hoping there are more bright spots to come. They will compete today in the Penn Relays. The HHS boys will send a 4×100 team of Cedre Small, Mike Williams, CJ Boon and Sam Weinstein. The 4×400 will consist of Weinstein, Boon, Williams and Sam Christian.
The Hillsborough girls send two individuals who were accepted for the girls pole vault, Marlena Sabatino and Emily Shipley. The Raiders will also run a pair of relays, the 4×100 of Skye Williams, Jasmine Brown, Marissa Jackson and Eileen Rudio, and the 4×400 of Abby Koranteng, Kelly Loebs, Daija King and Aisha Jackson.
”It’s not a scoring meet,” said HHS head coach Rich Refi of the Penn Relays. “I just hope they all put in a great effort.”
So far, Refi has been happy with the progress. He’s hoping it continues as the Raiders built toward their first big meet, May 8, when they host the Somerset County individual meet.
”In the conference relays, we were missing several key people, but I thought we performed well,” Refi said. “The Raider Relays, we didn’t load anything up. Kelly Janokowicz and Ally Cady didn’t even run. We gave younger girls chance to run. We had a lot of personal records.
”I think we’re doing fine for now. Once the championship meets come out, we’ll find out.”
The Raider boys are relying on a lot of inexperienced athletes this year after graduating some of their top talent a year ago.
”We have a really good sophomore class that carried over from cross country,” Rosenthal said. “That’s led by Nick McFarlane, who split 2:00-flat in the 4×8. Cedre Small, he transferred from New York last year, and he’s eligible this year. He does long jump, and we’ve seen him jump over 20 in practice. He just has to put it together in meets.”
Conway is as inexperienced as they come in javelin, but it hasn’t mattered. He’s picked it up quickly.
”The mechanics came a little naturally,” he said. “Right away, the distance wasn’t there. As time went on, the distance picked up.”
It’s a different technique to throwing a baseball, and Conway is starting to get more consistent with the throwing technique with each meet.
”My approach and steps, it’s quick and clean,” he said. “As far as my arm, I’m keeping it loose and snapping the javelin through and working on weight distribution to keep my weight back. It’s pretty different (from baseball). The footwork is a lot different.”
Conway works with boys throws coach Don Adams, and he’s getting better at the event as he gears up for a big finish to his scholastic year. He’s enjoying the success now, and looking forward to duplicating it as he goes forward.
”He has no fear,” Rosenthal said. “He just goes out and throws it.”
It’s worked out well for Ryan Conway so far. He’s emerged out of the distance running shadows as a beacon of light in javelin, a welcome surprise to the Raiders and Conway.
”Things will start settling down,” he said. “It’s a whirlwind right now.”
