Boys cross country: Record Newspapers preview capsules for the 2023 season

The boys cross country season is underway. Here are previews of teams from around the Record Newspapers coverage area.

Oswego

Coach: Chase Hall

Top returners: Adam Kararo, jr.; Mitchell Bucher, sr.; Andrew Shorba, jr.

Other returners: Ted Gray, sr.; Logan Schmeckpeper, jr.; Matt Everix, jr.; Andrew Anderson, jr.; Connor Caffarello, jr.; Ben Clark, so.; Matthew Sobecki, so.; Jeremiah Houston, so.

Key newcomers: Bo Breed, fr.; Ben Herrera, fr.

Worth noting: Oswego took 25th at the state meet last season, the first time the program qualified in back-to-back state meets since 1990 and 1991. The Panthers, though, graduated three of their top seven, another chose not to run this fall, and Kararo has been out with an injury since outdoor track conference, so it will be a young and mostly inexperienced group. When healthy, Kararo is Oswego’s top returner with a personal best of 16:35. Bucher, Oswego’s lone four-year senior, has a personal best of 16:57 going into the season and a 4:44 1,600. Shorba, a third runner that ran at state last year, has a 17:04 PR. Promising freshman Breed was Oswego’s sixth runner at the season-opening Yorkville Invite and Hall expects Herrera to fight for a varsity spot by the postseason.

“The goal of the season is to gain experience and grow together as a team,” Hall said. “The key to our success will be having a tight pack since we will likely not have a front runner this season. The varsity roster will likely be changing frequently as young guys gain experience and confidence throughout the season.”

Oswego East

Coach: James Milner

Top returners: Dhairya Trivedi, sr.; Jack Schultz, sr.; Nico Goduto, jr.

Key newcomers: Felix Pilny, so.

Worth noting: The Wolves finished 15th at the Class 3A state meet last year, but top runner Parker Nold, who was eighth individually, graduated and is now running at Bradley. Trivedi is a returning state qualifier and two-time state track qualifier, and Schultz and Goduto are also returning state qualifiers. Pilny came out for cross country later in the season after a strong track season, and will definitely look to contribute to the varsity team.

“This team has a good mix of experience and up and coming talent,” Milner said. “Trivedi, Schultz, and Goduto are a solid core and look to develop a pack of runners throughout the season.”

Plano

Coach: Andrew DeBolt.

Top returners: John Garcia, sr.; Carson Rubio, sr.; Ryan Wells, sr.; Lucas Fontanez, sr.

Key newcomers: Riley Soloff, fr.; Javier Arellano, fr.

Worth noting: Garcia was an all-conference runner and sectional qualifier last fall in a strong cross country season, but dealt with injuries during track season in the spring. “He is looking to return to form and earn a trip to the state meet,” DeBolt said. DeBolt is looking for Rubio to take a big leap after a strong summer.

“This season we are looking to see how we stack up in the new conference,” DeBolt said.

Sandwich

Coach: Bolaji Adeoti

Top returners: Max Cryer, sr.; Josh Schaefers, jr.; Alex Walsh, so.; Travis Kellogg, sr.; A.J Parkison, so.; Nigel Sajulan, jr.; Kolter Hardekolf, so.

Key newcomers: Daniel Sparti, jr.; Nolan Minard, so.

Worth noting: The Indians qualified for state last year out of the Class 1A Oregon Sectional, and took 24th in the state. After three seniors graduated, Adeoti looks forward to seeing how the younger athletes step up to fill roles.

“Max Cryer has had phenomenal training this summer and has maintained a great focus at the beginning of the season. We are super excited to see what he can do this year as a senior, after a great outdoor track season qualifying individually to the state meet in the 1600,” Adeoti said. “There are many key athletes that we are looking to help form our top five. Alex Walsh has looked great in the beginning of the season and we will be looking for others to step into our 3-4 spot. Josh Schaefers is working hard to close the gap with Alex. Our main focus is the end of the season and to continue to be better as a team.”

Yorkville

Coach: Chris Muth

Top returners: Owen Horeni, so.; Jake Younger, sr.;

Key newcomers: Marcus Hosa, fr.; James Cherney, fr.

Worth noting: Horeni, eighth in the Class 3A 800-meter run at the state track meet last spring after taking 51st at state cross country, has great potential and will lead the Foxes’ runners. “Owen is one of the best talents that we have come through our program in my coaching tenure,” Muth said. “He is coming off a very successful track season in which he accomplished some amazing times, through his hard work. He continued track into the summer and we have done our best to transition him fully into cross country over the past month. He has high expectations for the upcoming season with lofty goals, and I believe totally in him and his ability. The sky is the limit with this young talented runner. Younger is the lone senior in Yorkville’s top seven, so the Foxes are young with plenty of room for growth. Muth said that Younger had a strong summer after a stress fracture cut short his track season. “Because of his injury, he had a longer build up to this offseason and it has paid off with him consistently pushing practices and our time trials,” Muth said. “He is a returning varsity athlete that will make a name for himself this season.”