2022 IHSA XC Season Previews - 2A Boys Teams

 

By Michael Newman [email protected]

 

I will keep this short. Class 2A Boys in Illinois is wide-open for this 2022 Cross Country season. There is no real favorite. There are so many teams that will chaise after one of the three state trophies that will be awarded in November at Detweiller Park.

 

Grayslake Central, who finished sixth in last year’s state finals, is slotted in the top spot for now. Fenwick is the defending state champion in this classification and will need to fill in some spots to repeat. Riverside-Brookfield leads at least 10 more teams that reasonably could win a state title. It will be interesting to watch to say the least.

 

There are so many storylines that we will follow this fall in Class 2A. Let’s look at some of those teams that will toe the line this season.

 

 

1 Grayslake (Central)

Coach – Jimmy Centella; 2021 Finish – 6th, 2A State

 

Top Runners – Trey Sato JR (12, 15:12), John Vagnoni JR (40, 15:41), Kyle Bianchi SR (99, 16:12), Aashay Patel SR (143, 16:26), Duncan Jones SR (144, 16:28), William Welty JR (159, 16:41), Adam Cordova FR, Camden Heavelyn SR, Zane Smith SO, Zach Norberg SR, Daniel Varblow SO, Nolan Kissinger JR

 

Notes – What started as a promising season for the Rams took a downswing at the end with COVID and injuries taking effect on the top seven. The result was a sixth-place finish at Detweiller Park. The experience of last year could drive this team to some big things especially with six runners coming back. “Our summer training was outstanding for the boys this summer,” said their coach, Jimmy Centella. “This team was very consistent with their long runs and workouts and often were as many as 9 boys working in the varsity group. I really like how the boys committed to being more consistent and upping their mileage more this summer.”

 

Their success this season will start with Trey Sato. The junior was all-state last year. He show he means business this fall after running 15:00 (12 seconds faster than state) at Detweiller at Dark. “His 4:22 mile as a sophomore combined with his 15:12 3 mile from last year have given him a lot of confidence that he can be one of the top contenders in 2A this fall,” Centella said. “He has backed that up with an excellent summer of consistent training.” John Vagnoni has showed tremendous improvement this summer and could be one of the runners hanging around the top 25 room. Joining him could be William Welty who was hampered by injuries last fall. “Will would have been our 3rd/4th man last fall but was bit hard by the injury bug and missed a good chunk of the season.,” added Centella. “He has bounced back very well in track running 9:59 and followed that up with a strong summer.  I expect him and John Vagnoni to be a strong 2-3 combo this fall.”

 

A runner that could be close to that duo is Duncan Jones who was the team’s sixth runner last year at state. His improvement this summer will make things better for this group this season. “Duncan had a strong spring and summer,” Centella said. “He started cross country as sophomore without any running experience. Junior year he made the 7 but still was learning how to push himself and maximize his potential.  He is ready for a big breakthrough this fall.” Kyle Bianchi was part of the team’s top seven and has also improved along with Aashay Patel, Nolan Kissinger, and Daniel Varblow. Freshman Adan Cordova could make a difference in his first year of high school running. Cordova finished third running 4:49 in the IESA 3A 1600m Run last spring. He has the potential to get into the top five, even with a roster so talent loaded as this one.

 

Jimmy Centella added to this: “Last year was a bittersweet year as we had many positives happen with our team as well as some setbacks.  Our top runner, Bryan Vale, had a bad case of Covid and could not fully recover to his all-state form and Will Welty missed the bulk of the season with injury. Having our projected #1 and #4 not at full strength for the state series would have devastated a lesser group of young men.  Not our boys.  The other members of the team used this situation to gain valuable varsity experience and had to step up into more important roles on our team than anticipated at the start of the year. Finishing 6th last year knowing we had some bad luck has motivated us to not take anything for granted and focus on doing our best to be prepared by having a strong summer of running and to train hard, but intelligently this fall.  Consistency above all else was the emphasis this summer.  Based on the goals the boys set this June and the summer training they have done so far; it is fair to say that their goal of being one of the top teams in 2A this fall is one that we believe we can achieve.”

 

2 Oak Park (Fenwick)

Coach – David Rill; 2021 Finish – 1st, 2A State

 

Top Runners – Grayden Rill SR (8, 15:06), Nathaniel McKillop JR (20, 15:17), Dean O’Bryan JR (33, 15:37), Michael Domke SR, Chris Bajda SR, Finn Munley SO, Benicio Cariedo SO, Jake Leonardi SR, Christopher Zielinski SO, Grant Schleiter SR

 

Notes – The thrill of winning a state team championship is indescribable. Just ask Fenwick’s Boys team after they found out that there were the 2021 2A State Champions. Some in interviews afterwards were at a loss for words. The memories linger with you forever. They can also motivate you even more if you have the opportunity to achieve that. “We are excited about this season coming up,” said their coach, David Rill. “The feeling I am getting from the guys is that we even have to work harder this season. And that is what I am seeing from the guys.”

 

The Friars return their top three runners from that championship team. They will miss their seventh runner Christian Kline who moved with his family to Florida. The team’s strength comes from that front group that could have 2 runners in the top 10 and perhaps 3 runners in the top 15. Grayden Rill is hungry again for a top finish after placing eighth last year. “Grayden’s success is in his desire to be successful,” said his coach and father. “One of his goals is to beat my state time at Detweiller (14:23 to finish 2nd in 1986 2A State). Nathaniel McKillop was wide eyed sophomore at the beginning of last season. His improvement was dramatic to the point where he was all-state placing 20th. He is a top 10 caliber runner this fall. “What makes Nate successful is the amount of work he puts in,” added Rill. “He is one of the top triathlon athletes in the country and that carries over to his running.” Dean O’Bryan is also a junior that made huge strides since last year’s state meet. He could also be one of those all-state guys.

 

Work will need to be done on the top seven especially with Kline not on the team. “We also have a group of kids that just missed making the state roster last fall,” added Rill.  They just missed the top 7. It has motivated them to work hard so they can be part of that experience this year. Michael Domke missed most of the last two seasons due to injuries. He ran 17:01 in the COVID season of 2020. He has mage huge steps with improvement this summer according to Rill. He could be a difference maker for this team if he can stay away from the injury bug. Chris Bajda and Finn Munley have improved and will be hungry to stay in that top five.

 

Class 2A is so open at top this fall so that the position that Fenwick is in may not affect the Friars as much. They could have three runners that have single digit team point totals. The development of that pack behind the three is extremely important. They do have the talent to repeat. “Obviously the one feeling the team has is to do it again,” said Rill. “But we realize that we need to work harder to do that. There are so many great teams in this state. As you know the feeling of a state title is the best thing in the world.”

 

3 Riverside-Brookfield

Coach – Jack Brady; 2021 Finish – 5th, 2A State

 

Top Runners – Cooper Marrs JR (22, 15:18), Jack O’Brien JR (30, 15:35), Hayden Marrs JR (139, 16:26), William Kallas JR (142, 16:26), Zach Gaynor SR (158, 16:41), Brennan Lester JR (195, 17:00), Brady Norman SO, Isaac Arcos SO, Eamon Ryan JR, Patrick Hart JR, Misael Herrera JR, Tyrike Jenkins SR. Evan McMullen JR, Tommy Bogdan FR, Quinn Hendricks FR

 

Notes – The Bulldogs came close to capturing a trophy from last year’s state meet but ended up finishing fifth. It is a big hurt that Paul Proteau, who finished third in that race, has graduated. The good thing is that they return the rest of their top seven. “Summer camp went well with the Top 10 guys in attendance on a daily basis,” said their coach, Jack Brady. “They put in some good work as expected.”

 

Cooper Marrs was able to stay with Proteau for most of last fall. He finished 22nd at state and is driven for success this fall. “Cooper has been leading the way throughout summer workouts and hopes to improve upon his 22nd place at the State Meet last fall,” Brady said. “Work ethic and determination define him.” Jack O’Brien could be closer to Marrs this season. 17 seconds separated the two runners in the state meet. “Jack comes off an outstanding track season and hopes to move into the All-State vicinity during this XC season,” added Brady. “Workouts have already proven to be much more intense than last year for him.”

 

Brady Norman had a good freshman season but missed the top seven. He is running stronger this summer and has put himself in the top four along with Zach Gaynor. Hayden Marrs, Brennan Lester, and William Kallas have state experience and will reinforce the teams 5 to 7 pack.

 

Cooper Marrs and Jack O’Brien have the potential for top 15 finishes in the state meet. The team needs a 45 to 50 second split on their team by the time they get to state series time.

 

4 Wheaton (St. Francis)

Coach – Scott Nelson; 2021 Finish – 11th, 2A State

Top Runners – Sam Andrzejewski SR (74, 16:01), Daniel O’Connell SR (77, 16:02), Andrew Hernandez SR, Charlie Coyle JR (116, 16:18), Brendan Spahn JR (199, 17:02), Joseph Kolker JR, James Keegan JR, Gavin Grover SO, Jack Brink SO, Charlie Fischesser JR.

 

Notes – A team that could finish in or outside the top 10 when all is said and done in November. The Spartans finished last year 11 in the state meet. Coach Scott Nelson returns five runners from that team.

 

What made this team so special last fall was the pack running that got them from sectionals to state. Their split in the state meet was only 13 seconds. The top three runners are back led by Sam Andrzejewski. Daniel O’Connell and Andrew Hernandez were a second back. This trio will need to repeat this packing this season. The big thing is moving this group closer to the front. Charlie Coyne and Brendan Spahn are solid as the team’s 4-5 runners. Getting them to join the front pack is something to watch during this season. Freshman Nick Sachese and Mike Coco may give the team a boost in the top five. They both had  a better than average summer according to Nelson. There is depth on this team. It may take a couple of the beginning meets to see that.

 

5 Belvidere (North)

Coach – Ken Husser; 2021 Finish – 10th, 2A State

 

Top Runners – Orlando Hernandez SR (60, 15:56), Will Ward JR (188, 16:57), Nicholas Schroeder JR (212, 17:18), Evan Horgan SR, Jesse Kramer SO, Antonio Ostalaza SO, Luke Beutel JR, Antonio Ostalaza SO, Jovanni Alvarez JR (18:01),  James Foster SR, Jerry Reuss SO, Braeden Brown JR, Colin Young JR, Zach Rediger FR, Lukas Hoemke FR

 

Notes – This is a team that would have finished higher than the 10 place finish that they ended up in the state meet. Evan Horgan was the top runner for the Blue Thunder all season until he was pulled out due to COVID ending his season. “Last year, he joined the team during the no contact week, but this season he will have a full summer of training to build off of and it will be exciting to see what he can do this season,” said his coach, Ken Husser. “He is extremely focused right now, had a good race at Detweiler at Dark and has turned into an excellent team leader.”

 

There are three runners back from the state team, four if you count Horgan. This team has good depth that will step into the top seven. “We had an excellent summer of training, with a large core group of young men that were extremely dedicated,” Husser said. “We had the largest group of any team I have coached run Detweiler at Dark and came through the summer injury free.”

 

Orlando Hernandez stepped up to the team’s second runner in the state meet. His senior season could be just that much better. “Orlando has come so far from his sophomore year,” said Husser. “He is an extremely dedicated young man, was having an excellent track season last year but illness slowed his progress.  He also had a great summer and along with Evan has turned into a team leader that leads by example.  Orlando had a good race at Detweiler at Dark and if his progress continues can be on the verge of being an All State runner this year.” Will Ward had a good summer of training and should be among the top five. Jesse Kramer had an injury that slowed him down during his freshman season. Antonio Ostalaza also had a good summer and should take that next step in his sophomore year.

 

Braeden Brown was the team’s top 400m runner in track and is out for cross-country for the first time. Colin Young was a state qualifier in wrestling but ran cross-country in middle school. Husser believes that both runners could contribute in the top five. Belvidere North did the work during the summer to counter the losses to graduation that happened to this team. A healthy Horgan could finish in the top 10 with Hernandez in the top 25. They will need solid pack running behind them to put this team within reach of a trophy. “This group is very aware that we lost several key seniors and they have dedicated themselves to improving and attempting to fill  the shoes of the seniors that graduated,” Husser concluded. “We will have to wait and see how the season goes, but this has been one of the most dedicated, hardworking groups that I have been around.”

 

6 Glen Ellyn (Glenbard South)

Coach – Doug Gorski; 2021 Finish – 12th, 2A State

Top Runners – Ryan Chung SR (62, 15:57), Caleb Walter SR (71, 15:59), Jaden Frederick JR (111, 16:16), Matthew King SR (156, 16:39), Tim Jochum JR (171, 16:48), Ben Zima JR (210, 17:14), Luke Van Tholen SO, Lucas Galas SO, Param Sridhar SR, Lucas Newman JR

 

Notes – The Raiders have the same packing tendencies that area rival St. Francis has. Glenbard South finished 12th in last year’s state meet. Their #3 runner at state Ethan Woods graduated. Everyone else in the top seven is back. 18 of their top 19 last year were underclassmen. “This was the best summer training in since 2011,” said their coach Doug Gorski. “All of the top runners have been working hard and putting in the miles this summer which should lead to a great season. Many of the guys ran the “Freedom 4” road race in Glen Ellen this July and Glenbard South went 1,2,3,4,6 in the HS division,  the 5th place HS finisher was the first runner from the Glenbard West CC team.”

 

The team in Peoria only had a two second split on their first three runners, 19 seconds on their top four. The key this year is developing a closer five runner split. It was good at 42 seconds at state, but the pack started farther back. That state experience will benefit this squad. Ryan Chung and Caleb Walter should continue to be the team’s top runners. Walter missed most of the track season but had a good summer of training according to Gorski. Jaden Frederick was moved to varsity level early last year giving this team a boost. He was the #1 runner in some meets. He should join those front two runners. Matthew King, Tim Jochum, and Ben Zima will all challenge for spots in the top five. The Raiders will continue to have their top five split between 40 to 45 seconds. Moving the pack up in races will be something to watch for.

 

The Raiders were interchangeable in the top five last fall. There was a different #1 runner in the final four races including state. This team will again live off pack running. The unpredictability of Class 2A shows how wide open this could be. Don’t be surprised if Glenbard South leaves Detweiller Park with a trophy. “We increased miles this summer, ran more workouts and did more speed training,” Gorski added. “This group is committed to each other and motivated to get back to the state meet and improve on their finish last season.”

 

7 Woodstock

Coach – Jay Fuller; 2021 Finish – 13th, 3A State

 

Top Runners – Ishan Patel JR (38, 15:39), Aryan Patel JR (58, 15:54), Cohen Shutt JR (147, 16:29), Jakob Crown JR (153, 16:37), Thomas Sieck SR (198, 17:01), Aidan Greenlee SR (208, 17:11), Dylan Hanson SR, Charlie Baker JR, Jayden Peterson JR

 

Notes – The Blue Streaks were a young and inexperienced squad entering the beginning of last season. They showed growth in every race resulting in a 12th place finish at state. “Summer training went well with our top 8 guys,” said their coach, Jay Fuller. “At the end of track season, we held a meeting where we discussed with our guys about team time and the mileage we needed to do achieve that goal. We have built the base of our pyramid this summer and the boys are ready. The foundation is set.” Six of the top seven runners are back. Four of the top five runners will be underclassmen.

 

Ishan Patel will be one runner to keep an eye on as he leads this team. His sophomore season ended with a 38 place finish. He is among the top 25 runners in Class 2A, and we should see that this fall. Aryan Patel had a good summer of training and should close the gap on his twin brother. The team split at state was 58 seconds on their top five. That will need to come down 10 seconds for this team to contend for a trophy. Cohen Shutt, Jakob Crown, and Thomas Sieck give the team a strong nucleus behind the Patel brothers. Dylan Hanson was hampered by injuries in 2021. He had a great track season and should contribute to the top seven. Charlie Baker missed the top seven last year putting him outside looking at the state meet. His improvement could indicate he may ne in the top five.

 

8 Highland

Coach – Joe Shannon; 2021 Finish – 23rd, 2A State

 

Top Runners – Dallas Mancinas JR (57, 15:53), Ethan Smith SR (149, 16:30), Mason Steinbeck SR (165, 16:43), Avery Brock SO, Cole Basden SR (178, 16:53), Isaac Irving SR (225, 17:34), Adin Roach FR, Braden Wakeley SR, Sam Huelskamp SO, Ethan Hollenkamp SR.

 

Notes – Do not be fooled by the 23 place finish that Highland put up at last year’s state meet. This team was better than that performance. Their talent could show up this fall. Joe Shannon was the Head Track Coach and an assistant in this program last year. He steps in as the new head cross-country coach. Shannon inherits a good running group with their entire top five returning.

 

Dallas Mancinas will again be the top runner on this team. He finished his sophomore season finishing in the top 60 at state. He fill finish much higher this fall. “I am really excited to see what Dallas can do this year,” said Shannon.  “Dallas throughout his time either due to injury or sickness has never had the most consistent training but, he will still show up to compete hard at any meet. Dallas is a tough kid; I have had to sit him this past week due to him feeling sick within 20 minutes of any run. However, he has battled through enough adversity already in his career that I believe by the first meet, he will be back to being Dallas. This past track season I believe Dallas really improved his speed from the year before and I think that confidence will translate well into the XC season.” Mancinas was more than 30 seconds ahead of his teammates last year in Peoria.

 

This team is a top 10 team beginning this year is because of that pack running. Their split from their second through fifth runners was only 23 seconds at the end of last season. Ethan Smith, Mason Steinbeck, Avery Block, and Cole Basden are interchangeable in that group and will push the Bulldogs to a higher finish. Mancinas will finish higher in Peoria in November. So will his teammates but they will need to close the gap between their top runner and the pack.

 

9 Crystal Lake (Prairie Ridge)

Coach – Judd Shutt; 2021 Finish – 9th, 2A Woodstock North Sectional

 

Top Runners – Will Gelon JR (23, 15:18), Ian Mahon SR, Gerrit Dam JR, Evan Gilleland JR, Kevin Degroot JR, Eddy Klimkowski JR, Daniel Cardenas JR, Elliott Carlino SR, Kevin Koch SR, Roberto Cardenas SR

 

Notes – The Wolves did not have the race they wanted at the Woodstock North Sectional last year finishing ninth. Coach Judd Shutt welcomes back six runners from the team that has hopes of making it to Peoria in November. “We have really emphasized being present every day and enjoying the time with teammates,” said Shutt. “We need to be present for our teammates and have fun working hard.  We have a group of guys that can race shoulder to shoulder if they commit to competing for each other and fighting through the tough spots in a race.”

 

Will Gelon did advance to the state meet individually and earned all-state honors placing 23rd. Big things could happen for Gelon entering his junior season. “Will brings really good energy to our team and helps raise the level of expectation,” Shutt said. “His optimism sets the tone for the squad. I look for him to take another step toward being a consistently elite runner at the state level.” Ian Mahon appears to be again the second runner for Prairie Ridge. That could change. “After Will Gelon we have the potential to have a very tight pack from 2-7,” added Shutt. “Based on the summer I expect our order of finish to fluctuate this season and we may run numerous different top 7 lineups.”

 

A strong group of juniors with Gerrit Dam, Evan Gilleland, and Kevin Degroot all being a part of the team’s top five. One thing to watch is the gap between this pack and Gelon coming down. It was 64 seconds in the sectional race. The pack split is project to be near 50 seconds. That should also diminish. “We had a poor team performance at Sectionals last year and still just missed the state meet,” said Shutt. “This group has shown that they enjoy each other and are excited to race together. It think the state goal will develop, but for right now we are going to take it one week at a time.”

 

10 Maple Park (Kaneland)

Coach – Chad Clarey; 2021 Finish – 4th, 2A State

 

Top Runners – Evan Nosek SO (21, 15:17), David Valkanov JR (70, 15:59), Trevor Neal SR (93, 16:08), Evan Whildin FR, Zachary Murdock SO, Adam Smith SR, Collin Reutimann JR, Chase Brennan JR, Aidan Bruhl SR, Palmer Behrends JR, Nolan Hosking SR

 

Notes – The Knights will be looking for a trophy this season after just missing out placing fourth. This could be a young team for Coach Chad Clarey as he welcomes back three runners from that team. The top two returning runners are both underclassmen. “Our team had a very productive summer's worth of work,” Clary said. “We saw consistent participation from many runners vying for Top 7 spots this season. We used our 25 contact days well, and we look forward to using that good base to start our season.”

 

A big loss for Kaneland is that Brady Babka, who ran on the state team last year, has a hip injury and will not run in his senior season. “Brady met some big goals he set for himself over the first three years of his career, including running at the State Finals,” Clarey explained. “Right now, we are helping Brady prepare for the rest of his life but keeping his leadership skills within the program as his important contributions to the team.”

 

Evan Nosek should again be the team’s front runner like he was for most of last season. “Evan has really turned a corner this summer in how he's approached his training,” Clary stated. “He cut short the end of the track season with a hip injury and spent much of the summer rehabilitating that injury through a variety of cross training experiences.” Nosek could step it up even more this fall. A top 10 finish is not out of the question for this sophomore. David Valkanov made huge strides last fall moving up to the team’s fourth runner at the state meet. He should be second in the lineup this season and could be a runner to watch near the top 25 after a great summer of training. “David has a great desire to work his way up into the top 25-45 runners in Class 2A,” added Clarey. “When we are able to get back to school, he will have that opportunity to build the consistency that is necessary to achieve such status. It's a 13 week season, and we will use all of it to help David get closer to the opportunity to show what he is capable of. His track season was solid, so we look forward to seeing him transfer that speed onto the cross country course.” Trevor Neal  is the other returning runner that could be close to Valkanov. They will need a tight pack between these two runners.

 

We won’t see Kaneland at full strength until the beginning of October. There could be some growing pains tuning up this young and inexperienced group. Zachary Murdock showed improvement this summer and could step into the top five. Freshman Evan Whildin qualified for the IESA State meet in middle school. He has an opportunity to jump into the top five along with Adam Smith, Chase Brennan, and Collin Reutimann. “We will be a younger version than we might usually bring to the table by the time the State Series rolls around,” added Clarey. “We are pleased to see our juniors and younger runners stepping up to the challenges ahead. We will take some lumps early in the season, and learn a little about who we are, but the optimism and accountability that will grow as this campaign continues can help this version of our team build momentum for October and November.”

 

11 Normal (Community West)

Coach – Chad Aubin; 2021 Finish – 25th, 2A State

 

Top Runners – Sky Riddle SR (94, 16:09), Harrison Taylor SR (132, 16:23), Aiden Swanlund SO (193, 16:58), Isaiah Herbst JR (207, 17:10), Nathan Burrell SR (211, 17:17), Jason McConkey SR, Ezekiel Rice SO, Brice McMorris JR, Kaleb Kilgore JR, Mitchell Lareau JR

 

Notes – A team that will surprise some people this fall after they finished 25th in last year’s state meet. There are five runners back from that team. This team is deeper in improved talent this season.

 

The team’s top five split was 49 seconds in Peoria. Three of those five runners are back led by Sky Riddle followed by Aiden Swanlund and Harrison Taylor. Jason McConkey was in the team’s top five in the middle of last season. Ezekiel Rice, a sophomore, had similar times as McConkey and could be right with him. Isaiah Herbst and Nathan Burrell both ran that state race and will also push for top five finishes.

 

12 Morton

Coach – Joe Zeller; 2021 Finish – 3rd, 2A State

 

Top Runners – Josh Weeks JR (39, 15:40), Yonas Wuthrich JR (52, 15:49), Layton Knoop JR (86, 16:05), Chase Sauder SR, Nicholas Delgado JR, Sam Yontz SR, Ethan Cross FR, Luke Baker FR, Christian Harris SO, Seth Walters SR, Kyle Hartler SR

 

Notes – Morton was among the top teams in Class 2A all last season. That consistency resulted in a third-place trophy in Peoria. “Last year we talked a lot about who we were running for, and the answer was always for each other,” said their coach, Joe Zeller. “The comradery on the team has been something special over the last several years. While we graduated off several seniors that were important to the team last year, the mentality has stuck around and remains the same.”

 

Three runners are back from that state team. The possibility of two all-state runners and four runners in the top 60 is there for this group. Josh Weeks will be one of those runners to lead this team. “Josh has always been a hard worker, but this summer he focused on targeting his energies on quality workouts,” said Zeller. “He will be looking forward to what a healthy season can hold for him because 15:46 at D@D is just a starting point.” He should be joined by teammate Yonas Wuthrich. “Yonas has a lot of potential still to be unlocked and I think he has the right motivation this season to do something special,” added Zeller.

 

Layton Knoop is the third returning runner and had a good summer of training. Chase Sauder could be a key to the Potters success. He was in the top five for most of last season, but injuries kept him out of the state meet. Nicholas Delgado and Kyle Hartler showed improvement this summer and will contest for a top five spot along with freshmen Etan Cross and Luke Baker.

 

Don’t be fooled by this early season ranking. Morton has the potential finish in the top five at the end of the season. In Zeller’s mind, he has four runners that have established themselves. The races this season will determine a fifth runner. “The leadership stepped up both at our varsity summit at the beginning of the summer and through the consistency that they brought to summer practices which has set the tone going into the season,” added Zeller. “But maybe more importantly, it's just a good group of guys that enjoys being around each other. Having that element makes cross country a lot more fun.”

 

13 Champaign (Central)

Coach – Stephen Kesler; 2021 Finish – 27th, 2A State

 

Top Runners – Peter Smith SR (66, 15:58), Fynn Bright JR (131, 16:22), Nick Bonn SR (167, 16:44), Jakob Riley SO (179, 16:54), Cooper Sweet SR (213, 17:19), Enrique Beuschlein SO (227, 17:41), Jonathan Smith JR, Caleb Mathias FR, Avery Smith SR, Ben Sutton JR, Trevor Plattner JR

 

Notes – Another Class 2A team that should take a huge step up in this 2022 campaign. Coach Stephen Kesler welcomes their top six runners from last year’s team. “I think most of our kids hit reasonable mileage numbers without overdoing it,” Kessler said. “We are healthy right now which is the most important thing. There will always be a few who don't run as much as you would like, but this is probably the best summer we've had as a team (in terms of mileage) since I've been here.”

 

Peter Smith again should be the team’s top runner. A good summer of training could put him in contention for entry into the all-state room. “He sets the example every day at practice,” said Kessler. “Extremely hard worker and competitive young man. Never lets anyone finish ahead of him on workouts, even long runs. I think he is highly motivated for some individual achievements this season and comes into the year healthy and strong as ever.” Flynn Bright and Nick Bonn are back and form the nucleus on the pack behind Peter Smith. Caleb Mathias was fifth in the IESA 3A State Meet last fall. He ran 16:41 at Detweiller at Dark and shows he could run in their top five.

 

Cooper Sweet, Jakob Riley, and Enriqie Beuschlein all are runners you could see in the top five. The splits on their top five and second through fifth runners were a little high in Peoria. The top 5 split was 81 seconds. The split on the pack was 57 seconds. Work will need to be done to lower those times. “These guys are dedicated to the team and are motivated to succeed at a high level this fall,” Kessler added. “In the past, lots of the older guys missed summer practices due to jobs or other commitments. This year, all of our seniors were a big part of summer running and have been a great influence on the younger guys so far. Our outlook is very positive for the coming season.”

 

14 Geneseo

Coach – Todd Ehlert; 2021 Finish – 26th, 2A State

Top Runners – Gavin Allison SR (96, 16:10), Tyler Gehl SR (161, 16:41), Cooper Schaad JR (176, 16:50), Dylan Gehl SO (191, 16:58), Sam Mosbarger JR (196, 17:01), Rylan Lambert SO, Caleb Durian SR, Austin Hull JR, Aiden Bries FR, Kaden Elmer FR, Jaxson Sottos FR

 

Notes – The Maple Leafs just made the big dance last year finishing seventh in the Metamora Sectional and then coming back to finish 26th at state. “We had a good summer of training.  A lot of participation from the team this year,” said their coach, Todd Ehlert. This team should take the next step up this fall with five runners back from that state team.

 

Gavin Allison stepped up as the team’s top runner at last year’s state meet and could finish this year in the top 50. The key will be moving that pack up also. They do have a good quartet with Tyler and Dylan Gehl, Cooper Schaad, and Sam Mosbarger. The four were separated by 20 seconds at state. They were 31 seconds from Allison and should close the gap. The quartet needs to stay healthy. There is a drop-off of more than a minute before the next group of runners. Freshmen Aiden Bries, Kaden Elmer, and  Jaxson Sottos will provide this team additional depth.

 

“We had more kids show up for the summer runs this summer.  We have great team leadership and a great bond with this kids this year,” said Ehlert. “We hope to keep the momentum going for this year and be better than last year.”

 

15 Dunlap

Coach – Chris Friedman; 2021 Finish – 20th, 2A State

 

Top Runners – Reece Dusek SR (76, 16:01, transfer from Limestone), Jacob Gladstone SO (140, 16:26), Aiden Mohr SR (145, 16:28), Braden Cox SR (148, 16:30), Luke Williams JR, Sunseet Shiraj SR, Jacob VandeWiele JR, Charlie Serrahn JR, Noah Lee JR, Simon Fabish FR, Jack Nestor FR

 

Notes – This might be addition by subtraction for the Eagles this season. They lost last year’s top runner at state Henry Welsh who opted not to come out for the team. They did gain Reece Dusek who transferred in from Limestone. Dusek improved during last fall’s season and stepped into the spotlight during track where he was all-state in three events including the 400 Meter Dash. Coach Chris Friedman should step into the #1 position for this team. Their second through fourth runners are back from the state team along with Dusek who has state meet experience. “It's been nice having a normal summer,” said Friedman. “It has given the boys a chance to get mileage under their belts. The boys are enthused about the upcoming season but quickly embraced the idea that success in October (and November) begins in June and July. They have laid the foundation this summer for our success this season”

 

The addition of Dusek solidifies the front of their first four even with the loss of Walsh. Jacob Gladstone, Aiden Mohr, and Braden Cox were only four seconds apart at state and should continue that closeness in their races. Getting close to Dusek would make this team tougher. Finding a fifth runner may take until a few meets into the season. Charlie Serrahn, Luke Williams, and Sunseet Shiraj are some of the runners that will vie for that spot. There are up to seven other runners that could make that big step into the top seven.

 

“Qualifying for the state meet last year was a big deal for this group. During the COVID year, we failed to qualify out of the regional. A year later, we qualified for the state meet with many of the same guys. I think we have the right mix to take that next step,” said Friedman. “The internal competition will help with the depth on the team (one of the keys to success on the girls' side). If the boys run to their potential, we could be a dangerous team at the end of the season.”

 

16 Aurora (Marmion Academy)

Coach – Andrew Lifka; 2021 Finish – 8th, 2A Fenton Sectional

 

Top Runners – Connor Carlson JR (83, 16:03), John Daffenberg SO (90, 16:07), Nathan Brandon JR, Mitchell Gratz SR, Lucas Fischer SR, Jack Healy JR, Ben Seykora SR, Vincent Dorando SO, Robert Gramley JR

 

Notes – Marmion Academy just missed making it to the state meet in 2021 by seven points finishing eighth in a tough Fenton Sectional. “We’re seeing a lot of development in our guys who are entering their sophomore and junior years,” said their coach, Andrew Lifka. “For many of them, last year was their first year of consistent training due to inconsistencies with covid and being a young team, and the payoff is being seen now in big jumps. The culture is growing.”

 

Connor Carlson and John Daffenberg both advanced individually to state where they finished in the top 90. Both runners are back to lead the Cadets. “Connor is a quiet and calm, but extremely strong leader of the Marmion team. Running wise, his training has been strong and consistent this last year, fall, winter, spring, and this summer. He cares deeply about his teammates”, said Lifka. “After experiencing the state meet as an individual last year, he is committed to making sure that he does not have to experience the state meet alone this year. His heart is with his teammates. He always does his job and does so with his focus on others. He runs for others and for the glory of God, which is our team mission. Connor is ready to make some historic things happen for Marmion cross country this season.”

 

The top runners who ran in the sectional are back and all underclassmen. Youth with experience. Nathan Brandon was within 12 seconds of Daffenberg at sectionals and gives this team a solid third runner. Mitchell Gratz and Lucas Fischer are candidates to jump into the top five. Rebuilding the top seven will be something to watch. Marmion runs mostly against 3A schools during the regular season getting them ready for the 2A state series. They still have a chance to make it to Peoria in November regardless of which sectional they are assigned to.

 

“Our team mission is to “Glorify God by doing the best you can every day to become the best version of yourself.” We emphasize that in everything we do,” said Lifka. “This season, our theme is “Win the Battle Today.” Throughout the summer, we emphasized that our greatest battles as runners and men of faith are bound to be ahead of us. The way we prepare ourselves for our greatest tests is by winning the smaller battles we face each day, at practice, school, home, and in our relationships. Faith, virtue, and strength do not appear one day but is built slowly each day. The team has latched onto this focused mindset and has been preparing each day by working to win the battles of the given day.”

 

17 Chicago (Payton Prep)

Coach – Dan Dziubski; 2021 Finish – 7th, 2A State

 

Top Runners – Ritvik Viniak SR (17, 15:15), Tristan Zhu SO (117, 16:18), Gavin Lee JR (120, 16:19), Aiden Hu-Lowenthal JR (181, 16:55), Max Harris SR, Nate Sullivan SR, Ryan Murray SO, Max Kollmeyer SR, Nicholas Salyga SO, Declan Slavin FR

 

Notes – The Grizzlies took a huge step up last season finishing seventh at state. It was the best team finish in program history. Four runners are back from that team that is looking to go higher this fall. “In my three years at Payton, this was by far our best summer,” said their coach, Dan Dziubski. “Our consistency and training volume was up. Our time-trial times this summer have been faster than each of our past three years.”

 

Ritvik Viniak came on to finish 17th at the state meet. Expectations will be higher this fall because of that even though injuries slowed him down during the spring’s track season. “Ritvik did not have the track season he wanted due to injury,” added Dziubski. “He has shown better fitness this summer compared to last year when he ran 15:15 at the end of the year.” Tristan Zhu, Gavin Lee, and Aiden Hu-Lowenthal will be the core of the pack that will need to stay within 45 seconds of their front man. Max Kollmeyer had a good summer of training and may join that group. Preston Ellis and Ryan Murray made huge strides during this training period and could also challenge for a top seven spot. Declan Slavin may be new to high school running but show success in middle school. We may see him in the top seven.

 

“This team saw what we are capable of competing at the state meet,” added Dziubski. “They have raised the bar and hold higher expectations. They believe a trophy at Detweiller Park will be a reality this fall.”

 

18 Crystal Lake (Central)

Coach – William Eschmann; 2021 Finish – 17th, 2A State

 

Top Runners – Karson Hollander SR (42, 15:44), Aiden Shulfer JR (138, 16:25), Nate Peyer JR (162, 16:42), Jackson Hopkins SO (170, 16:47), Brady Sterzik JR (209, 17:14), Evan Younge SR, Jackson Clark SO (transfer from Peninsula WA), Mason Alveraz FR, Elliot White SR, Nolan Hollander SO

 

Notes – The Tigers made it back to state last fall finishing 17th overall. The team has the talent and potential to make that trip back to Peoria returning five of their top seven runners. Coach Bill Eschmann stated that this is one of smallest teams that he has ever. Avoiding injuries will be a plus.

 

Karson Hollander was the team’s #1 runner last fall and is back to lead this team. “Karson is the leader of our team. He will set the tone for our team,” said Eschmann. “I am hoping he has a bounce back year and is able to show how good of a runner he really is.  I do believe he is a top 10 runner in 2A.” The team could have a different look in their top seven with some new faces joining the team. Nathan Alveraz is a freshman that Eschmann feels could run in their top five along with Aiden Shulfer, Nate Peyer, and Jackson Hopkins. Jackson Clark transferred from Peninsula WA and could also make an impact. The team could have a two to five runner split of 30 seconds at the least. The key is getting that pack to within 25 seconds of Hollander.

 

“The goals are always the same for our program,” Eschmann concluded. “Train hard and smart, take care of our bodies and each other. If we do that we will reach our potential and will be proud of our season. I am a true believer in this and because of that each season is special, different, and exciting.” 

 

19 Peoria (Notre Dame)

Coach – Dan Gray; 2021 Finish – 16th, 2A State

 

Top Runners – Joey Cave SR (89, 16:07), Joe Ehrhart JR (183, 16:55), Andrew Elward JR (185, 16:56), Jeff Sary SR, Michael Carson SR, Owen Magner JR, Connor Messmer SR, Bobby Morris JR, Bo Nosalik SO, Jake Heberer SO, Danny Miller JR, Dax Duffy FR

 

Notes – The Irish have the talent to make that couple of miles trip to Detweiller Park for the state meet. PND finish 16 in last year’s state mee returning three from that group. They will miss last year’s fifth runner Elliot Lynch who will concentrate on basketball. “The team put in good mileage and were very regular in attendance,” Dan Gray said. “We had a couple of injuries which set back a couple of our returning runners, but they are on the mend.”

 

Joey Cave continues to improve and became more of a racer at the end of last season according to Gray. He should be the team’s #1 runner entering this season.. Danny Miller is in his first year of running after playing soccer. The junior could be in the top five along with Andrew Elward and Joe Ehrhart. Jeff Sary had a good summer of running. He will be one of those runners you will see in the top five along Michael Carson. Cave could be joined by one or two of his teammates under 16-minutes this fall. The team had a 44 second split on five in their state meet. The Irish may have some growing pains early in the season with new talent in the top seven. The team should be ready to make their state charge by the beginning of October.

 

20 Sycamore

Coach – Michael Lambdin; 2021 Finish – 14th, 2A State

Top Runners – Ethan Solfisburg SR (47, 15:47), Naif Al Harby JR (64, 15:57), Jake Rundle SR (164, 16:43), Caden Emmert SR (177, 16:51), John Cerny JR, Corey Goff SO, Logan Jones FR, Kaiden Von Schnase SO, Phoenix Calabrese SO, Landon Taylor SO

 

Notes – The Spartans finished 14th in last year’s state meet and return four runners from that team. “The boys had a solid summer of running,” said Michael Lambdin. “Most days 75% of the team was present for workouts. When team members couldn't attend workouts, they ran on their own.”

 

Ethan Solfisburg put himself in position to have a great senior season by having great running the past couple of months. “Ethan has approached the season with the focus and dedication you would expect from a senior,” said Lambdin “He's run some impressive workouts and time trials. Ethan is off to a good start towards achieving the goals he's set for himself.” Solfisberger has a great training/racing partner in junior Naif Al Harby who was only 10 seconds back at state. “Naif is looking good,” added Lambdin. “The thing that caught my eye is his growth as a competitor. In a recent time-trial, Naif went toe to toe with Ethan right from the start.”

 

The development of the rest of their pack will be something to keep an eye on this September. John Cerny improved this summer and should be in the group with Caden Emmert and Jake Rundle. The team’s top five split last year was 56 seconds. Watch that split to come down as the season progresses.

 

21 Lake Villa (Lakes)

Coach – Travis Shepherd; 2021 Finish – 21st, 2A State

 

Top Runners – Payton Whitehead JR (79, 16:03), Micah Lind SR (115, 16:17), Quin Maloney SR (201, 17:03), Brady Mock SO (206, 17:08), Liam Makela JR (221, 17:28), Jackson Summy SO, Blake Salbilla SO, Matthew Powley SO, Connor Vinson FR, Dylan Gates FR

 

Notes – This is a team that we can say is a “wait and see” this fall. The Eagles made it to state finishing 21st with five runners returning. Replacing their fourth and fifth runners will be something to watch for. “We had a good summer,” said their coach, Travis Shepherd. “June was an especially strong month for us. Most of the team is around and putting in the hard work. We had some athletes step up and host some optional runs outside of our summer camp. A nice group of athletes showed up to those and put some miles. In addition, they used that time to gel as a group. July was a bit hit and miss with so many athletes gone on vacation. Through training logs and conversations, it seems like our training has gone well. We'll get a better idea in the next few weeks.”

 

Payton Whitehead was the team’s top runner last fall. He made a huge step up during the rack season running under 1:55 for 800-meters earning all-state honors. That confidence will carry over this season. “Payton is a wonderful person,” added Shepherd. “He is humble, a great teammate, and a hard worker. He is also a really talented runner and I think he is truly just scratching the surface of his talent. He really figured things out during his Sophomore year culminating with an outstanding finish at State. He is a savvy racer who knows how to finish. He has a unique ability to push when tired and compete. At this point he has put together multiple quality training blocks and we're excited to see what he does as a junior.”

 

Micah Lind was 14 seconds from Whitehead last fall and will look to close that gap. Quin Maloney, Brady Mock, and Liam Makela also ran in state but were 46 seconds behind Lind in Peoria. That gap could close down during the season. It will need to if they want to advance to the state meet.  

 

“Focus was placed on mileage and continuing an emphasis on being consistent with fueling, sleep, and warm-up/cool down procedures,” added Shepherd. “As far as workouts, while we try to work all of our systems throughout the season, this Summer we placed a larger emphasis on hills than we have in the past.”

 

22 Vernon Hills

Coach – Steve Szabo; 2021 Finish – 11th, 2A Woodstock North Sectional

Top Runners – Brady Clegg SR, Erick Herrera SR, Charles Blackmer JR, David Rzepa SR, Brady Koetz SO, Jeremy Gitzinger SO, Demetri Poulos SR, Maddox Fluno SR, August Jones SR

 

Notes – Coach Steve Szabo welcomes back four runners back from their sectional tea. Their season early than they wanted placing 11th at Woodstock North. “We had a solid core of guys put in great mileage this summer,” said Szabo. “They look strong and ready to start the season.”

 

Brady Clegg returns as the top runner for this team. His senior year appears to be on a path of being successful. “Brady has had a tremendous summer,” said Szabo. “He logged a lot of miles and has put himself in a great spot at the start of the season physically and mentally. He has also had a tremendous impact as a leader this summer. He spent the past year talking to and encouraging his teammates. He takes opportunities to tell his story of how he has grown from Freshman year until now and encourages every one of them to find what will work for them then put in the work to improve.” Erick Herrera was the team’s third runner in the sectional race and could close the gap on Clegg. Christian Blackmer and David Rzepa form a solid front of their pack. Brady Koetz looks to be the team’s fifth runner but could be joined by either Jeremy Gizinger or Demetri Poulos. The team lost five seniors out of their top 10 after last season. Rebuilding that pack will be essential if this team wants to qualify for the state meet.

 

“The guys were very dedicated this summer to pushing each other,” added Szabo. “We talked a lot at the end of last season about what it would take to make the next jump as a program and a team and dedicating to summer training was at the top of that list. Most of the guys really took that to heart and showed that they were ready to make that commitment.”

 

23 Metamora

Coach – Amanda Young; 2021 Finish – 8th, 2A Metamora Sectional

Top Runners – Trae Helwig SO, Carson Cowling SR, Nate Theiler SR, Nathan Haines JR, Drew Mischler SR, Ryley Claudin SO, Chase Packman SO, Yishak Weinman SO, Ryan Krake JR

 

Notes – Amanda Young returns to her alma mater to take over the head coaching duties of both the Boys and Girls teams replacing the retiring Hall of Fame Coach Gene Jones. Metamora missed on a short trip to the state meet finishing eighth in a sectional run on their home course. One of the reasons why might have been the absence of Trae Helwig who did not run. He was the team’s #1 runner in their regional meet. Helwig appears to be the top runner this fall that also returns four more runners from that sectional team. Carson Cowling and Nate Theiler are the top returnees from their sectional race. Nathan Haines and Drew Mischler appear to be runners that could be in their top five. Their pack could be the one thing that could get the Redbirds to the state meet. Their split is projected to be just under 60 seconds on the top five.

 

24 Mt. Zion

Coach – Kelly Fox; 2021 Finish – 22nd, 2A State

 

Top Runners – Julian Baker JR (28, 15:33), Daniel Grauer SO (114, 16:17), Lyncoln Koester SO (127, 16:21), Sam Atkinson SR (219, 17:28), Carson Davis JR (230, 18:02), Isaac Carpenter JR, Bobby Behm JR

 

Notes – This team had less than 15 runners on their Boys roster last fall. The Braves were still able to qualify for state finishing fifth in their sectional and then 22 in the state meet. Five runners are back from that team including Julian Baker their #1 runner last year. The junior just missed all-state by three places last fall and will be determined to better that finish. Baker placed eighth in the spring in the 3200 Meter Run earning him all-state honors.

 

Sophomores Daniel Grauer and Lyncoln Koester will build off their freshmen experiences to improve as the second and third runners. Sam Atkinson earned All-American honors in the 800 Meter Run at the USATF JO Nationals at the end of July which should give him a boost this fall. He was also all-state last May in that event.

 

25 Chatham (Glenwood)

Coach – Mike Garber; 2021 Finish – 10th, 2A Decatur MacArthur Sectional

 

Top Runners – Lleyton Turk SR, Carter Simmons SO, Edward Wilson SO, Eli Morsch SR, Alex Chopra JR, Will Patzia SO, Brady Moser FR, Ayden Groves JR

 

Notes – The Titans did not have their best race of the season to say the least in their sectional finishing 10th and failing to make it to the state meet. “It is hard to say definitively what happened last year at Sectionals. As you can imagine, I've thought about it a lot,” said Glenwood coach Mike Garber. “We go from 1 point separating us and Springfield High at Conference to getting 10th at Sectionals. It still boggles my mind. We are victims of our own success at times. Many of the kids on last year's team were young when we won in 2018. I think they collectively just assume we go to State every year. That it doesn't take work, or we just go without trying. Big mistake...and one I didn't see clearly until later. We preached this summer to not be complacent. That one bad day doesn't stamp us forever. And that each day is one we can use to become better than before. They have all taken it to heart. This sport is great but can take its toll over time. That is one of the things I love about it. The grind. These guys are learning to love the grind again.”

 

Four runners are back from that team. A big loss is one of their top runners, Drew Verenski, decided not to come out this fall to run. Lleyton Turk will lead a hungry pack that wants to build success off last year. “Lleyton will push Carter Simmons and Eli Morsch for the #1 spot this fall,” Garber said. “It will possibly change each race as to who leads our team. Lleyton, like his brother Graham, is a big swimmer. He worked on both his cardio in the pool and his legs running over summer. I'm excited to see how he progresses over the next couple months. The front pack will be fun to watch.” Ayden Groves and Will Patzia had great summers of training and are one of eight other runners fighting for top seven spots.

 

“These guys are really ready for season,” Garber concluded. “Chomping at the bit is an understatement. We get back Will Patzia from a near season ending knee injury in 21 and he wants to push to be part of that front group. I look forward to the type of pack we can create. It should be a really fun season.”

 

26 Washington

Coach – Benjamin Page; 2021 Finish – 24th, 2A State

 

Top Runners – Fisher Rinkenberger SO (108, 16:15), Charlie Borlin SO (203, 17:05), Deegan Reece SO (204, 17:06), Alex Volk SR (216, 17:25), Jacob Borlin JR, Landry Woolever SR, Ethan Kopinski SO, Dominic Johnston SO, Gavin Ruppel SR, Brice Banning JR, Sam Tellefson SO

 

Notes – Benjamin Page steps in as the new coach at Washington. He inherits a team that finished 24th in the state meet but loses Jackson Ward who finished 11 at Detweiller and has graduated. Page also loses last year’s #2 runner Milo Rinkenberger broke his ankle this summer will not run this fall.

 

Fisher Rinkenberger should be the top runner for this team and could be in the top 50 in the state meet after the summer he had. “Fisher is a solid runner who will pace the pack this season,” said Page.  “Fisher is quiet and adored by his teammates. They enjoy training and running with him. He definitely raises the bar for his teammates. He's our quiet leader. I am excited to coach him this year--I'm a lucky coach--and watch him grow and progress this season.”  

 

Pack running will have to be an emphasis for this group since they are projected to be 40 seconds behind their top runner to start the season. Charlie Borlin, Alec Volk along with newcomers Brice Banning and Sam Tellefson will be among the runners challenging for places in the top seven. A good freshman group led by Owen Spiezio and Elijah Mann might find their way into the top seven as well.

 

“We had a solid summer of training with a larger than expected number of runners,” Page said. “While we were aware of the talent coming to the girl's team, I was pleasantly surprised by the number and talent of the incoming boys, a few will definitely make an impact this year.”

 

27 East Peoria

Coach – Brandon Shaver; 2021 Finish – 10th, 2A Metamora Sectional

 

Top Runners – Ayden Thompson JR (101, 16:13), Matthew Gray SR, Zach Alt SR, Dawson Stout SR, Ben Riggenbach SR, Colin Hieronimus JR, Colin Kinser SO, Blaine Strunk JR

 

Notes – East Peoria was closing in on a trip to the state meet last year at the Metamora Sectional. Matthew Gray was in the top 10 but collapsed with 100-meters left in the race. Gray, the #1 runner all year, did not finish and the Raiders finished 10th overall. Ayden Thompson qualified individually for state and returns giving East Peoria a strong 1-2 punch up front. “Overall, training went well this summer,” said East Peoria Coach Brandon Shaver. “We looked to add mileage safely and increase pace of the mileage as the season went on, trying to help some of the runners in the 3-6 positions work their way up and hang with their teammates for longer.”

 

Six runners (including Gray) are back from that sectional lineup. Gray could be focused on having a great fall after his finish from a year ago. “He is a fantastic runner,” Shaver said. “Matthew is up at the top when it comes to work ethic and drive. He pushes himself and teammates daily, has been active in the weight room all off-season and throughout track, and has been a staple at summer runs. I expect Matthew to qualify for state if healthy.” Thompson was a PR machine during track and could continue that trend this fall. “Ayden is a tremendous worker, who continues to push the pace and run well at practice,” added Shaver. “That said, he is considered our number two runner behind Matthew Gray. Ayden should continue to drop time and will look to push the pace with Matthew and be a good 1-2 punch for us, which is helpful with questions at our 4-7 positions with health, etc. we look for Ayden to return to state, as his work ethic and determination are evident.” Dawson Stout and Zach Alt will be the runners leading a pack behind and Thompson.

 

“Matthew was very disappointed in his performance, frustrated with the results and continues to work to make sure himself and his teammates are successful. In order for us to qualify for the state meet, and overcome the bumps in the road, we will need our entire top seven to be healthy all year,” concluded Shaver. “Last year we had two individuals who have previously run varsity who were injured. We do not have the depth for that unfortunately. If we can keep our top five runners healthy including Matthew Gray, Ayden Thompson, Dawson Stout (staples) and likely Colin Hieronimus (injured last season), Zach Alt, Ben Riggenbach, and an opening and competition for seven, We have the opportunity to make the state meet, with help from our top three. Again, this is fully dependent on being healthy.”

 

28 Mahomet (Seymour)

Coach – Andrew Walmer; 2021 Finish – 8th, 2A State 

Top Runners – Ben Wallace SR (109, 16:15), Hayden Grotelueschen SR (133, 16:23), Gabe Difanis SR, Gage Williams SR, Zach Wilcoski SO, Lukas Nykaza SO, Grant Smysor JR, Blake Dillman SO, Auggie Gaudio FR, Henry McMurry FR, and Emmett Kearns FR

 

Notes – Andrew Walmer returns to his alma mater to coach the Boys team replacing longtime coach Neal Garrison who is now at Tuscola. Walmer was a two time all-state runner while running at the school finishing sixth in his senior year in 2016 to help his team repeat as Class 2A State team champions. “It's comforting knowing the history and traditions of the program already,” said Walmer. “It has certainly made the transition of coaches easier. However, this also makes me occasionally hesitant to modify certain things that I see as cultural staples of the program. Fortunately, Coach Garrison instilled in me the importance of doing what I feel is necessary to establish the right culture for the team. This gives me confidence to make modifications where I feel necessary for the sake of the runners.”

 

Graduation hit this team hard after finishing eighth in last year’s state meet. Only two runners are back from that team. Ben Wallace and Hayden Grotelueschen will be the front runners for this team. “Ben has been putting in the work each year and consistently improving,” Walmer said. “He is a calm person yet fierce competitor. I believe he's ready to make his senior season a great one.”

 

This team will be inexperienced at first but will grow up quickly being ready at the right time for the state series. Gabe Difanis and Gage Williams, both seniors, should be the runners that this pack could be worked around. Freshmen Auggie Gaudio, Henry McMurry,  and Emmett Kearns could make immediate contributions in the top seven. “We graduated a large group of seniors, leaving a void to be filled both in leadership and in ability,” added Walmer. “All the runners have done an excellent job of rallying together to make a strong, cohesive group. As it stands, 10 or so guys have been moving in and out of our top 7.”

 

29 Niles (Notre Dame)

Coach – John Barrett; 2021 Finish – 7th, 2A Lakes Regional

 

Top Runners – Luke Davey SR (100, 16:12), Liam Newton JR, Emmet Kisor JR, Henry Thuet SO, Brady Verdon SR, Kyle Muench SR, Jack Armour JR, Tyler Muench SR, Everett Suderski SR

 

Notes – A team that could make it to the state meet after not making out of regionals is a team that we are looking at from this group. John Barrett’s team finished seventh one year ago at the Lakes Regional. Sectional assignments could be changed where this school could end up in the Chicago area, not at Kaneland. “We had a very solid summer with several team members putting in solid miles and improving throughout the summer,” said Barrett. “A very good level of commitment from the team especially the older guys.”

 

All seven runners are back from that regional team. Luke Davey advanced out of the regionals and sectionals, and then ran 16:12 at state. “Luke has continued to get better and continued to be a hard worker and working on areas that we needed to improve,” said Barrett. “He has made state 2 times as an individual and he is on a mission to make sure we make as a team, and he is a driving force behind that. He had a great summer of running.” One runner that could be an immediate factor is Brady Verdon. He did not run in his junior season but ran his sophomore year where he finished eighth at the Latin School Sectional running 16:04. If he is in shape, he could be a factor for this team in the top five. Liam Newton, Emmet Kisor, and Henry Thuet had great summers and will make their team’s top five even stronger.

 

“We made sure that we put in the work early so we are ready for the big tests in October,” added Barrett.  “We have a more experienced group that has shown a high level of commitment throughout the season.” 

 

30 Bethalto (Civic Memorial)

Coach – Jake Peal; 2021 Finish – 11th, 2A Decatur MacArthur Sectional

 

Top Runners – Jackson Collman SR (37, 15:39), Justice Eldridge JR, Lucas Naugle JR, DJ Dutton JR, Jacob Cranford FR, Joshua Cranford FR, Mason Walker JR, Kent Scottberg JR

 

Notes – This is a program that is on the rise and could surprise some teams early this season. When the Eagles get to state series time, they will be expected in the front. A good track season for this group blended into a better summer after finishing 11 at the Decatur MacArthur Sectional. Four runners are back from that team. “We've had a very good summer of training,” said their coach, Jake Peal. “We've had a mixture of young, excited underclassmen put in a lot of good training, and for our upperclassmen it has been a smooth transition into XC after a banner Track season where they brought home the first medals in school history on the track. The upperclassmen have had their best summer of consistent weekly mileage.”

 

Jackson Collman should be in the top 25 in Class 2A this fall after earning all-state honors last spring in the 3200 Meter Run. He will be the team’s top runner. Jackson Eldridge was part of the team’s all-state 4x8 team with DJ Dutton and Lucas Naugle. The trio will make this top five stronger. The addition of freshmen Jacob and Joshua Cranford make this team more of a possibility to qualify for state.

 

“One thing that impressed me this summer about the team is just how seamlessly the freshmen have bought into the program and our team culture,” added Peal. “There just seems to be an unspoken bond they've built with the upperclassmen and our team dynamic is really special. The energy at practice is very exciting.”

 

Teams to Watch (In Alphabetical Order)

 

Antioch

Coach – Chris Bailey; 2021 Finish – 15th, 2A Woodstock North Sectional

 

Top Runners – Carter Webb JR, Anton Augusto JR, Tyler Wolfe JR, Edgar Albino JR, Brady Kobb SO, Jacob Linck SR, Anthony Sculuca SO, Ben Georgia SR, Carson Lanners FR, Blake Watson FR

 

Notes – The Sequoits return four runners from the team that finished 15 at the Woodstock North Sectional. “We had a solid summer,” said Chris Bailey. “I was impressed with the consistency. We had over 30 runners attend camp throughout the summer.”

 

This team will be underclassmen heavy and there could be some growing pains the first month of the season. Carter Webb was the team’s second runner in both their regional and sectional races. He should be the team’s top runner. “Carter is coming off a strong track season where he ran 10:18 at the Lake County Invite and 4:43 at the IHSA sectional as a sophomore,” Bailey said. “He has been a true leader this summer as he balanced XC camp, basketball camp and travel ball, as well as football.  Yes, you read it correctly, Carter is going to pull double duty this fall and kick for the football team while running XC.” Fellow juniors Anton Augusto and Tyler Wolfe give the team a good core for a pack in the top five.

 

“We talked a lot about consistency this summer,” Bailey added.  “Not only with showing up every day ready to run, but consistent quality sleep, and consistency with our daily drills and strides.”

 

Bensenville (Fenton)

Coach – Patrick Fritsch; 2021 Finish – 8th, 2A Kaneland Regional

 

Top Runners – Victor Vasquez SR (15, 15:14), Eric Ziehm JR, David Severiano JR, David Aviles JR, Emilio Sanchez SR, Omar Alkahla-Seoane SO, Drew Salski JR, Gael Flores SR

 

Notes – Fenton will look to qualify for state for the first time since 2017. Six runners return from the team that finished eighth in the tough Kaneland Regional. “Our training went well this summer,” said their coach, Patrick Fritsch. “We had a solid group of guys who bought into our off-season training and showed steady progress throughout the summer.”

 

Victor Vasquez was one of the bigger surprises in last year’s 2A State Meet. He took a huge step up last fall finishing 15th. “Victor looks poised to build on the success that he experienced last year,” said Fritsch. “He put in a lot of great work this summer and is definitely ready to prove himself as one of the best runners in the state.” One of the reason for Fenton’s hopes to qualify is the possible shift in assignments for the Chicago area. An easier road to state is possible for the Bison. Eric Ziehm will lead a tight pack behind Vazquez that could make the team’s hopes a reality. “I was really impressed by our team's dedication toward our goal of qualifying as a team to the state meet for the first time since 2017,” added Fritsch. “We knew that we needed to put a lot of work in this off season, and we've put ourselves in a position to hopefully compete for a top 7 finish at the sectional meet.”

 

Champaign (Centennial)

Coach – Jeremy Owen; 2021 Finish – 9th, 2A Richland County Regional

 

Top Runners – Aaron Hendron SR (32, 15:37), Jose Bueschlein SR, Josh Hooper JR, Taten Ludwig JR, TJ Easter SR, Yusuf Jassim SR, Sebastian Huddleston SR

 

Notes – The Chargers return their top five runners from the team that finished ninth in their regional. Aaron Hendron made it to state individually by finishing sixth in his sectional race and then 32nd in Peoria. A top 25 finish in November is within their reach. “Aaron has been a solid leader and extremely coachable athlete,” his coach Jeremy Owen said. “I've had the pleasure of coaching him in both track and cross, and he is extremely good at taking cues and knowing where to push. The goal for Aaron this year is obviously to make state again, and hopefully get a top 25 finish once there.”

 

It is not out of the realm of thinking that this team could advance to Chatham-Glenwood  and the sectional meet. They have the returning runners to accomplish that. “I'm looking forward to a solid season from our veteran athletes like Jose Beuschlein and Aaron Hendron,” Owen said. “I also have high confidence that Josh Hooper is going to come prepared and ready to step up big this season. Beyond that, I know my core group of guys are going to be solid and give a great effort. I'm extremely fortunate to have an amazing group of kids that work hard, have great character, and also give their best in the classroom. Grades are almost never an issue, and that makes cross country a lot easier from a coaching standpoint.”

 

Chicago (Brother Rice)

Coach – Tom Wazio; 2021 Finish – 12th, 2A Fenton Sectional

 

Top Runners – Charley Duggan JR, Charlie Walsh SR, Gavin O’Connor SO, Joey Bowes SR, JD Maloney SO, Danny Macis JR, Andrew Straley FR, Dylan Koss FR, Brian Sheehan SO

 

Notes – A team that also may make it to the state meet even though they finished 12th at the Fenton Sectional last year. Four runners are back from that team. Charley Duggan, who ran the team’s fastest 3-mile time last fall, missed almost a month due to injury. He should be one of the top runners with this team along with Charlie Walsh and Gavin O’Connor.

 

“Charlie Walsh is going to be a huge factor for this team,” said his coach, Tom Wazio. “He raced at the state meet his freshman season and got some good experience early on. Being a senior, we will look to him and rely on him to be a leader. He has all the skills to be a great runner and I think he could be on the verge to have the breakthrough season I know he's capable of.”

 

Chicago (Mather)

Coach – Joe Sullivan; 2021 Finish – 9th, 2A State

 

Top Runners – Muhiyadin Ali SR (14, 15:14), Ammar Alnatsheh SR (173, 16:48), Jesus Chavarria JR (233, 18:15), Nuraga Rajaie SR, Maisam Rajaie SR, Hirsi Hirsi JR Abdi Ibrahim JR, Branden Vann SR

 

Notes – Mather would like to make a repeat trip to state in November this fall. The Rangers finished seventh in last year’s state finals. Graduation hit this team with only three runners back from that state team. “Our summer training went well. We had a small but dedicated group. All of our key guys put in miles,” said Joe Sullivan. “They have progressed very well. Mohamed Abdullahi and Ammar Alnatsheh, who will be scorers for us, spent their summers out of the country visiting family. They were in locations where it was very difficult to train at times. They did a great job getting in the best running they could on their own. They are a bit behind but did enough where we expect them to regain form quickly.”

 

Mather had two individual all-state runners last fall. Muhiyadin Ali finished 14th in the state race and is back looking for a higher finish. “Muhiyadin has put in a very good summer after a difficult track season. He learned a lot this past spring and is ready to be back running at the front of races this fall,” Sullivan said. “Muh wants to make the most of his senior season and be a leader for our team. We will count on him to be a low stick all season. He already has our school record and an All-State medal from a year ago. He wants a lot more this fall.”

 

This team will need to go through some racing to see where they are at by the end of September. However, I would not count them out of returning to Peoria. “We have been very consistent this summer,” Sullivan added. “This group has stayed together and made steady progress better than any I have coached. Based on the times they ran a year ago, this does not look like a strong team on paper. But when a group stays together and puts in consistent work over a long period of time they have the opportunity to improve dramatically. I am very excited to see the improvement this team will make together.”

 

Chicago (Northside)

Coach – Bryan Cobb; 2021 Finish – 12th, 2A Woodstock North Sectional

 

Top Runners – Liam Pentangelo SR, John Sanderson SR, Addison Morley SR, Ryan Fenney JR, Keaton Jones SR, Sam Brusstar SR, Jayden Kim I SO, Grant Anderson SO, Jonah Naylor SO, Jack Mullins FR

 

Notes – The Northside Girls team made the trip to Peoria last fall. Is this the Boys team’s time to head south in November this year? The school had to travel north last fall with their sectional being at Woodstock. The Mustangs finished 12 in that race. The sectional should change for them this fall. That will be better for the six runners that Bryan Cobb has returning. “Our summer training went well,” Cobb said. “Our returners seem to be where we expected them to be coming into the season.”

 

Northside has the talent to make it to state. Liam Pentangelo was the top runner at the end of last year and should lead this team again this season. “Liam is our likely #1 runner coming into the season. He had a good summer and looks to be healthy and running well. Jack Sanderson and Addison Morly are not far behind him though. We are looking for that group of 3 (and maybe a few others) to really push each other this fall.”

 

The team’s top five split in their sectional race was only 37 seconds. The pack of Pentangelo, Sanderson, and Morley was only 20 seconds. That type of running gets you state trips to Detweiller Park. “We got some good summer running in and it got us where we needed to be coming into the fall,” added Cobb.

 

Darien (Hinsdale South)

Coach – Jim Dickerson; 2021 Finish – 7th, 2A Kaneland Regional

 

Top Runners – Adam Fournier SR, Mason White JR, Andrew Petersen SO, Jaitin Pallath SR, Kayden Miller SR, Leyton Mueller JR, Leyton Mueller JR, Aaron Koehler JR, Anthony Lavorito SR

Notes – The Hornets missed out in making it to sectionals last year finishing seventh in the tough Kaneland Regional. Hinsdale South hosting at Katherine Legge Memorial will suit this team better being on their home course. Coach Jim Dickerson has six runners back from that regional team. “In my years coaching here, we have not usually been very deep, nor have we had tight packs,” said Dickerson.  “This year will be very different. I count 14 runners who could be top 5, and multiple candidates to be our #1 guy. We have a mix of experienced guys, like Adam, Mason, and Aaron, but also our other 3 returners from our top-7, Leyton Mueller, and possibly Owen Atkinson. And we will have the best frosh/soph group I have had here, who will usually run down in invitationals and possibly Conference. It will be an interesting and fun year. I love the "No Names" moniker from North Central.”

 

Adam Fournier ran in sectionals last year and should be the team’s top runner starting the season. Mason White leads a pack behind Fournier that could have a split that is 40 seconds or faster. “Adam is a renaissance man and represents our team well. He had some injuries last track season but has rebounded well and will continue to get in better shape as the season goes on,” Dickerson said. “The more confident he is and the more he develops a front-runner mentality, the better we will be.”

 

Deerfield

Coach – Scott Friedlander; 2021 Finish – 2nd, 2A State

 

Top Runners – Dylan Cohen JR, Jon Wool JR, Edwin Shi JR, Fisher Houston SR, Ryan Jones JR, Nadav Basa SR, Eric Hogenkamp JR, Dane Brown JR, Jamie Chandler FR

 

Notes – The Warriors had a dream season still even after finishing second in the state behind Fenwick. “Last season left a huge mark on all the runners,: said Deerfield Coach Scott Friedlander. “The entire roster went down to Detweiller to watch the State Meet, and especially with a contender to root for, it was a tremendous experience for everyone to see how much bigger cross country is than what they see at our meets and practices. But more than that, last year’s seniors were the most driven and mentally tough group I’ve ever seen, and they made a conscious effort to pass it on to their younger teammates. Like, literally, several of them gave formal talks in front of the team at practice that were downright outstanding. So, to answer your question, the performance at State hasn’t impacted much this summer, but the leadership and lessons those boys provided lives on with the team and raised the standards.”

 

Deerfield ran seven seniors in their state meet run. This will be a year of rebuilding for the Warriors. Dylan Cohen is the only runner back on the roster that has run in a state series meet. He is expected to be the top runner for this team. “Dylan is a coach’s dream,”” said Friedlander.  “Good runner, hard worker, a big track/xc fan, and looks for opportunities to lead and help others. He ended his track season well with a 4:38 1600m and an impressive 10:03 3200m that was really worth a lot more because of the heat. But Dylan’s summer was interrupted by a minor injury issue that had him unable to run consistently for 3-4 weeks in June/July. But he cross-trained and then returned to consistent running by the latter half of July. He ran tempo pace Detweiller at Dark in a negative split 16:52 and felt good doing it, which was a nice confidence boost. All signs are go for Dylan. He deserves a big season.”

 

It will be interesting to see which runners find their way into the top five for the Warriors. Ryan Jones, Jon Wool, Edwin Shi, and Fisher Houston are some of the runners that we could see in the top five. There will be no talk about splits or where this pack will be. We will get an idea by the beginning of October who good and what kind of team that Deerfield will be. I am not counting out a return trip for this program. It is possible especially on what road the Warriors will travel on during the state series.

 

“We had several messages for the team this summer,” said Friedlander. “The first message is after a very high-profile season, we’re suddenly unknown and underdogs, and that’s kind of cool. The “rebuilding” word might be used by outsiders to describe us, but in our camp, we feel like the only ones who know we’re not starting over. Our returning runners are unknown, not because we don’t have good runners and hard workers, just because our seniors last year kept them out of varsity races. We may not have the firepower to challenge for a State Trophy again, but we’re excited to be underrated. The second message is about the team’s brand in the long term. If this is going to be a “down” season comparatively, what do we want a “down” season to look like? If you look at teams like York, Sandburg, Neuqua Valley, or like Mahomet-Seymour in 2A, even in their “down” years they’re almost always at the State Meet, and usually not even too far down in the team results either. So, there’s a drive to make our presence felt at the State Meet and do what those perennial powerhouse teams do.”

 

Lake Forest

Coach – Matthew Jerina; 2021 Finish – 8th, 2A Lakes Regional

 

Top Runners – Vince Boberski SR, Kevin Gustafson JR, Dylan Burns SR, Jeremiah Lam SR, William Boyle SR, Franco Giacobbe SO, Jack Cushing JR, Justin Schmit JR

 

Notes – Lake Forest will look to better their eighth place finish at the Lakes Regional. Five runners are back from that team. There are a number of runners that could be the man to start the season. Kevin Gustafson was the team’s #2 runner in the regional race could step in.

 

Vince Boberski and Dylan Burns should be close to Gustafson. This team’s lineup could be motivated by pack running this fall. 34 seconds separated the top three runners return in the Lakes race. The top five split is projected at 65 seconds to start the season. Moving the pack up and the improvement that showed during the summer could mean that this group could be racing in the sectionals.

 

Lemont

Coach - Jon DeGuzman; 2021 Finish – 9th, 2A Metamora Sectional

 

Top Runners – TJ Polen SR, Adam Bromberek SR, Jack Davey JR, Liam Carey SR, Carson Elko SR, Ryan O’Donnell SR, Adam Mustafa SO, Alex Fako JR, Dan Foy SO

 

Notes – It could be a big season for the Indians after missed a trip to state by finishing ninth at the Metamora Sectional. There is opportunity ahead for this team especially with six of the top seven runners that ran in that sectional will be coming back.

 

TJ Polen was the top runner for Lemont in the final two races of the season and again should be the team’s top runner. Polen is on the verge of a great senior season and could qualify for the state meet individually if they get to that point. Work will need to be done on the pack behind Polen and getting closer to their top runner. Adam Bromberek, Jack Davey, and Liam Carey comprise a strong second through four pack that could be within 25 seconds of Davey. There is another 45 second split before their five through seven would come in. That gap needs to get closer for this team to book a trip to Peoria.

 

Marion

Coach – Scott Gill; 2021 Finish – 18th, 2A State

 

Top Runners – Dylon Nalley SR, Benja Stone SR (129, 16:22), Mekye Lomax JR (172, 16:48), Sean Hudspath SR (232, 18:12), Hayden Lees JR, Evan Dailey SO, Jack Tate SO

 

Notes – Marion made it to state last year relying on good pack running without their top runner Dylon Nalley. The junior missed all of last season due to an injury but ran in two post season meets and ran well. That carried over to track where he earned all-state honors in the 3200 Meter Run. His time of 14:48 to finish second at Detweiller at Dark shows he will be one of the elite runners in Class 2A. “Dylon had a big growth spurt last year and had some injuries to overcome last Cross Country season,” said his coach Scott Gill.  “Dylon has been running well, and training hard.  We are planning on him finishing very high at the State meet.”

 

Three runners are back from that state team led by Benja Stone which gives them a strong #2 runner to lead their pack followed by Mekeye Lomax. There is work that will need to be done on this pack. The spread on Stone for four runners could be close to two minutes.

 

Mascoutah

Coach – Darren Latham; 2021 Finish – 12th, 2A Decatur MacArthur Sectional

 

Top Runners – Andrew Latham JR, Christopher Copher SR, Elijah Pounds SO, Abe Woodrome SR, Ian Moll JR, Greg Drain SO, Leo Cozzi SO, Ayden Ellsworth JR, Peyton Chambers SO

 

Notes – Mascoutah could take a huge step up in their sectional this fall. They lost their top two runners during the season due to graduation but return everyone else in the top seven on the team that finished 12th in their sectional. Christopher Copher was the team’s third runner most of last season but led the team in the sectional race. Elijah Pounds and Andrew Latham will be their nucleus of their pack. The potential of having a strong pack is there perhaps a five runner split at or under 55 seconds. Moving their top five closer to the front in races could define if this team is racing in November.  

 

Mt. Vernon

Coach – Trace Turner; 2021 Finish – 9th, 2A Decatur MacArthur Sectional

Top Runners – Trey Mygatt JR, Caedmon Cook JR, Chalin Bathon JR, Evan Taylor SO, Branden Ethridge JR, Traeger Halama JR, Joel Hayes FR, Eli Johnston FR, Rowan Wilford FR

 

Notes – Trace Turner takes over as coach for his father Clint Turner. Things are on the upswing for this team where they could advance to the state meet. There are no seniors on the roster at the time of publication. They may be young but have the experience from last year’s team that finished ninth in their sectional. “Our guys ran great this summer,” said Turner. “The entire team is 100% bought into our training program. I am proud of their efforts so far and am confident they will continue to train hard.”

 

Trey Mygatt will continue to be the #1 runner for Mt. Vernon. He just missed all-state honors in track finishing 1 in the 800 Meter Run. He still ran a personal best. “Trey is a coach's dream,” added Turner. “He is hard working. He has high character. The guys look to him for leadership. He was primarily an 800m specialist during track season, due to health issues. However, he is healthy and ready to take on the longer distance again.”

 

Caedmon Taylor and Chalin Bathon will be the runners behind Turner that will push the pack pace. Turner also has a good group of freshmen coming in that could be in the top seven on this team. The first couple of races will show that. “We have Three Freshmen that were part of the SIJHSAA runner up cross country team for the small school division,” said Turner. “They include Joel Hayes, Eli Johnston, and Rowan Wilford. They all have the potential to be in the top seven this year. They are accustomed to heavy mileage and are eating up our distance training program.” 

 

Oak Lawn (Richards)

Coach - John Kawulia; 2021 Finish – 10th, 2A Fenton Sectional

 

Top Runners – Owen Forberg SR (31, 15:36), Josh Smith SR, Angel Ramirez SO, Jayden Cruz SO, Tyrese Strong SR, Eric Villaobos SO, Chris Taylor SR, Jose Guzman SO, Aimen Bawadi SO, Shawn Mallo FR

 

Notes – Coach John Kawulia welcomes back five runners from their sectional team that finished 10th at Fenton.  Owen Forberg took a huge step up last track season earning all-state honors in a loaded 1600 Meter Run in the 3A State Meet. He will be one of the top runners this fall in Class 2A. “Owen continues to be the leader of our team. Owen had a breakout track season running 4:12 for the 1600 and will look to compete with the top runners in 2A,” said Kawulia. “Owen is extremely dedicated and does all of the little things that make a great runner. He had a strong summer of training and is continuing to progress in training. Owen is a competitor, and it will be really fun to see what he can do this fall. He leads by example and for the past two years has been the hardest worker and most dedicated person on our team. The others see what he does day in, and day out and now want to be like him.”

 

Josh Smith leads the pack behind Forberg. The split could be huge for the top five (near three minutes) off Forberg. That split needs to be cut in half for this team to contend for a top seven sectional finish.

 

Sterling

Coach – Greg Hendrix; 2021 Finish – 16th, 2A Woodstock North Sectional

 

Top Runners – Dale Johnson JR (7, 15:04), Thomas Holcomb SR, Jordan Britt JR, Owen Anderson JR, Conner Pham SR, Brecken Peterson JR, Aalin Schmidt SO, Dylan Doss SR, Parker Blakeshee SO, Charles Johnson FR, Byton Grobe FR, Gavin Staats FR

 

Notes – The Golden Warriors have five runners back from last year’s team. Sterling will look to better their 16th place finish in that race. Dale Johnson is the top returning runner from last year’s 2A State Meet and will contend for an individual title this fall. “Dale is locked in and ready to go,” said his coach, Greg Hendrix. “He has become a better leader this and is really pulling his team mates along.”

 

Ignore the top time split for this team especially with Johnson in the front. Thomas Holcomb and Jordan Britt look to lead a pack that will need to be near or under 45 seconds. Newcomers Parker Blakeshee, Dylan Doss, and freshman Charles Johnson could crack the team’s top seven. “Summer running went well. We had a lot of athletes that had to train on their own because of work conflicts, but they all showed up in shape this week,” said Hendrix.

 

Taylorville

Coach – Steve Walters; 2021 Finish – 8th, 2A Decatur MacArthur Sectional

 

Top Runners – Owen Morgan JR (98, 16:11), Will Turvey SR, Jack Chesser JR, Jesse Sloan JR, Brendan Good JR, Hayden Harker SR.

 

Notes – Taylorville just missed the state meet by eight points finishing eighth in Decatur. The team came on strong at the end of last year after finishing fourth in the Jacksonville Regional. Five runners are back from that team. Owen Morgan qualified individually and again is the top runner on this team. Losing #2 runner to graduation may have this team working on their pack running. The split off Morgan could be over two minutes.

 

Troy (Triad)

Coach – Andy Brendel; 2021 Finish – 7th, 2A Highland Regional

Top Runners – Andrew Pace JR (107, 16:15), Drew Twyman SO, Ben Winslow SR, Sam Kuckuck SO, Jacob Metcalf JR, Dalton Mersinger JR, Dillon Henderson SR, Louis Yohannes SR, Jason LaRue SO

 

Notes – Last year’s team was young just missed qualifying out of the Highland Regional by 10 points. All of the runners are back from that seventh-place regional team. The top 11 runners for the Knights last year were all underclassmen. Andrew Pace advanced out of regionals and sectionals to state where he ran 16:15. He did run 15:45 at Freeburg at the end of September. Good things will happen for him in his final two years of high school running. The split from two through five was 60 seconds with the pack 53 seconds behind Pace. Drew Twyman qualified for sectionals and will lead this pack. This team has the runners to advance to sectionals and perhaps beyond that.

 

Urbana

Coach – Zachary Boehmke; 2021 Finish – 19th, 2A State

Top Runners – Brian Allison JR (137, 16:25), Michael Allison JR (174, 16:48), Julio Angrave SR (194, 16:58), Hudson Coady JR (220, 17:28), Parker Schroeder JR, Dereje Jahiel SO, Mohammed Amrani SO, Vincent Benjamin FR, William Kirkland FR, Antonio Poblano FR

 

Notes – Zachary Boehmke steps in as the new Boys coach replacing Forrest Farokhi. Boehmke is familiar with this program. He has been an assistant for the past eight years. His top two runners have graduated. The Tigers do have four runners back from their 19th place state team. “Our training was strong this summer,” Boehmke said. “Buy-in is the best that we have seen in nine years with the program. This being the first real summer that traveling felt safer in the last couple years, many people took the needed time to travel, but it looks like there was strong accountability throughout the team.”

 

Brian Allison was the team’s third runner at state and should lead this team. Julio Angrave was running PR’s during summer track and could be close to Allison. Michael Allison and Hudson Coady along with newcomer Mohammed Amrani had a good summer of running and could give this team a good top five and a chance to make it back to Peoria.

 

“I am impressed with our guys' perspectives this summer,” added Boehmke. “This is the first Urbana boys XC team coming off of a state appearance in 50 years. They lost their #1 and #2 guys from last year, but these guys are ready to step up and show that last year was just a sign of things to come. We have a group that is primarily juniors, so they know they have a two year journey ahead, but they want to set the bar high for themselves going forward. Our group of guys aren’t pressing, aren’t doing too much, but rather are listening, executing, and doing things the right way day in and day out for each other.”

 

Waterloo

Coach – Larry Huffman; 2021 Finish – 17th, 2A Decatur MacArthur Sectional

 

Top Runners – Joe Schwartz SR (16, 15:14), Morgan Stratton SR, Justin Witt JR, Henry Huels SR, Kyle Kern JR, Ethan Schimpf JR, Luke Warden SO, Dylan Brewer JR

 

Notes – Waterloo will look to improve on last year’s 17 place sectional finish. It is a good bet that they could with their entire top seven returning. Joe Schwartz was all-state last year as a junior. He should be one of the top 2A runners this fall contending for a top five finish possibly. Morgan Stratton and Justin Witt ran close together last fall and will lead a good pack. The team split is projected to be close to two minutes on their second through fifth runners. That needs improve for this team to finish in the top half of their sectional.