Glass Is Enjoying His Breakthrough Season

Rodney Glass of Sherman Oaks Notre Dame enters today’s state track and field finals at Cerritos College as the fastest high school student in America.

Four of the top six 100-meter times nationally this season have been run by Glass, including the fastest at 10.32 seconds.

Glass, though, has remained largely unknown despite his accomplishments because he hasn’t won a state title and he comes from a school that still gushes over its most famous athlete, Justin Fargas, the 1997 state 100 champion who plays running back for the Oakland Raiders.

“He’s sort of slipped under the radar,” track Coach Joe McNab said of Glass.

But Glass has broken Fargas’ school-record 100 meters of 10.37 seconds and erased another Fargas school record by averaging 10.2 yards per carry in his two-year varsity football career.

“He’s been an extraordinary athlete,” football Coach Kevin Rooney said.

The missing piece that could lift Glass to the status of high school legend is a state title. Standing in the way is Jamere Holland of Woodland Hills Taft, the defending 100 champion.

On Friday, Glass and Holland each won their heats. Glass ran 10.51 in the fastest performance of the night and Holland finished in 10.62.

Glass has never beaten Holland. The two have met once this season, when Holland ran away from Glass in the Arcadia Invitational April 8 with his best time of 10.36.

Glass has been the more consistent runner this season, but Holland, who missed two weeks of training last month after suffering a strained hamstring muscle, isn’t ready to relinquish his title just yet. Glass is going to have to take it away.

“I have to come into the race not underestimating any of my opponents, especially Jamere,” Glass said. “I know he can run faster.”

Glass, who is 5 feet 11 and 175 pounds, was hardly projected to be a big-time athlete when he arrived as a freshman.

“He was a little kid,” McNab said.

Glass ran the 100 in 11.8 and played freshman and sophomore football. But his speed kept improving, along with his size.

“His first race his sophomore year he ran 11.01,” McNab said. “It told me he was pretty good. I was so smart I didn’t have him on the relay team. He’s been on it ever since.”

As a junior, Glass had to share time at running back with Cary Harris, who signed with USC. Last fall, he shared attention with quarterback Garrett Green, another USC signee.

Never has he complained or felt slighted. His humble, respectful personality and willingness to listen to his coaches kept him on the path to success. He ended up signing with Arizona State.

“I did what I had to do to play my role on the team,” he said. “There’s nothing to complain about. I was happy with what I was doing.”

Glass made another sacrifice Thursday, passing up Notre Dame’s grad night at the request of McNab. Many of the school’s 275 seniors spent midnight to 6 a.m. at Disneyland. Glass was at home, asleep.

This morning, he’ll put on his cap and gown, participate in graduation ceremonies, then head to Norwalk.

The 100 final is scheduled for 5:19 p.m. A state title would elevate him into rarefied company.

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A year ago, Lakewood’s baseball team failed to make the playoffs for the first time in 21 years. Some might have wondered if veteran Coach Spud O’Neil, nearing 60, had lost his way.

This season, O’Neil was determined to make changes.

“I got myself rejuvenated in the summer,” he said.

Relying on terrific pitching and defense, Lakewood advanced to tonight’s Southern Section Division I championship game against Agoura at Angel Stadium.

Not even O’Neil expected such a dramatic turnaround, considering the Lancers started nine players in the semifinals who were sophomores or juniors.

“It’s just a great feeling,” he said.

Starting pitcher Keith Chipman said, “We have a fire under us right now that’s pushing us to go all the way.”

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Some baseball coaches refused to allow their team statistics to appear on Internet sites this season for fear they would be used as a scouting tool.

Lakewood and Agoura made their players’ statistics available all season, which means either opponents did a lousy job scouting or posting them had no effect other than letting scouts, fans, sportswriters and others keep track of individual performances.

Eric Sondheimer can be reached at eric.sondheimer@latimes.com.