McSwain off to a flying start

Spencer Patterson

Thursday, March 29, 2001 | 9:34 a.m.

As James McSwain raced downfield to catch up to the football, a quest to become the state's fastest high school sprinter was the farthest thing from his mind. He simply wanted to reel in the ball and help his team win a game between physical education classes.

Fortunately for Mojave High School, McSwain's display of speed did not escape the watchful eye of then-Rattlers track coach Sam Germany in the fall of 1999. Germany approached McSwain, a sophomore at the time, and encouraged him to try out for the school's already talent-rich track squad.

"I ran in Colorado Springs in middle school, but I didn't run in ninth grade," McSwain said. "I was considering (trying out), but I was hesitant. Coach Germany really helped me decide to come out."

Though he had received little training, McSwain went on to become a key cog in a Mojave machine that rolled to dual 4A state boys and girls team titles last spring. He stunned a competitive field at the Southern Zone meet with a victory in the long jump, then placed third in the event one week later at state.

Three weeks into his junior campaign, McSwain is proving last year was anything but a fluke. Not only has he continued to post some of Nevada's top marks in the long jump, he has also emerged as a major sprinting threat, posting the area's top 100-meter time this season.

"Last year, he showed what type of athlete he was, and he'll keep getting better because of the things he does in the weight room and at practice," said Rattlers coach Lolo James, a Mojave assistant who took over the program when Germany retired last spring. "I think he has the capability to be extremely good in the 100, 200 and long jump, and I wouldn't be surprised if he made state in all three."

Displaying a rare willingness to spring off either foot, McSwain showed proficiency in the long jump from the start, but often took himself out of contention by scratching. Once he settled into a regular routine that had him launching off his left foot, however, he became a force in the event, ultimately jumping to a personal best of 22 feet, 10 inches at the zone meet.

McSwain's speed was never in question at his school, particularly among those who saw him hang tough in last year's practice races with Calvin Redden ('00) -- a three-event state champion last year and now a sprinter at Alabama.

This season, McSwain has done his part to spread the word, racing to an area-best 100-meter time of 10.8 seconds in a meet at Silverado. Since then, he has continued to be a key multi-event performer, even anchoring Mojave's 4x100 and 4x200 relay teams.

"I think he realized he could jump last year, but I don't think he knew how fast he was until this year," James said.

To repeat as state champs, the Rattlers will certainly need a big postseason from the ever-emerging McSwain. They will also require significant contributions from several other key performers, most notably Bryn Davis and Torry Hall. Hall, a junior, placed third in the 100 at last year's state meet, while Davis -- the boys squad's senior leader -- flashed his credentials on Tuesday, tying McSwain for first place at Durango with a wind-aided time of 10.5.

Mojave's girls will also head toward the finish line with a star-studded lineup, despite losing four-event individual state champion Nicole Ireland to graduation last year. Junior Tia Barginear, senior Tricia Floyd and junior Monique Lewis finished second, third and fifth, respectively, in the 100 at last year's state meet and all are capable of racking up points in individual and relay events this May.

Such thoughts are still more than a month away for the defending champs, however. For now, James and a staff that includes seven new coaches will continue to hone the skills of some of Southern Nevada's top young athletes.

And McSwain will continue to take advantage of an opportunity he nearly missed out on altogether.

"Sometimes I do stop and think about it, and realize what I've done in the past year," McSwain said. "But then I think about how hard I've worked to get here. I'm seeing the improvement now."