2025 NewsTribune Boys Track and Field All-Area Team

A look at the best boys track and field athletes in the NewsTribune area for the 2025 season.

Michael Beckett, Fieldcrest, jr.: Beckett went undefeated in the triple jump until reaching the Class 1A state meet, where he brought home a ninth-place medal. Beckett won Heart of Illinois Conference titles in the triple jump and long jump with personal record jumps in each event.

Casey Etheridge, Princeton, jr.: Etheridge had a strong season in the hurdles. He won the 110 hurdles in a personal record 15.92 seconds at the Three Rivers Conference Meet and also won the conference title in the 300 hurdles. Etheridge ran a PR 40.85 in the 300 hurdles at the Class 2A Pontiac Sectional to qualify for state, where he placed 20th.

Landon Hulsing, Bureau Valley, sr.: The 2025 NewsTribune Boys Track and Field Co-Athlete of the Year ended his career atop the podium as the Class 1A state champion in the discus with a PR toss of 57.19 meters. He won the discus in 11 of 12 meets. He also won the shot put three times and qualified for state in the event and was a four-time winner in the high jump.

Landen Hoffman, Princeton, fr.: Hoffman established himself as one of the state’s top throwers in his first high school season. He placed top three in the discus in every meeting, including wins at the Three Rivers Conference Meet and the Class 2A Pontiac Sectional. He threw a PR 52.39 meters to place second at state. Hoffman also had multiple wins in the shot put during the season.

Caleb Krischel, Fieldcrest, sr.: Krischel was a strong distance runner for the Knights as he qualified for state in the 1,600 and 3,200. He was champion in the 1,600 at the Class 1A El Paso-Gridley Sectional and placed second in the 3,200. He was top 20 at state in both events. Krischel won the 800, 1,600 and 3,200 at the Rollie Morris Invite.

Greyson Marincic, St. Bede, sr.: Marincic put an exclamation point on his career with his first state medal, placing second in the Class 1A 110 hurdles in a PR of 14.79 seconds. He also qualified for state in the 300 hurdles. Marincic won both hurdles events at the Tri-County Conference Meet and swept the hurdles at the Rollie Morris Invite.

Justin Moon, Bureau Valley, sr.: Moon was one of the area’s top jumpers as he qualified for state in the triple jump. He advanced to the finals at state and finished 11th with a PR of 12.93 meters. Moon also won the event at the Lincoln Trail Conference Meet and at Galva’s Pam Foley Invite.

Ian Morris, Princeton, sr.: The 2025 NewsTribune Boys Track and Field Co-Athlete of the Year saved his best for last, launching a PR 53.58 meters to win the Class 2A state discus championship. He placed top two in discus in every meet he recorded a distance, including a win at Princeton’s Ferris Invite. He also had multiple top two finishes in the shot put during the season.

Kaden Nauman, St. Bede, sr.: In his first year running track, Nauman qualified for state in the 800 after winning the event at the Class 1A El Paso-Gridley Sectional. He placed 18th at state. Nauman won the 800 in a PR of 2:02.7 at the Illinois Valley Meet and he was the Tri-County Conference champion in the 3,200.

Cade Odell, Princeton, sr.: Odell capped a stellar career by earning a fourth-place state medal in the Class 2A shot put for the second year in a row. He won the event in three of the seven meets in which he competed, including Princeton’s Ferris Invite and the Three Rivers Conference Meet.

Alex Rodriguez, Putnam County, jr.: Rodriguez was the only athlete in the area to earn state medals in two events as he placed seventh in the Class 1A discus (49.75 meters) and ninth in the shot put (15.81m) with school-record throws in both. He won the discus 10 times during the season, including at the El Paso-Gridley Sectional, and won the shot put nine times.

Andrew Roth, Bureau Valley, jr.: Roth was a two-event state qualifier as he advanced in the 110 and 300 hurdles. He was runner-up in both hurdle events at the Class 1A Rockridge Sectional, running a PR of 41.97 in the 300 hurdles. He won the 110 hurdles at the Lincoln Trail Conference meet and ran a PR of 15.86 to place second at Kewanee’s Brockman Invite.

Richie Santiago, La Salle-Peru, sr.: Santiago capped his career with his third state berth and first state medal. He placed fifth in the Class 2A discus with a PR toss of 50.09 meters. He won the discus in his first eight meets of the season, including the L-P Cavalier Classic. He also placed top three in shot put four times.

Jeremy Smith, Hall, sr.: Smith is a versatile athlete who competed in 11 events this season. His best was the triple jump, as he qualified for state in the event after placing second at the Class 1A El Paso-Gridley Sectional. Smith finished 13th at state, one place shy of finals. He won the event at the Illinois Valley Meet.

Bureau Valley 4x800 relay: The Storm foursome of Alex Gallardo, Nathan Siri, Adrian Gallardo and Maddox Moore was the only area relay to qualify for state. Bureau Valley placed fourth at the Class 1A Rockridge Sectional in a state-qualifying time of 8:30.3. The Storm finished 22nd at state. The group won at the Rollie Morris Invite, Kewanee’s Brockman Invite and Galva’s Pam Foley Invite.