Here’s a look at the boys track and field teams in the NewsTribune area for the 2026 season.

La Salle-Peru

Coach: Adam Spencer

Top returners: Griffin Hammers, sr.; Gianni Verucchi, jr.; Nick Hachenberg, sr.; Darius Mayhew, so.; Aavery Hill, so.

Worth noting: Hammers leads the returning group for the Cavaliers. He was a state qualifier in the 800 meters last spring. He was runner-up in the 800 in the sectional and Interstate 8 Conference Meet. Hammers had a strong indoor season, placing 20th in the 400 in the Prep Top Times Meet. Verucchi looks to have a strong season in the distance events after qualifying for state in cross country in the fall and being named NewsTribune Boys Cross Country Runner of the Year. Hachenberg (throws), Mayhew (hurdles, 800) and Hill (throws) also return. Hachenberg and Mayhew placed three-four in the shot put at the Byron Indoor Classic, while Mayhew finished third in the 60 hurdles at the event.

St. Bede

Coach: Marty Makransky

Top returners: Will Sramek, sr.; Chris Gedraitis, sr.; Jose De La Torre, sr.; Trajan Raffety, sr.; Landon Balestri, so.

Key newcomers: RJ Hermosillo, jr.

Worth noting: The Bruins will be strong in middle distance events. “We have a very nice group of middle distance runners led by Chris Gedraitis and RJ Hermosillo and the runners from our cross country team who should do very well,” Makransky said. Makransky expects Sramek (shot put, discus) and Raffety (100, 200) to score regularly in all meets. “I want this group to develop and score well in the Tri-County Conference Meet where we finished fourth with eight guys last year,” Makransky said. Sramek looks to compete for a state berth in the discus. “Will Sramek mised out on going to the state meet last season in the discus and looks to get down there this year,” Makransky said.

Hall

Coach: Rob Malerk

Top returners: Joseph Caracheo, sr.; Blake Gambiani, sr.; Joseph Perez, jr.; Gabe Wamhoff, sr.

Note worthy: Perez among the area’s top returners in the high jump and long jump and Gambiani is among the top returners in the pole vault. Wamhoff returns in the sprints and Caracheo in distance for Hall. “I am expecting some good results from the juniors and seniors that have returned,“ Malerk said. ”They are hard working and are good leaders to the new and young members on the team. From the two indoor meets we have had I have seen some great improvements and am excited to see what they do this season.“

Putnam County

Coach: Chuck McConnell

Top returners: Alex Rodriguez, sr.; Ryan Oliver, sr.; Carter Baxter, so.; Quincy Smith, so.; Roberth Ruiz, so.; Justyn Doden, so.

Key newcomers: Vincent Cortes, fr.; Riley Doehling, fr.; Carter Smoode, so.; Justin Murphy, jr.

Worth noting: Rodriguez medaled at the Class 1A state meet last season in the discus and shot put and also set the school record in both events. “Already this year he is throwing further in both events,” McConnell said. “We hope that he not only qualifies for state, but improves his standings in the state finals.” Oliver (400), Baxter (800, 1,600, relays), Smith (800, 1,600, 3,200, relays), Ruiz (sprints, jumps) and Doden (throws) are returners who will contribute for PC along with newcomers Cortes, Doehling, Smoode and Murphy. “We hope to be able to score points in many events this season,” McConnell said. “We hope to field all of the events. I am really looking forward to this season with the potential this team has to be successful.”

Mendota

Coach: Brock Sondgeroth

Top returners: Sebastian Carlos, sr.; Komen Denault, so.; Jamal Lesley, jr.; Robert Botello, sr.; Jayden Lesley, jr.; Ethan Escatel, so.

Key newcomers: Ryder Woods, jr.; Johan Cortez, sr.; Carter Wujek, jr.; Zach Gahan, fr.; Sam Reyes, fr.; Aaden Castle, sr.; Quinn Eddy, fr.; Berat Imari, jr.; Axel Ruiz, fr.

Worth noting: Sondgeroth returns to the program after coaching the Trojans from 2006-17. He has a roster that features 34 athletes, up from 12 on the team last spring. “I’m very happy to be back coaching at Mendota and about the large group of athletes,” Sondgeroth said. “This makes every day much better and a challenge for figuring out who will compete best, which is a good challenge to have.” Carlos leads a small group of returners. “We don’t have a lot returning and expect it to be a building year,” Sonderoth said. “Although those who have returned have already seen improvement in themselves in the indoor season, so we will see how outdoor goes.” Carlos placed third in the Prep Top Times Meet in the 400 and was a state qualifier in the event as a sophomore. “I want to see Sebastian qualify for state as I believe he is capable of being one of the best 400 runners in the state,” Sondgeroth said. The early part of the season will be about finding out where athletes fit best and working on handoffs in order to put together relays. “It will be nice this year as we are working to fill the events and working as a cohesive unit with our girls team as well,” Sondgeroth said. “I think the biggest thing for us right now is to find out who we are as a team.”

Princeton

Coach: Dave Moore

Top returners: Ayden Agushi, jr.; Daniel Barnes, sr.; Casey Etheridge, sr.; Beckett Funderberg, sr.; Common Green, sr.; Landen Hoffman, so.; Gavin Lanham, sr.; Tyler VandeVenter, jr.; Michael Sanchez-Rodriguez, jr.; Augustus Swanson, sr.

Note worthy: Hoffman made a name for himself as one of the state’s top discus throwers. He was the Three Rivers Conference and sectional champion and led the state finals until the last throws before being overtaken by teammate Ian Morris, still setting a PR of 52.39 meters. Green will join Hoffman in throws this year. Etheridge was a state qualifier in the 300 hurdles and swept the Three Rivers hurdles titles last year. He competed in the indoor state finals last week along with Agushi (400). Funderberg will contribute in jumps, sprints and relays. VandeVenter (800), Swanson and and Sanchez-Rodriguez (distance) and Barnes and Lanham (sprints) also return for Princeton.

Bureau Valley

Coach: Dan DeVenney

Top returners: Phineas Dexheimer, so.; Adrian Gallardo, sr.; Alex Gallardo, jr.; Dawson Hulsing, so.; Morgan Mahnesmith, sr.; Maddox Moore, sr.; Keenyn Richter, so.; Andrew Roth, sr.; Brad Schoff, sr.; Tucker Shane, jr.

Key newcomers: Waylon Miller, fr.

Worth noting: The Storm have 34 athletes, 25 of whom return from last year, including four state qualifiers. Roth qualified in the 110 and 300 hurdles while three legs of the BV state-qualifying 4x800 relay also return - Moore and the Gallardo brothers. Richter returns after qualifying for the Indoor Top Times Meet in long jump. DeVenney said many of BV’s returning athletes were ready to compete last year, but had to wait their time behind a 2025 class loaded with talent. He said the Storm’s depth will be their biggest asset. “We are going to look different than we did the past two seasons, in regards to where we score the majority of our points. Everyone is very aware that we lost a lot with our class of seniors from last year, but we have more kids that are ready to take the lead in this program,” DeVenney said. “They’ve been working hard since the summer to get faster and stronger. They’ve been working on the small, minute, technical details that make the difference between being a state qualifier and a state medalist. Many people outside of our team will talk about going for the conference championship three-peat. In our camp, it is hardly discussed. We know that if we believe in our training, trust each other and rise to the occasion when we’re challenged, good things will happen.”

DePue

Coach: John Beatty

Top returners: Diego Perez, so.; Sebastian Godinez, so.; Cristian Rodriguez, so.

Key newcomers: Edward Rodriguez, fr.; Diego Alvarez, fr.; Fernando Lopez, fr.; Joel Mendez, fr.

Worth noting: Numbers are up for the Little Giants as they continue to build a program that was restarted the program three years ago after a decade long hiatus. DePue has 20 athletes out for track, up from 12 last year, with 14 boys. “We have a very young and inexperienced team, but we have to start somewhere,” Beatty said. “If we keep building and improving, we will have a successful season.” Perez (high jump), Godinez (long jump, 800) and Cristian Ridriguez (distance) return, while Lopez joins the program after placing 11th in the IESA 100 hurdles last year. “Our goal is to keep everyone uninjured and working hard,” Beatty said. “I feel we are ready to score more team points at meets this year.”

Amboy-LaMoille

Coach: Jeramey Wittenauer

Top returners: Henry Nichols, jr.

Note worthy: Nichols was a state qualifier in the 3,200 last year and is one of top area returners also in the 800 and 1,600. Freshman Ian Hassler won the shot put in Tuesday’s Rosenberry Classic. LaMoille sends four athletes to the co-op with junior Wyatt File and sophomores Gage Spangler and Logan Bates in throws and sophomore Alex Lovgren in sprints and jumps.

Fieldcrest

Coach: Michael Hamer and David Vasquez

Top returners: Micheal Beckett, sr.; Braydin Eplin, sr.

Worth noting: Beckett looks to cap his career with another strong season. Last spring, Beckett went undefeated in the triple jump until the Class 1A state meet. He placed ninth in state in the event. During the indoor season, Beckett won the long jump and triple jump at the Heart of Illinois Conference Indoor Meet and placed fourth in the triple jump and ninth in the long jump at the Prep Top Times Meet. Eplin will be a key contributor in the throws for Fieldcrest. He won the discus at the HOIC Meet during last year’s outdoor season and took fifth in the shot put in the HOIC Indoor Meet this winter.

Henry-Midland

Coach: Ian Briscoe

Top returners: Brecken Pyles, so.; Christian Hohstadt, jr.; Uvejs Jakupi, jr.

Key newcomers: Max Dalton, fr.

Worth noting: The Timberducks have a young squad with no seniors, five juniors, five sophomores and five freshmen, led by Pyles (long jump, high jump, sprints), Hohstadt (sprints), Jakupi (throws) and Dalton (distance). H-M looks to place top five in the Tri-County Conference. “We are a really young team,” Briscoe said. “We have a solid group of sophomores and a few incoming freshmen who have potential a year or two down the road. This will be a year of taking a step forward as a program competitively for the boys in hope that it will pay off over the next season or two.”