Baldwin star Smorey shows sportsmanship in national contest
Luke Smorey finds motivation in Baldwin's leader board, as the latest in a long line of javelin stars with goals of a record-setting senior season.
But he's already made national news because of what he did with a keyboard.
The 6-foot, 185-pounder enters the Butler Invitational on Friday as the defending WPIAL Class AAA champion, with a throw of 200 feet, 3 inches, and a PIAA bronze medalist.
Smorey has high hopes this season: He wants to break the Butler Invite record set by Baldwin's Ryan Schleichler in 2008; break the school record of 222-0 set by Bob Johnson in 1992; and join Eric Vaupel, who won the '91 PIAA javelin title, as a Baldwin state champion.
“He's naturally gifted at throwing — he can throw a football a mile — and when he picked up the javelin, he adapted very quickly to how you're supposed to throw it,” said Tom Damiani, Baldwin's javelin coach.
“The other thing that's special about him is he's very technical. We do a lot of film study, and he's very critical. He compensates for (his size) with his technique and natural quickness.”
No matter what Smorey accomplishes this season, he's already being hailed for his show of sportsmanship.
After overcoming Group A Strep — an aggressive, flesh-eating bacteria — that caused permanent damage in his right elbow in 2012, the left-hander was selected as one of 100 finalists for the Air National Guard/USA Today High School Sports Inspiration contest.
But, after advancing in the first round of online voting, Smorey learned about Dominique Cooks.
A senior at Decatur High School in Federal Way, Wash., Cooks had to give up football and basketball because of an inoperable brain tumor. Smorey was so touched he sent an email to Baldwin administrators and posted it on social media networks asking his supporters vote for Cooks.
“My mom was reading through some of the bios and told me to look at this kid,” said Smorey, also a 1,000-yard receiver who will play football at Cal (Pa.). “I read it and thought that his was definitely the most inspirational, so I decided to tell everyone I know who was voting for me to vote for him.”
When Cooks finished 11th in the semifinal round of voting, another contestant followed Smorey's lead. Nicholas Hibbeler, who returned to playing soccer at Kansas City's Park Hill High School after undergoing surgery and chemotherapy for testicular cancer, finished one spot ahead of Cooks but withdrew Tuesday so that Cooks could advance.
The Seattle Times reported that, upon learning of the stabbings Wednesday at Franklin Regional High School, Decatur principal David Brower emailed Baldwin officials to thank Smorey for his support: “The inspiration keeps flowing,” Brower wrote. “We are proud to be linked to Baldwin High School and now Park Hill High School, as these young men remind us of the good in the world.
“On a day where your community is struggling to make sense of senseless violence, I wanted to share how much Luke is lifting us, and is now being joined by others. Though Dom continues to struggle and will graduate from this life sooner than we hope, Luke and your community has buoyed him up and lifted our school and community.”
Kevin Gorman is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. Reach him at kgorman@tribweb.com or via Twitter @KGorman_Trib.
