Boys track and field season previews

Sycamore Spartans

Coach: Peter Piccony

Keep an eye on: Erik Handel, sr.. distance/mid-distance; Bryce Guerretaz, sr., distance/mid-distance; Carson Campbell, jr., distance/mid-distance; Preston Ruud, sr., throws.

Also: Jeffrey Oestreicher, so., sprints; Olek Clark, jr., jumps, Jack Cambier, jr., Alex Taylor, jr., distance; Tyler Carter, jr., hurdles/sprints; Andrew Geiger, sprints/relays.

Piccony's Comments: "I think they're riding their success from their cross country season. I know the seniors want to build on that."

The lowdown: Piccony said not many seniors are out for the sport, but that he's anxious to see how many kids are coming out for the sport and is looking for more sophomores to make an impact as he figures out what role to put athletes.

Kaneland Knights

Coach: Andy Drendel

Keep an eye on: Max Gagne, sr., sprints, state in 4x200; Austin Adams, sr., all-state in 800 and qualified in 4x400; Daniel Occhipinti, sr., 9th in state 1600; Colton Doll, sr., state qualifier in long jump and 4x200; Nate Bermes, sr., made state in pole vault; Ted Allen, jr., pole vault, was on state 4x400.

Also: Ben Durbala, sr., was on state 4x400; Haidan Gatz, jr., pole vault; Porter Conroy, jr., high jump personal best of 6-5.

Drendel's comments: "We have a very strong senior class and it's a pretty tight-knit group of seniors. The juniors have been nipping at the seniors' heels too, which I like. It makes for some competitiveness."

The lowdown: Coming off a Northern Illinois Big 12 Conference title in the league's final year, Kaneland enters the Interstate 8 as the presumptive favorites. Drendel said he expects Sycamore, Sandwich and Plano, among others, to field competitive squads.

Indian Creek Timberwolves

Coach: Chase Fisher

Keep an eye on: Sophomore Lucas Woodbury is one of the leaders in sprints for a young team.

Also: Senior Tyler Swanson will throw discus.

Comments: “Lucas has stepped up to that role of leader," Fisher said. "He puts in the work. He trains year-round. He leads warmups… anything that needs to be done, he’s the first one doing it and he’s doing it well.”

The lowdown: The boys team is mostly made up of younger athletes, namely sophomores.

Genoa-Kingston Cogs

Coach: Cameron Davekos

Keep an eye on: Ryan Wade, sr., 800/1600/relays; Calvin Zimmerman, sr., distance/800/relay.

Also: Owen Simmons, jr., sprints/Jumps; Jessie Torres, jr., jumps/sprints/relays; Zach Neblock, fr., 110 hurdles; Colton Halter, so., jumps/sprints; Tristan Mangum, sr.; Brian Ortego, sr., throws; Jacob Bart, so., 400/mid-distance.

Comments: "We're extremely excited about the hard work and effort the athletes have put into the offseason so far ... we've had about a dozen or dozen and a half kids show up for offseason workouts.

The lowdown: Forty four boys are out for the sport for the Cogs. Davekos said he's hopeful some kids are resting but staying mentally prepared should the season take place.

Hinckley-Big Rock Royals

Coach: Richard Snedeker

Keep an eye on: James Simpkins, so., distance; Luke Leifheit, so., sprints

Also: James McClusky, middle distance; Eduardo Campuzano, so, distance; Tennyson Quirk-Haimes, throws

Comments: "We've definitely stepped up our strength and conditioning program this year. They've stepped up a lot ... We go to bigger schools and complete like Sandwich and Plano and a 1A program going up against bigger schools. We have some new names and new faces. Looking forward to hopefully compete at Indian Creek.

The lowdown: Snedeker is in his first year as coach for the boys and girls after taking over for Greg Burks and said he has about 20 athletes between the boys and girls teams. They'll have to build on a young core and work toward success down the line.