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Hiznay’s mettle may lead to medal
By Joe Scalzo
The second-toughest 400-meter runner in the Hiznay family had just gutted out a blistering anchor leg at Saturday’s Division II regional meet and as everyone rushed to give him credit for getting Poland’s relay to Columbus, senior Patrick Hiznay couldn’t stop praising his older brother, Matt.
For his race strategy: “He [Matt] always tells me to run my race — to run a smart race and don’t let anyone take over,” Patrick said.
For his decision to give up playing baseball after his sophomore year: “He convinced me to run track and it’s the best decision of my life,” said Patrick, who ran track through eighth grade. “I’m going to state twice. That’s everyone’s goal. That’s all I can ask for.”
For his ... well, for everything else: “He means the world to me,” Patrick said. “He’s my role model, my hero and my best friend.”
Twenty-one months ago, Matt (the toughest 400 runner in the Hiznay family) was diagnosed with Stage IV lung cancer, the most advanced stage of one of the deadliest forms of cancer. The life expectancy for most patients is eight months. Less than 15 percent make it five years.
Matt, who ran on Poland’s state-qualifying 4x400 relay in 2006, was a second-year medical school when he got the diagnosis in August, 2011. Thanks to surgery, chemotherapy and new drug called Xalkori, Matt’s cancer went into remission and has stayed there.
“A 24-year-old fighting off Stage IV lung cancer, who does that?” Patrick said. “It’s unbelievable.”
That recovery has served as an inspiration to Patrick, who, despite running with a stress fracture, has been Poland’s best 400 runner this spring.
He won the open 400 and the 4x400 relay at the All-American Conference American Division meet last month and was a regional finalist in the 400
But he’s just as impressive off the track, maintaining a 3.85 GPA while serving as student council president and class secretary. He’s also been on prom court and homecoming court, was the team captain of a Relay for Life team (in his brother’s honor) and was voted “Best boy to take home to meet your parents” by his classmates.
“My friends always dis on me, saying I’m too nice and whatnot,” he said, laughing. “I just try to be a nice person.”
Patrick’s track coach, Ryan Williams, said the Bulldogs are a better team because of him.
“It’s been great to coach a kid with that kind of perspective,” Williams said. “Being able to turn that negative into something positive and kind of see things for what they are in athletics and still perform at a high level in spite of that is something awesome.
“He adds a leadership quality that’s something special. The younger kids look up to him and the older kids all though a lot of him anyway, so he’s really special to be around.”
At Poland, being the anchor of the 4x400 relay is like playing linebacker for Bears or playing center for the Lakers.
The Bulldogs have had won two state titles in the event since 2000 and have qualified for the state meet in four of the past five years.
“We just breed 400 runners, I guess,” Patrick said.
Last year, the Bulldogs were one of nine teams to advance to the event finals. The top eight teams make the medal stand.
Poland placed ninth, running a second slower than it did in the preliminaries.
“First place, obviously, is our goal,” Patrick said. “But we’ve got to get on that podium. We came so close last year and I want a medal in the worst way.”