Would-Be Regulars at Breakfast Table

If there was a cereal box that put teenage athletes on its cover, Justin Fargas would be appearing at your nearest grocery store. And save a spot for Miguel Fletcher and Tim Feirfeil, too.

Forget the Indianapolis 500. For pure speed and excitement, there’s nothing as thrilling as watching rivals Fargas and Fletcher race down the straightaway side by side in a 100-meter track duel.

Pushing each other to the limit, Fletcher of Alemany High edged Fargas of Notre Dame to win the Southern Section Division III boys’ 100-meter championship on Saturday at Cerritos College.

Fletcher ran 10.36 seconds, Fargas 10.37. They were both personal bests. Only former Taft High sprinter Quincy Watts at 10.30 has run a faster 100-meter time in region history.

“I shot off, he shot off. We were flying,” Fletcher said.

Overshadowed by the Fletcher-Fargas competition was the performance of Feirfeil, a senior at L.A. Baptist. Running with borrowed track shoes, he won the Division IV boys’ 100 meters in 10.85 seconds, the fastest fully automated time in school history.

On Friday, Feirfeil struck out nine and contributed two hits in helping L.A. Baptist win a Division V baseball playoff opener. He has rarely practiced for track.

“He’s our hired gun,” Coach Wes Smith said. “The kid is fast. Maybe not Fletcher or Fargas fast, but this kid is proving he can run.”

For the third consecutive week, relatives and friends of Fargas held their breaths hoping his strained right hamstring would survive another test.

Some might feel better if his legs were insured by Lloyd’s of London for a couple million dollars. The football coaches at Michigan have promised Fargas he’ll get to carry the ball as a tailback in the Wolverines’ season opener against Notre Dame on Sept. 5.

There’s much at stake in keeping Fargas healthy, but he just isn’t ready to let his high school career end without seeking another state title in the 100 meters.

“I didn’t want to give up so easy,” he said. “I was running this year to defend my title. That’s why I’m trying so hard to beat this injury. I’m wondering in my own mind if I’m risking serious injury.

“It hurts. I feel it when I start to accelerate. I haven’t been able to practice 100%, and without practice, I can’t get faster. But if I can be the California state sprint champion two times, that’s something I can be proud of.”

How can Fargas run a lifetime best on an injured hamstring?

“The competition pushes me to go faster,” he said.

Fargas is fortunate to have an innovative track coach in Joe McNab. He’s the one who suggested the standing starting blocks that take pressure off Fargas’ leg by allowing him to start in a three-point stance similar to a football player. McNab also ordered Fargas into the Notre Dame pool for workouts.

“I thought I was going to do a backstroke,” Fargas said.

Fargas puts on a life jacket and runs in the deep end under water. He won’t find many workouts at Michigan more demanding than McNab’s pool conditioning.

“It takes stress off the hamstring so he can keep in condition without further damaging the hamstring,” McNab said.

Fargas was upset when “someone from Alemany” called the Southern Section office to question the legality of his starting block.

“I’m just trying to run, I’m not trying to cheat,” he said. “I’m just trying to give myself a chance to keep running. If my leg isn’t comfortable in standard blocks, I have to use the other blocks. It seemed like they were trying to kick a man when he was down.”

Another exceptional athlete is Feirfeil, who placed second in the 200 in 22.02. He’s far less visible than Fargas or Fletcher but no less deserving of admiration.

Why Feirfeil has been unable to impress a college football coach to give him a scholarship is another example of recruiters looking too much at size and not enough at heart and athleticism.

Feirfeil, 5 feet 11 and 175 pounds, led the region in receptions last fall. He also played soccer and is the Knights’ best baseball player. He’s a rare four-sport athlete.

He decided to play baseball and run track simultaneously simply to convince recruiters he has the speed to play football.

“Hopefully, it means something to somebody,” Feirfell said of his 100-meter title. “I’m trying to get [recruiters] to see I’m fast so size isn’t much of a difference.”

Feirfeil already has run faster and caught more passes than former L.A. Baptist star Jim Romero, who received a football scholarship to Arizona. Feirfeil will likely end up at a junior college in September, but soon, he’ll prove the recruiters wrong.

For those looking toward the future, keep an eye on 16-year-old sophomore Will Svitek of Newbury Park. He won a national decathlon championship in the 15-16 age group last year in Florida. On Saturday, he finished sixth in the Division I shot put with a mark of 51-10 1/2.

There are few teenagers with the immense physical skills of Svitek. Born in the Czech Republic, he came to America when he was 2. He has grown to 6-6, weighs 225 pounds, runs 40 yards in 4.7 and has a 3.8 grade-point average. He was a part-time starter for the varsity basketball team and could be the Panthers’ starting tight end in in the fall. He’s destined to become a big-time football recruit.

“I love it. That’s my life,” he said of athletic competition.

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Eric Sondheimer’s local column appears Wednesday and Sunday. He can be reached at (818) 772-3422.