Mission discus champ aims high for senior year

When Ryan Sharbono stepped into the discus ring at the MHSA Class B/C State Track and Field Championships in Missoula this May, he wasn’t just competing against a field of strong athletes—he was competing against his past self.

And by the time the dust settled, the Mission High School junior had not only won the Class B boys discus title, but done so with the best throw of his career: 165 feet, 6 inches.

That throw, delivered on May 24 at Missoula County Public Schools Stadium, crowned Sharbono a state champion and capped off a season of steady progress, personal growth and dedication that began years earlier in a much smaller setting.

“My throwing career started all the way back in sixth grade when I had started to explore all of the events that were available,” Sharbono said. “Discus stood out of all of them for me. What made me stick with it was that I felt like throwing in the ring felt fluid and graceful.”

That grace came before results. Sharbono said he didn’t have the most beautiful form or impressive distances when he first started. But he found a deeper connection in the challenge discus presented.

“Just being in the ring was a way for me to challenge myself, not just physically but mentally,” he said.

Since that early start, Sharbono has been steadily improving. With no formal throwing coach during his high school career, he’s learned to seek out knowledge wherever he can find it.

“I’ve been kinda like a sponge trying to absorb any information or advice I could from anybody giving me tips,” Sharbono said.

Much of that information has come from the 406 Throwers Camp, which he has attended every summer since seventh grade. It’s there – and through hours of daily repetition in the ring – that he’s honed his technique, footwork, and mental approach.

“Reps were the biggest helper to me when it came to discus,” he explained. “Lots of daily repetitions on throwing and lots of time spent in the ring working on my footwork without a discus in hand.”

That work paid off in a big way this spring. Earlier in the season, Sharbono broke Mission’s school discus record, which had stood since 1980. That milestone shifted his thinking – he realized simply placing at state might not be enough.

Initially, he aimed to best his personal record and place at state. “As state neared, I knew that just placing wasn’t what I should be going for. I had already broken our 1980 school discus record this season, so my goal for state was to throw a PR over 160’ and win state.”

At the state meet, Sharbono did just that – launching a 165’6” throw that secured the championship.

“I learned this spring that hard work does pay off,” he said. “I threw my career-best PR and I won Class B state as a junior.”

Sharbono’s rise is even more impressive considering how self-directed his development has been.

“My parents have been my greatest encouragement – cheering me on at every competition and helping me any way they could,” Sharbono said.

Looking ahead, Sharbono is setting his sights even higher. As a standout football player as well, he’s hoping to continue that sport at the college level. But discus may also remain part of the picture.

“After graduating next year, I would like to pursue a football career in college,” he said. “But depending on where I go, throwing could be a part of that college career too.”

Sharbono enters his senior year not just as a state champion, but as a role model for younger athletes looking to chart their own path in track and field. His story is one of persistence, growth, and learning to set ever-higher goals.

“I hope everyone is just as excited as I am to see how my senior seasons are about to go,” Sharbono said. “I’ve got new goals to aim for.”

With a state title now under his belt and another year of high school athletics ahead, Ryan Sharbono’s journey in the ring is far from over, and Lake County will be watching closely to see where the next throw lands.