Who is Mike Fellin?

The underdog.

The unexpected.

Or maybe, the unknown.

The Marian junior emerged this spring as a dominant force on the track and took the sport by storm.

Fellin’s sensational season ended with a pair of state medals, along with several scintillating performances along the way.

Surprised?

“I guess the best word to describe the whole season is pretty much unbelievable,” Fellin said. “Even though in some ways, it was believable, because it was right there for me, and I went out and grabbed it.”

Fellin’s rise was anything but easy. And it was hardly ordinary.

But it’s part of what makes Mike Fellin who he is. And why he is the Times News/Lehigh Valley Health Network Male Track and Field Athlete of the Year.

“Going into this year, I was in contact with one of my coaches throughout the whole year, and I don’t really know if he knew what was coming from me,” Fellin said. “He knew I was a hard-worker, and that I was willing to put in a lot of work and win. But I don’t think he knew exactly who I was as an athlete, my perspective of that.

“Before our track season, four months maybe, I was up at 5 in the morning, training; I don’t think anybody else really saw that yet.”

Fellin used this season to showcase everything he had done behind the scenes, and out of the spotlight.

On the biggest stage, Fellin powered his way to a second-place finish in the Class 2A 100 at the PIAA Track and Field Championships.

It was a run that nearly put him on the top step of the podium. Fellin’s time of 10.85 came in just behind Braedon Wisloski of Southern Columbia, who ran a 10.81 and needed a late surge in the race to secure the win.

Fellin, who was seeded second, set two personal bests in the event at the state meet. Before the finals, he ran a 10.95 in the prelims.

It wasn’t the only medal of the day for Fellin, who teamed up with Jacob Fenstermaker, Ean Chelak and Johnny Malarkey to place seventh in the 400 relay with a time of 43.90 a week after winning the district title in the event.

Fellin showcased his sprinting prowess all season, capturing District 11 titles in the 100 and 200 (22.92) after winning Schuylkill League gold in both of his individual events and the 400 and 1600 relays.

The 1600 relay also ran to a second-place finish at districts.

Speed was not always his strength.

“I wasn’t always a sprinter,” said Fellin. “I was actually considered a distance runner, because my freshman and sophomore year I was 130 pounds and I was some scrawny, tall, skinny kid. So everybody thought, ‘Oh yeah, he’s going to be a distance kid,’ or ‘He’s going to do cross country.’

“But then I started putting the work in the gym and I got a little bit stronger, and that strength helps me to run those times.”

Fellin, who now stands 5-10, 161 pounds, grew up playing just about every type of sport, from water polo to soccer.

But his interest in track came later. Much later.

“I was a basketball head,” Fellin said. “I think I played basketball for six years, and my heart was there. I wanted to be good at that, and I wanted to succeed in that.

“Jake Fenstermaker told me that I should try out for track, and I just said maybe, because I still didn’t know. And then one time coach (Justin) Huegel came into school and he gave me a paper on it and he wanted me to try out for it, but I still didn’t think it was my thing.”

After sticking to basketball his freshman year at Marian, Fellin finally decided to make the leap and give track a try as a sophomore, a season that was ultimately canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Huegel, along with sprint coach Jim Wheeler, have helped Fellin harness his abilities and drive to succeed.

“He walks in very humble to a meet knowing he’s there to perform and he just needs to run his best,” said Huegel. “But he also has the mentality that as soon as he gets in the blocks, whoever is next to him, whether they’re faster than him or right with him, he’s going to make it a fight.”

One that will continue next season.

“I can say that I had a vision, not a physical vision, but I knew what I was going to do,” Fellin said. “I knew that this just doesn’t happen for no reason. I knew I was going to do what I was going to do, put in the work, the time, everything. It wasn’t easy, I’ll admit that. There were days I wanted to sleep in, there were days I wanted to go out with friends, but instead I went home and I trained, or I rested, or I iced. But I knew that it had to be done, because I knew if I wanted to be as good as I could be, I had to put in the time.

“Going from leagues to districts and winning all those gold medals, yes I loved it. But I still was not finished. And I still am not finished.”