High school boys track and field: Season preview capsules

Fox Valley Conference

Cary-Grove

Coach: Layne Holter (21st season)

Last year's finish: Fourth in FVC Meet

Top returning athletes: Michael Saxon, sr. (hurdles); Ricky Hurley, sr. (throws); Matt Wade, sr. (throws); Daniel Speer, sr. (sprints); Jeff Yokup, sr. (sprints); Robbie Gleeson, jr. (sprints); Alex Ratkovich, so. (distance); Tyler Stordahl, sr. (distance); Frank San Filippo, sr. (jumps)

Top new athletes: Ryan Magel, so. (sprints); Andrew Stokes, fr. (throws); Josh Schuppe, so. (sprints); Jack Warnecke, fr. (hurdles, middle distance); Jimmy Clarke, jr. (sprints); David Daigle, so. (sprints); Bobby Collins, so. (sprints); Eric Stiegman, fr. (middle distance); Karl Rosch, fr. (throws); Caiden Kautzman, fr. (sprints)

Worth noting: Holter says the Trojans’ indoor season was one of their best in recent memory. He likes the balance and depth. … Hurley is one of the best throwers in the state, he was Class 3A state runner-up in the discus. … The Trojans should put together competitive relay teams and be strong in the hurdles.

Crystal Lake Central

Coach: Brian Seaver (15th season)

Last year’s finish: Fifth in FVC Meet

Top returning athletes: Cole Barkocy, so. (distance); Ryan Bush, sr. (distance); Weston Sterchi, so. (distance); Jack Ortner, sr. (jumps); Michael Chen, jr. (110HH); Emre Senturk, sr. (300IH); Darian Singh, jr. (HJ); Greg Harmon, jr. (throws)

Top new athletes: Brandon Dahl, jr. (PV)

Worth noting: As usual, the Tigers will be strong from the 800 races on up. Barkocy and Sterchi were two of their best cross country runners in the fall. Barkocy took 13th in the Class 2A coss country state meet. … Dahl transfered from Crystal Lake South and will be among the area’s top vaulters.

Crystal Lake South

Coach: Rich Eschman (22nd season)

Last year’s finish: Ninth in FVC Meet

Top returning athletes: Kyle Hedge, sr. (SP, discus); Thomas Mroz, sr. (SP, discus); Justin MIller, sr. (distance); Jon Prus, so. (400, 800, 1,600); Ryan Sisto, sr. (sprints); Tony Nuccio, sr. (sprints); Matt McCarthy, sr. (hurdles, TJ); Skyler Pentico, sr. (hurdles); Jimmy Collins, jr. (LJ, TJ, 110HH); Scott Coughlin, jr. (HJ, LJ); Dan Rastenis, jr. (jumps); Doug Cain, jr. (800); Tats Daniel, jr. (800); Tommy Melone, jr. (distance)

Top new athletes: Jack Becker, fr. (distance); Sam Peschke, so. (PV); Peter Polizos, so. (PV)

Worth noting: Hedge is one of the state’s best throwers, both in shot put and discus. Eschman thinks Mroz also could qualify for state in the shot put. … Collins, Coughlin and McCarthy should help the Gators compete in the jumps, and the cross country team that won the FVC Meet will make them tough in distance races. Eschman thinks the Gators can make a significant jump in the FVC standings.

Dundee-Crown

Coach: Mike Richardson (second season).

Last year's finish: Sixth in FVC Meet.

Top returning athletes: Malik Dunner, sr. (sprints); Kiwaun Seals, sr. (jumps); Austin White, sr. (sprints); Michael O'Brien, sr. (hurdles); Justin Tolentino, sr. (jumps); Nick Shydlowski, jr. (sprints); Logan Hayes, jr. (distance); Todd Noreen, sr. (distance); Alex Clark, sr. (distance).
Top new athletes: Lavonte Jones, fr. (sprints); Kyle Battin, sr. (distance).

Worth noting: The Chargers are strong in sprints, led by Dunner, who broke 11 seconds in the 100 last year and will play football at NCAA Division I Ball State. Seals also will be among the area's top jumpers. … Battin will help the distance group, which Richardson feels is much improved from last season.

Hampshire

Coach: Joe Watzlawick (third season).

Last year's finish: 12th  in FVC Meet.

Top returning athletes: Andy Pederson, sr. (hurdles); Douglas Stuehler, soph. (LJ); Jake Oury, soph. (distance).

Worth noting: Watzlawick was pleased to have 47 athletes out for the team, the Whip-Purs' highest number in a long time.

Huntley

Coach: Jim Rolando (10th season)

Last year's finish: Second in FVC Meet

Top returning athletes: Connor Boos, sr. (sprints); Brennan Bell, sr. (hurdles, sprints); Aasem Awwad, sr. (sprints); Isaac Jimenez, sr. (throws); Chase Burkart, sr. (throws); Seth Conroy, jr. (distance); Keagan Smith, jr. (distance); Tim McCloyn, jr. (SP, LJ, sprints); Brendan O’Donnell, jr. (sprints, middle distance); Mike Grocholski, jr. (distance).

Top new athletes: Ben Marsh, jr. (sprints); Jeremie Allen, jr. (sprints); Elijah Green, sr. (middle distance); Sean Patel, jr. (jumps); Dominic Swanson, jr. (throws); Mitch Deem, sr. (sprints, PV)

Worth noting: The Red Raiders won the McHenry County Meet and were second in the sectional last year. They won the FVC Indoor Meet for the first time this season. … Huntley looks solid all over its lineup, with Boos and Bell leading the sprints and hurdles and helping out in relays. … Smith is coming off an all-state season in cross country, and McCloyn is a versatile athlete who throws shot put, runs sprints and long jumps. … Rolando thinks there are sophomores and freshmen who also will make impacts.

Jacobs

Coach: Jason Borhart (13th season)

Last year’s finish: Tied for sixth at FVC Meet

Top returning athletes: Josh Walker, sr. (sprints); Nick Gierlak, sr. (sprints); Matt Goldby, sr. (middle distance); Alec Bognar, sr. (middle distance); Dylan Rogers, jr. (400); Kyle Ross, jr. (middle distance); Patrick Shannon, jr. (LJ, sprints); Garrett Brenzier, so. (distance); Josh Yonker, sr. (400)

Top new athletes: Noah Melick, fr. (middle distance); Conrad Beech, so. (400); Cole Schwarz, jr. (middle distance)

Worth noting: Walker is one of the area’s best and leads a strong sprints group for the Golden Eagles. He ranked third in last year’s Northwest Herald Honor Roll in the 100 and 200. … Borhart feels the Eagles can compete on the track in most meets, although they may have trouble scoring in the field in bigger meets.

McHenry 

Coach: Dennis Hutchinson (second season)

Last year's finish: FVC Meet champion

Top returning athletes: Jesse Reiser, sr. (distance); Jack Machometa, sr. (sprints); Gio Purpura, so. (sprints); Mike Hahndorf, jr. (distance); Kevin Szamlewski, jr. (PV); Corey Lersch, jr. (jumps); Ben Nichols, sr. (throws)

Top new athletes: Maki Mohr, fr. (middle distance); Brian Keyes, fr. (throws); Nicco Lorenzo, fr. (sprints)

Worth noting: Reiser continues adding to his legacy each season. He has two state titles – Class 3A 3,200 and Class 3A cross country – and likely will add at least another 3,200 to his résumé. … Watch out for Machometa, who won the FVC Indoor Meet 55 meters, besting Jacobs’ Josh Walker and Grayslake North’s Titus Booker. Machometa was injured early last season and never fully recovered. … Szamlewski hit 14-0 in the pole vault at the FVC Indoor Meet; his brother Corey was one of the state’s best and competes at Northern Iowa.

Prairie Ridge

Coach: Judd Shutt (11th season)

Last year’s finish: 10th in FVC Meet

Top returning athletes: Scott Hearne, sr. (distance); Mitch Kazin, sr. (distance); Brent Anderson, sr. (sprints, LJ); Brenden Bruhnke, sr. (sprints, LJ); Ryan Freeze, sr. (PV); Dylan Dwyer, jr. (hurdles); Filip Pajak, so. (distance); Jacob Reid, sr. (sprints, jumps)

Top new athletes: Nate Powell, sr. (PV)

Worth noting: Shutt likes the commitment he has seen since January and feels like the Wolves have gotten better every day. “We are excited for the improvement that can be shown in the next months,” Shutt said. … Pajak capped an oustanding cross country season by making Class 2A All-State with 24th place in the state meet.

Woodstock

Coach: Todd Anderson (first season)

Last year’s finish: 14th in FVC Meet

Top returning athletes: Luke Beattie, jr. (distance); Jared Baker, so. (distance); Donovan Chambers, jr. (distance); Spencer Hanson, jr. (distance); John Presisto, so. (sprints); Paxson DeChant, soph. (PV); Will Maidment, soph. (HJ, sprints)

Top new athletes: Gus Sieberg, sr. (hurdles, sprints); Chris Tinkler, fr. (sprints); Amondo Lara, sr. (sprints); Devante Martyne, jr. (throws)

Worth noting: Beattie will be one of the area’s top distance runners. He took 10th in the Class 2A cross country state meet. … Anderson feels the future is bright with so many young athletes out for the team. Most of the lineup is comprised of underclassmen.

Woodstock North

Coach: John Fredericks (sixth season)

Last year’s finish: 13th in FVC Meet

Top returning athletes: Jimmy Krenger, sr. (PV); Jeremy Haymond, sr. (sprints); Jacob Varys, jr. (throws); Travis Busch, jr. (sprints); Thery Sims, jr. (sprints); Jesse Long, jr. (distance); Brad Kohler, so. (sprints)

Top new athletes: Chris Niese, sr. (jumps, sprints); Zach Schmidt, jr. (middle distance); Joe Grover, fr. (hurdles)

Worth noting: Pole vault has been a strong event for the Thunder, with Jon Walsh winning a Class 2A state title in 2012 and Krenger taking ninth last year, the only two state medals in the school’s five-year history.

Big Northern Conference

Harvard

Coach: Dennis Eisele (15th season)

Last year’s finish: Eighth in BNC Meet

Top returning athletes: Christian Kramer, sr. (sprints); Cameron Iftner, sr. (sprints); Zack Poloquin, sr. (sprints); Daniel Galarza, sr. (hurdles); Zach Martin, jr. (discus)

Top new athletes: Jacob Cobb, so. (distance); Jose Ortiz, jr. (distance)

Worth noting: Eisele likes his core of sprinters, led by Kramer, who has been a standout for two years. … The Hornets have more than half their team in their second year of varsity track.

Johnsburg

Coach: Chris Setzler (15th season)

Last year's finish: 11th at FVC Meet

Top returning athletes: Sam Blankenship, sr. (400, 800); Noah Miller, sr. (800, 1,600); Mark Gaura, sr. (400, 800); Matt Stelmasek, jr. (800, 1,600); Bailey Stefka, sr. (sprints); Haden Franzen, sr. (sprints); Blake Lemcke, so. (sprints); Myles Rozell, so. (sprints)

Top new athletes: Jake Grimes, sr. (distance); John Conroy, jr. (throws)

Worth noting: The Skyhawks move from the FVC to the Big Northern Conference. … The 4x800 team that placed eighth in Class 2A – Blankenship, Miller, Gaura and Stelmasek – returns intact this season. … The 4x200 team, a state-qualifying group, also returns.

Marengo

Coach: Jared Secor (third season)

Last year’s finish: 10th in BNC Meet

Top returning athletes: Jarrell Jackson, jr. (sprints); Cameron Vanderlinden, so. (sprints, middle distance); Victor Arevalo, jr. (distance); Adam Roudabush, jr. (middle distance, TJ); Jorge Herrera, sr. (middle distance); Nick Simons, sr. (hurdles, sprints, LJ).

Top new athletes: Blaine Borhart, fr. (middle distance); Chris Villarreal, fr. (distance).

Worth noting: Jackson was third in the Class 2A 100 meters at last year's state meet. The Indians hope with him anchoring, they might be able to get their 4x100 or 4x200 relay teams to state this season.

Richmond-Burton

Coach: Lauren Rucks (first season)

Last year's finish: Seventh in BNC Meet

Top returning athletes: John Kellum, so. (400, 800, 4x400 relay); John Stasieczek, sr. (SP, discus); Ryan Hommowun, so. (800, 1,600); John Nelson, sr. (110 HH, 300 IH); Joseph Wolfram, jr. (300 IH, 100, 4x100 relay); James Powers, jr. (100, 4x100 relay)

Top new athletes: Luke Brinkmann, sr. (100, 4x100 relay, 200); Joseph Tasker, fr. (100, 4x100 relay, 200)

Worth noting: Kellum qualified for state last year as a freshman and will help in the 400 and 800 again. … Stasieczek will be looked at as a team leader and is poised for his best season in the throws. … After taking two years off, Brinkmann is back out for track for his senior year. It will help him get ready for football at Loras College and help the Rockets with a strong sprinter.

East Suburban Catholic Conference

Marian Central

Coach: Adam Zanck (second season)

Last year’s finish: Ninth in Suburban Christian Conference

Top returning athletes: Michael Lyons, sr. (distance); Sebastian Soliz, sr. (throws); Ben Stone, jr. (sprints); Jordan Niemeyer, sr. (LJ); Clay Gulbrandsen, so. (distance)

Top new athletes: Nick Reuter, fr. (distance); Tyler Saxelby, fr. (throws); Kevin Santopadre, fr. (distance); Michael Morehead, fr. (distance); Zach Taylor, fr. (200)

Worth noting: Zanck likes the way the sprint relay teams are setting up for his young team as the Hurricanes move to the ESCC. Most of those runners were sophomores last season. … The Hurricanes have an infusion of freshmen who can learn from senior leaders within every group.

Northeastern Athletic Conference

Alden-Hebron

Coach: Marnie Lalor (second season)

Last year’s finish: Fourth in NAC Meet

Top returning athletes: Trent Redlin, sr. (throws); Josh Johnson, jr. (LJ, TJ, sprints); Taylor Glenn, so. (discus, sprints); Austin Stauss, so. (HJ, sprints)

Top new athletes: Jordan Gricar, fr. (LJ, sprints); Patrick Baldwin, fr. (sprints); Mason Mindham, fr. (sprints); David Reider, fr. (distance)

Worth noting: The number of athletes, 19, is a huge plus for the Giants, who have only two on their girls team. They can field better relays and cover more events. … Lalor thinks her team will be strongest in the throws, sprints and relays.

Note: HH-high hurdles, IH-intermediate hurdles, HJ-high jump, LJ-long jump, TJ-triple jump, SP-shot put; PV-pole vault.