With the season underway, here’s a look at the boys cross country teams in the NewsTribune area for the 2025 season.

La Salle-Peru

Coach: John Beatty

Top returning runners: Griffin Hammers, sr.; Gianni Verucchi, jr.

Top newcomers: Carter Lester, fr.

Worth noting: Hammers and Verucchi helped the Cavaliers qualify for a sectional as a team last season. “Gianni Verucchi and Griffin Hammers had a good track and field season and went to junior nationals during the summer,” Beatty said. “If they keep progression and stay uninjured, they could qualify (for state).” Lester is newcomers who has “been working hard all summer and should be in the top five.” Beatty said he’d like to see the team win the La Salle County Meet again and return to the sectional as a team.

St. Bede

Coach: Marty Makransky

Top returning runners: Chris Gedraitis, sr.; Eric Du, sr.; RJ Hermosillo, jr.; Dominik Avila, so.; Graham Ross, so.; Preston Vasquez, so.

Top newcomers: Mason Haskell, so.; Adrian Hermosillo, fr.; Joe Savitch, fr.; Bryce Keckler, fr.; Devin Steil, sr.

Worth noting: The Bruins have large numbers with six returners and five first-time runners. “This has been a very nice summer and start to the season, and I really look forward to what’s going to happen this season,” Makransky said. Gedraitis and RJ Hermosillo will be among the team’s leaders. Hermosillo was a sectional qualifier last fall. “Chris Gedraitis and RJ Hermosillo have had a very good summer, and that could turn into a strong season as individuals if they stay healthy,” Makransky said. “I believe we will qualify for sectional as a team.”

Hall

Coach: Tom Keegan

Top returning runners: Joseph Caracheo, sr.; William Pikula, jr.; Marcos Castro, so.; Cristian Payan, so.

Top newcomers: Fidel Payan, sr.; Krypton Ladgenski, so.

Worth noting: Caracheo is the Red Devils’ top returning runner. “If he stays healthy this year, then he may have a shot of advancing out of the regional and onto the sectional meet,” Keegan said. Newcomer Fidel Payan has shown promise. “Fidel Payan has potential and is pushing Caracheo in practice,” Keegan said. “He just needs some meet experience to figure things out.” Pikula, Castro and Cristian Payan also return for Hall. “Our overall goal as a team is to chase improvement on a day-to-day basis and use that as a barometer for us as a team, and hopefully we can get some representation at the sectional level,” Keegan said.

Putnam County

Coach: Chuck McConnell

Top returning runners: Brayden Zuniga, sr.; Quincy Smith, so.

Top newcomers: Carter Baxter, so.; Carter Smoode, so.; Ryan Oliver, sr.

Worth noting: With two runners returning along with a group of three newcomers, the Panthers look to be in the mix in the team standings this season. “We hope to compete at some of the meets as a team when I do not have the younger runners competing at the JV level,” McConnell said. PC also looks to have runners advance in the postseason. “Our goal is to have runners advance from the IHSA regional meet to the sectional meet,” McConnell said. “I believe it’s possible if we continually keep improving our times through the season and avoid injuries. They have had a great start to the practices so far and show promise.”

Mendota

Coach: Kevin Wohrley

Top returning runners: Carlos Toribio, sr.; Hector Gonzalez, sr.; Spencer Kain, sr.; Ryder Woods, jr.

Top newcomers: Berat Imeri, jr.; Aisaac Arteaga, fr.

Worth noting: Toribio, Gonzalez, Kain and Woods are returning upperclassmen who are expected to be in Mendota’s top five early in the season. Imeri “trained hard this summer” and looks to be the Trojans’ No. 2 runner, while Arteaga ran for Mendota Northbrook in its inaugural season last year. “I have been pleased with all the positive energy with this group,” Wohrley said. “We are sporting a good number of beginners, and my veterans have really filled the void in the leadership role.”

Princeton

Coach: Pat Hodge

Top returning runners: Jackson Drozda, jr., Cruz Rodriquez, jr.; Augustus Swanson, sr.

Top newcomers: Matthew Lord, sr.; Allister Swanson, so.; Brady Gross, fr.

Worthy of note: Swanson had a personal-best sixth-place finish in the Three Rivers Conference Meet, placed sixth at regional and 42nd at sectional last season. The Tigers have gained three new runners this year. “We’re looking to be able to have a full team compete with more consistency than last year,” Hodge said. “Our new runners should help us out in that area and fill a gap or two. Hopefully, our returning boys can build upon what they’ve done the last couple of seasons and show continued improvement.”

Bureau Valley

Coach: Bob Benck

Top returning runners: Alex Attig. jr., Adrian Gallardo, sr.; Alex Gallardo, jr.; Maddox Moore, sr.

Top newcomer: Reid Kalapp, fr.

Worthy of note: Benck believes the Storm have their strongest team in recent years, running with Alex Gallardo, Adrian Gallardo, Moore and Attig. “These four put in good mileage over the summer and are coming off of a successful track and field season,” Benck said. “I estimate it will take about 17:00 to qualify as an individual going downstate. Alex Gallardo just missed it last season. This season we should have Alex G, Alex A and Maddox Moore all flirting with the 17-minute mark. I figure that gives us an outside chance of a team qualification, or at least some individuals, depending on our regional/sectional draw.” Lucas Hartz aims to join them as the Storm’s No. 5 runner.

Amboy co-op

Coach: Michael Robinson

Top returning runners: Henry Nichols, jr.; Otto Horner, jr.; Landon Carter, so.; Jhett Cowser, jr.; Aaron Costner, jr.; Jayce Hermeyer, so.

Top newcomers: Anthony Linder, jr.; Tyler Mahar, so.; Jack Thomas, jr.

Worth noting: Nichols leads a strong group of returning runners for the Clippers. He qualified for sectional last fall and was two seconds and three places shy of advancing to state. Robinson said he believes Nichols will contend for a state berth this season. “Our goal is to always keep improving,” Robinson said. “We want to make it far into the postseason as a team.”

Henry-Midland

Coach: Ian Briscoe

Top returning runners: Caleb Dorsey, jr.; JD Loeser, jr.; Wyck Denver, so.; Christian Hohstadt, so.; Reigan Miller, so.

Top newcomers: Gerrard Boyer, fr.; Max Dalton, fr.

Worth noting: Briscoe takes over as coach of the Timberducks with a seven-runner roster. “A goal I have for the team this year is for everyone to have a PR,” Briscoe said. “The team goal would be for the guys to place in the top half of the conference.”