Bryant Puts on a Show, Tops Schain

His event completed, Scott Schain could only cheer on his Granada Hills High teammates during their track meet with Birmingham High Friday.

“Usually, I win, so it’s a little embarrassing saying I got second,” said Schain, the Highlanders’ top shot-putter.

“The worst part, though, is facing my girlfriend,” he said.

Schain should not feel demoralized about his performance Friday. After all, his best toss of the afternoon, 54-11 3/4, was among his finest efforts of the season.

But Friday, Schain’s best could earn him only a second-place finish.

Birmingham’s Keith Bryant won the shot put with a throw of 55-4, which is just a quarter of an inch behind Schain’s top mark of the season.

Schain, a 5-9, 175-pound senior, owned the City’s best mark of the year until Monroe’s Paul Kim went 56-3 Friday.

Bryant, a 6-3, 235-pound senior, broke his previous best performance of the season by eight inches.

Bryant’s win helped lead the Braves’ varsity team to an easy 92-35 win in the Mid-Valley League meet. (Birmingham’s varsity girl’s team also defeated Granada Hills, by a score of 70-39.)

“It’s nice to win,” Bryant said. “But if I had lost today, it wouldn’t have mattered. I’m more concerned with the City.”

Schain, Bryant and Kim should see plenty of each other in the coming weeks. The league finals are in two weeks, followed by the City quarterfinals, semifinals and finals. The three also could meet in the State finals.

Does Bryant’s victory over Schain give him the edge in future competitions?

“As far as a psychological advantage,” Schain said, “it doesn’t make me feel down.”

Bryant doesn’t want to get too excited. It was only last year that he defeated Schain in league, but finished sixth in the City finals, to Schain’s second.

“I was first in league last year,” Bryant said. “I don’t know what it’s like to be first in City. I want to know what that’s like.”

Bryant was somewhat surprised with his victory, since his 55-4 toss came from a standing position.

He came across the ring on his first two attempts, throwing no further than 50-4. His third attempt proved to be his best. He fouled on his fourth and passed on his last two.

“I’ve had some problems with my right knee,” Bryant said. “It feels kind of like shinsplints. It doesn’t bother me until I put a few times.”

Bryant will see a doctor on Monday to find out exactly what’s wrong with the leg. If he can correct the problem and use the travel method (coming across the ring), he feels he can throw anywhere from 60 to 65 feet.

Schain had his own troubles Friday, recording only three legal tosses, when his back foot kept slipping throughout the competition.

After throws of 53-3 1/2 and 51-8, he fouled on his third attempt.

It was at that point, that Bryant threw his winning toss.

“I got a shot of adrenaline after his best,” Schain said. “I wanted to go after it.”

But after his 54-11 3/4, Schain fouled on his last two attempts.

“I didn’t have as much killer instinct on the last two throws,” he said. “I let the slip get to me.”

Both Schain and Bryant agree that going head to head brings out the best in them both.

Add Kim to the competition, and, as Schain said, “The next few weeks are gonna be hell for all of us.”