A Never-Ending Road

While all good things have to come to an end, NHS senior athletes Josh O’Neill and Danielle Lohf embrace their experiences as Nutley Raiders. Both Lohf and O’Neill are multiple varsity sport athletes for Nutley High School. During their time attending Nutley High School, Lohf played for the varsity soccer and track team for four consecutive years for both. While O’Neill played for the varsity football team for two years and baseball team for four years.

Ever since he could remember, O’Neill has been playing baseball. “When I was little, my dad made me try everything,” said O’Neill. Now after plenty of hard work and dedication, he approaches the tail end of his final season wearing maroon and gray. “This season we have done extremely well and a lot better than I imagined,” said O’Neill. “While there are still some things we could definitely work on as a team, we are an overall really good team.” While senior year is as special as it could get, O’Neill’s favorite memory is beating Millburn in the semi-finals of the county tournament during his freshman year.

However unlike O’Neill, Lohf has only been playing her sport for only four years, beginning during high school. During her first two years on the track team, Lohf was strictly a sprinter. Lohf’s curiosity ended up getting the best of her and she tried throwing which included the shot put, javelin, and discus. However, Lohf was quick to excel in the javelin as she continued to improve. “It looked really cool and I really wanted to try it,” said Lohf. “I didn’t expect to pick up on it that quickly.”

While looking back at her experience as a top javelin thrower in the state, Lohf’s greatest moment was throwing farther than Joe Sasso at the Paul H. Beck Relays. “I really didn’t expect her to throw as far as she did,” said Sasso. 

While both athletes wish they had pursued their sport more seriously, they enjoyed every moment of their high school careers. “For all underclassmen, appreciate the time you have here because you should enjoy every moment and not leave high school with any regrets,” said O’Neill.

O’Neill will be continuing his athletic career at Stony Brook University where he will be playing for the school’s baseball team. Lohf will be attending Rutgers Newark after high school, but has no interest in continuing to pursue track in college.