Garfield senior Riley LaPorte makes another climb up the podium in the shot put
COLUMBUS — One of the biggest assumptions people make in sports is replication.
As if sports follow a linear curve.
Garfield throws coach Jim Pfleger knew better when it came to 2021 state runner-up Riley LaPorte and stressed that nothing is given.
"Nothing is given, right?" Pfleger said. "That's what we said. My brother [head coach Matt Pfleger] said the exact same thing when we got back to the hotel. He goes there's so many of those kids that just rested all off-season on what they did last year and didn't do anything down here."
LaPorte wasn't one of those kids.
LaPorte didn't rest on his laurels.
After putting in the work during the off-season, the G-Men senior found himself climbing the podium once again for another second-place finish in the Division II shot put.
"He comes out with a great off-season," Pfleger said. "If you don't have the off-season like he has, I mean you look how deep the field was here, you're fifth or sixth."
LaPorte rose from third to second in the finals with a sterling penultimate throw that sailed 59-5.
"It feels good," LaPorte said. "I'm definitely thankful that I got to state this year. I'm very happy with what I've thrown. [I] wish that 60-bomb would have hit, [but] it's just all-around amazing that I got to represent my school."
Friday morning started with LaPorte confident but trying to navigate a slippery ring.
"My first couple throws, I had no pressure on me," LaPorte said. "I knew I was going to make finals, but the one thing that I was worrying about was the ring is new, so it's all slippery and it's going to be trouble for all the rotational [throwers], but it is what it is."
LaPorte adjusted seamlessly with his three preliminary throws all sailing at least 53 feet, each of which would have been good enough to make finals.
"All year, he was consistent, and with the rotation we got, so many kids fall in and out of slumps with it," Pfleger said. "Like kids I've coached in the past, it was like we knew once a year that [2014 and 2015 state champ] Edie [Svonavec] would have a slump when I was coaching her, and some of my other kids, it was the same thing. He didn't have a slump all year."
Still, LaPorte had more in him as his fifth throw was picture-perfect.
A beautiful spin.
A fine release.
The shot put sailing right down the middle with a solid line-drive trajectory.
"I adjusted to the ring," LaPorte said. "I slowed it down out the back, which really helped me on that throw, and as soon as I released the shot, I could tell that it was a good throw."
LaPorte's 59-5 broke a school record — his own.
"I knew that I could hit 59," LaPorte said. "I had hit it before and I know I can do it again, so I just said to myself in my head that I've done this a million times. It's just like practice, so come out and do it."
That 59-5 allowed LaPorte to rise toward the top of a deep shot put that saw 15 throwers top 50 feet and nine go above 52 feet. That, of course, included state champion Josiah Cox of Manchester (60-01.50) and third-place finisher Charles Pawlosky (58-06.50), both of whom also came from the Austintown Regional.
"We knew coming in there were those three," Pfleger said. "Any of those three out of the region, it could be any of them. It is what it is. You can't be disappointed. There's a lot of other kids that would give anything to be second in the state."
And LaPorte hopes there are a few other kids at Garfield who might want to finish second in the state someday and are willing to put in the work.
"It feels amazing," LaPorte said. "I feel honored especially with being one of the best throwers to come out of Garfield. I just look forward to my next chapter and then just representing for the little kids that want to come up and be like me. I try to show a good example and how they can end up like me. It really keeps me going."
This article originally appeared on Record-Courier: Garfield senior Riley LaPorte earns state runner-up honors in shot put
