CV javelin thrower is ‘almost happy’

Shannon Johnson has relived the throw again and again. She’s broken it down and put it back together hundreds of times and looked at it from every angle.

“Now, a week later, I can honestly say that I wouldn’t do anything different,” the Central Valley senior said. “I did everything right. It just didn’t all come together the way that I’d hoped it would.”

Johnson led the state Class 4A javelin field up until the final throws of the day. Her 133-feet, 10-inch throw stood up until Walla Walla sophomore Jamie Weisner uncorked a 135-1.

Johnson knew she still had more length in her throws. She’d thrown a personal best 138-feet in the final Greater Spokane League meet of the season and was achingly close to reaching her goal of throwing 140.

But there was an X-factor to consider. Johnson struggled with an injured shoulder throughout her senior track season. The week she achieved her personal best she’d been unable to practice at all, resting the shoulder in hopes of being able to compete.

“I was undefeated in the GSL going into that last meet and it meant a lot to me that I finish that way,” she said. “I was able to go out and throw.”

Weather conditions at state were not conducive to loosening up a balky shoulder. It was cold and wet. Rain that plagued other competitions abated long enough for Johnson to throw in the javelin finals, but the cold and damp made it impossible to get fully loose between attempts.

On the final throw of the day, Johnson put everything she had into one, final heave.

“When you really launch a good throw you don’t feel anything,” she said. “But when I do something wrong, I know it as soon as the javelin leaves my hand.”

Johnson knew she’d given it her best – no warning bells as the javelin left her hand. It just didn’t fly far enough.

“I was so disappointed in myself right after,” she said. “I didn’t throw a personal record. I didn’t win state. I was really hard on myself. But right now I can almost say that I’m happy with the way I performed because I gave it everything I have. Almost happy.”

It was the second straight year a Lady Bear has finished second in the state in the javelin.

A year ago, Emilee Deishl threw a personal best 141-3, but lost the state title by an inch.

“I was there last year as an alternate,” Johnson said. “We only got three spots to state out of our regional, but we had the four best throwers in the state in our region and I was unfortunate to be number four.

“But it was pretty incredible to watch Emilee and cheer her on. I was so happy for her that she threw her personal best.”

It’s now an in-joke among the throwers.

“(Junior thrower) Paula Jennings was laughing about it,” Johnson shared. “She was telling everyone that she was going to have to uphold the school tradition and finish second at state next year.

“I think CV is going to do well next year. We have two incredible throws coaches and some really good athletes.”

Johnson didn’t start out as a thrower. A soccer player, she came to CV as a sprinter in track. As a freshman, she’d injured a knee on the soccer pitch and was unable to run her favored events.

“(Head girls coach) Dennis (McGuire) likes to send his runners over to the throwing area when they’re recovering,” girls throws coach Jennifer Stalwick said. “Shannon came over and tried out the javelin and she was a natural. She had some speed coming in, coming from the sprints, and that’s a big part of throwing the javelin.”

The event came to her easily. And as she found that she was good at it, it turned into a passion.

“It’s funny how, when you’re good at something, you like it that much more,” Johnson said. “That’s how it was for me and the javelin.”

That love, in part, is what made it all worthwhile.

Part of the Running Start program the past two years, Johnson took her classes in Cheney at Eastern Washington University this year. Getting back to the Spokane Valley in time to practice was a challenge.

“She never missed a single practice,” Stalwick said. “She’s been a great kid to work with. She’s self-motivated.”

And she’s not done with the javelin.

“I’m going to compete at Pacific University next year,” Johnson said. “I’m excited. I’ll be training with a program they sent me, and then I’ll start working with them when I get there and we start working on next season sometime in January.”