PREP TRACK Hiznay happy to be running again

The Poland senior had to work hard to overcome a serious injury.
By JOE SCALZO
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
POLAND -- In September 2004, Matt Hiznay was playing recreational co-ed soccer. As he set himself to kick the ball, he heard a sound inside his head -- pop! -- and went down.
"I heard it clearly," Hiznay, now at senior at Poland, said. "It was a distinct pop in my knee."
Hiznay stayed down, then was carried off the field, but he didn't think much of it. ("Maybe just a little tweak," he said.)
But when he went to stand up and go back in the game, he couldn't. That's when he knew something was really wrong.
A week later, he got the worst news possible: ACL tear.
"I had no idea what an ACL was," Hiznay said. "I just heard about it from guys in the NFL."
Hiznay was a promising sprinter for the Bulldogs as a freshman and a sophomore -- he was an all-league selection both years -- and was playing soccer to work on his speed and acceleration.
OK, there was another reason ...
"I mean, it was co-ed soccer," he said, laughing. "That's never a bad thing."
There are few injuries more damaging to a sprinter than an ACL tear and Hiznay knew, at minimum, his junior season was lost.
"The first thing I thought was, 'I'll never run as fast as I did,' " said Hiznay. "I love running track and I figured I'd never be like I was."
But instead of feeling down about the injury, Hiznay accepted it and worked to get to full strength. He promised himself that he'd be back for his junior season, even if he wasn't at his best.
Hiznay had to wait for the swelling in his knee to subside before surgery. As soon as he had surgery, it swelled back up. But he told his therapist he preferred pain over patience. And he got it.
"The therapy is pretty painful and excruciating," Hiznay said. "I must have gained 10 pounds after the surgery, but I knew how to get back into track shape."
Hiznay went through rehab three times a week for six months. Most of the sessions weren't covered by insurance, so his parents covered it. He wasn't always able to participate in Poland's practices, but he went anyway. Every day. Every meet.
"He's the inspirational leader of our team," Poland coach Troy Massey said. "To me, it's like having another coach on the team. That's how into it he is. He knows everybody's time and he's just a track guru."
Added Hiznay, "It's so much fun to be part of a track team. I have to give the coaches credit for making things so enjoyable. We're a close-knit team.
"I knew my times would be nothing, but I'm thankful that my coaches sometimes let me run. They knew how hard I worked to come back."
That hard work isn't just with track. Next month, Hiznay will graduate as one of Poland's valedictorians. He's also the president of the senior class and the prom king.
"He's unique," Massey said. "I tease him that's he's the All-American kid. He's clean-cut, he's well-liked by his peers and his personality is contagious."
Added Hiznay, "Hey, if you're going to do something, you have to make the most out of it."
There's a happy ending to this story. Hiznay is completely healed -- it usually takes a full year to recover from ACL surgery -- and he's posting solid times. He's a key member of the Bulldogs' sprint relays.
He's planning to attend John Carroll in the fall and major in pre-law and finance.
Hiznay's not sure he'll continue his running career in college, but he's not worried about it. For now, he's savoring his senior season.
"I run because I love it," he said. "I know I'm not the fastest kid or the all-star of the Mahoning Valley, but I love it."
scalzo@vindy.com