By ERIC HAMILTON

VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT

LEETONIA — For Josh Selway, there’s no place he’d rather be on Friday nights than a football field, playing the sport he loves.

It is a retreat from life’s harsh realities. For three hours, nothing else matters.

But for the past six weeks, when the games have ended and everyone went home, Selway’s toughest battle renews.

It started in early June when someone pointed out a lump on the right side of his neck. He thought nothing of it, but after a few weeks, the bump was still there. His family doctor prescribed an antibiotic, but it didn’t help.

In mid-August, a surgeon cut the lump out. Selway thought that was the end of it. But the doctor thought it looked suspicious and needed to be checked out, just in case.

The next 10 days were riddled with uncertainty. Not knowing if there was anything serious was hard. Physically, he felt fine, but a million things were racing through his mind.

“It was real stressful not knowing what was going on,” said Selway. “My tests were coming back negative and we thought maybe there was nothing wrong and it was a mistake; those things happen.”

Diagnosis was lymphoma

As it turned out, there was reason for worry. On Aug. 27, he got the news he was hoping not to hear — the diagnosis was a rare form of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

“I was blown away,” he said. “When the doctor told me it was lymphoma, I didn’t understand what it was. When I first got the news, it really didn’t hit me because I had no idea what it was.”

It was an emotional week for Selway. Still trying to deal with the news and what it would mean, he played in Leetonia’s game that Friday against rival Columbiana. The Bears lost a 21-0 halftime lead and ended up falling 24-21 in overtime.

After the final play, Selway lay on the field and poured out the emotions he had been feeling all week.

“It was kind of unfair of me, but going into that game I felt like we deserved to win because of everything I was going through. But when we lost, everything kind of just hit me all at once. It was definitely an emotional night.”

Awaiting the start of treatment, Selway played his normal role as quarterback and safety in games against Mathews and Southern in weeks 3 and 4.

But reality finally hit the week of Sept. 17. On Tuesday, a port was inserted in his chest in preparation for treatment. Two days later Josh and his family made the trip to Cleveland for the first dose of chemotherapy.

Play limited after chemo

“It takes awhile for the chemo to take effect and for your blood count to drop,” he said. “I didn’t expect to play [that Friday] against Wellsville, but my doctor said I could. Everyone was hesitant to put me in there and I knew I didn’t have my legs.”

Selway’s time was limited to punts, holding for extra points and a few plays on defense near the end of the game.

“I had tears in my eyes running on the field that night,” he said. “I’ve always appreciated my abilities, but you never know how much until you can’t be out there.”

Last Friday against Lowellville, Selway was back under center and back to his dominating style. He scored two rushing touchdowns and returned an interception 87 yards for a score, as Leetonia won 34-31 to earn a tie for first place in the ITCL Tier Two.

It was a night Josh really needed.

“I was feeling good and I was pretty sure I could play the whole game,” he said. “I felt like my old self and I just wanted to come out and play football and have fun.”

Doctors tell Selway he has an excellent chance of a complete recovery. He will undergo treatment two days one week every month, with the next sessions scheduled for mid-October. In the meantime, he’s using football as his therapy.

Keep things normal

“They tell me I have to keep things as normal as possible and playing football is something I’ve always done,” he said.

“I just want to be out there with my friends playing and kind of lose myself out there. If I was at home laying around I’d be thinking about how I’m going to feel.

“Especially this week against Western Reserve at home because it’s a big game. I’m feeling fine and I’m thinking I’ll be playing. But I also know in the back of my mind, it’s a possibility that I won’t feel well on Friday and can’t play. I guess every week I’m probable, but I won’t know for sure.”

His teammates haven’t said much to him about his situation. They welcome him on days he can practice and on Friday nights for game time and have showed their support in other ways.

“They shaved their heads for me and they have a No. 1 on the back of their helmets. Jamie Milsom had some armbands made, too. Mostly, they just aren’t treating me any differently and treat me exactly like I was before.”

Good days and bad days

While he’s hoping to continue playing a key role in Leetonia’s run toward a league title and a playoff berth, Josh understands that he’ll have his good and bad days. He’s prepared to do what’s in his body’s best interest.

“Last week, I felt fine and I wasn’t sick or anything,” he said. “But it has been tough and it has bothered me. I’ve always been one to try to play through things, but I know this isn’t a twisted ankle or something. It’s my body as a whole.

“When you’re sick like this you have to be cautious and be smart about it. If the doctor says I can’t play or I don’t feel good, I’ll have to give myself a reality check. If I have to sit one out, I guess I have to sit one out.

“I’ve felt fine, so I played,” he said. “I’m not trying to be flashy or get attention to myself in any way. Some people might be inspired by what I’m doing. If they are, I don’t think that’s a bad thing at all.”

There’s no doubt Selway has earned the respect and admiration of his teammates and coach, Matt Altomare.

Altomare made Josh a promise when he learned of the cancer.

“I [told] him … that as long as he is able to play, he can play,” said Altomare.

“You never want to take something away from a 17-year-old kid that you don’t need to. Josh is a tough kid and a competitor. We don’t know in what capacity we will have him each week, but we know that the only way he won’t be out there is if just physically can’t be.

“When he hasn’t been practicing he’s been watching film or lifting weights — anything to stay active and stay conditioned. Football is important to him and he wants to focus on it. It’s just a testament to the kind of character he has.”