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The track and field season heads outdoors soon. Here are previews of boys track and field teams from around the Kane County Chronicle coverage area.
Aurora Central Catholic
Coach: Troy Kerber
Top returners: Ben Bohr, so. (distance); Jack Swiatek, jr. (distance); Joseph Brown, sr. (throws); Abram Hassler, jr (jumps and sprints); Kyle Stanislo, so. (jumps and sprints); A.J. Viveros, so. (distance); Trey Seifrid, jr. (sprints); Peter Galer, sr. (jumps and sprints); Chris Ginocchio, sr. (hurdles and sprints); Matt Galer, sr. (jumps and sprints); Steven Dallas, jr. (pole vault and sprints); Joey Arch, so. (sprints); Charlie Anderson, sr. (throws); Reece Voller, so. (distance)
Top newcomers: John Reinbold, fr. (distance); Cal Reinbold, fr. (distance); Bryan Lopez, so. (distance); Brecken Oester, fr. (distance); Manny Maysonet, jr. (sprints); Ian Piceno, fr. (jumps and sprints); Myles Manuel, fr. (sprints and jumps); Walter Feldhaus, fr. (sprints); Paul Parker, jr. (jumps); Sam Woodward, jr. (distance)
Worth noting: Bohr is the only returner with state experience, as he qualified in both the Class 2A 1,600-meter and the 4x800-meter relay last spring. Kerber is highly optimistic about the performance in the middle distance and relay events, and is optimistic that the team can have some breakout stars in the field events. “We are predominantly a young team, however there is much young talent on the team to mesh well with the upperclassmen," Kerber said. “We will need some time to formulate however we think we will be pretty strong by the end of the outdoor season.”
Aurora Christian
Coach: Sarah Ross
Top returners: Caleb Brown, sr. (throws and jumps); Joey Cheladyn, sr. (throws); Tyler Martinez, sr. (throws and jumps); Jay Scott, sr. (sprints and jumps); Matt Scudieri, so. (distance)
Top newcomers: TJ Anderson, so. (throws); David Arguello, fr. (sprints); James Baker, jr. (sprints); Jake Eissens, jr. (throws); Owen Fenska, jr. (distance); Jake Griffin, sr. (sprints); River Kovarik, sr. (sprints); Ashton Medows, sr. (throws); Drake Namest, sr. (sprints and jumps); CJ Phillips, fr. (sprints and hurdles)
Worth noting: The Eagles sport a young team once again this season. Cheladyn is one of the top returners on the team after finishing second in discus at the inaugural Chicagoland Christian Conference meet. “The boys team has enthusiastic returning athletes that will be leading the team this season,” Ross said. “This group of young runners and throwers brings tons of carefully developed expertise to bear on the whole spectrum of track and field events.”
Batavia
Coach: Dennis Piron
Top returners: Nathan Whitwell, sr. (sprints); Thomas Woodard, sr. (sprints and hurdles); Noah Erwin, sr. (sprints); Jacob Jansey, sr. (sprints); Joe Reid, jr. (sprints); Bret Berrgren, jr. (sprints); Isaiah Brown, sr. (jumps); Micah Johnson, sr. (jumps); Ethan Tucker, jr. (jumps); Andrew Culotta, jr. (jumps); Gavin Pecor, jr. (throws); Malachi Smith, sr. (throws); Francesco Benelli, sr. (distance); Eddie Polaski, so. (distance); David Bednarek, sr. (distance); Colton Benkers, sr. (pole vault)
Top newcomers: Bode Anderson, jr. (sprints); James Sauvageau, so. (sprints); Aiden Punzio, so. (sprints); Matisse Contreras, jr. (jumps); Jabari Buckley, so. (jumps); Darin Ashiru, so. (hurdles); Owen Chenoweth, jr. (throws); Matt Guiry, so. (distance); Cody Rummel, jr. (distance); Will Polaski, so. (distance); Maddux Payne, jr. (pole vault)
Worth noting: The defending outdoor DuKane Conference champions boast more than a few veterans with state experience in their vast lineup. Whitwell ran in the 100, 4x200 and 4x400 at the Class 3A state meet last season, while Woodard raced in the 300 hurdles and 4x400, and will lead a deep sprinter field this season. Benelli (3,200) and Brown (triple jump) also qualified in their individual events, while Bednarek and Eddie Polaski both return after qualifying in the 4x800 relay and Joe Reid and Brett Berggren in the 4x200. “The Batavia track & field team is ready to build on our legacy of success,” Piron said. “With a strong mix of returning talent and emerging athletes, we’re poised for another big year. Our strengths continue to lie in the long sprints, hurdles, jumps, and mid-distance events, and we expect to be highly competitive across the board.”
Burlington Central
Coach: Daniel Morgan
Top returners: AJ Jenkins, sr. (sprints); Haden Raders, sr. (sprints); Nathan Schilling, jr. (sprints); Gavin Klingberg, jr. (hurdles); Brandon Pflug, so. (middle distance); Jayden Beecroft, sr. (middle distance); Danny Burke, so. (distance); Julian Onayemi, sr. (distance); Henry Crumlett, jr. (throws); Brady Williamson, jr. (throws); Jason Davis, so. (pole vault); Collin Schmidt, sr. (high jump)
Top newcomers: Lennox Lenart, fr. (sprints); Dylan Levato, fr. (triple jump); Nick Sharma, fr. (pole vault); Dane Walikonis, fr. (distance); Venkata Anantha, fr. (distance)
Worth noting: Jenkins was the Rockets’ lone state qualifier last spring, as he advanced in the 100. He was the FVC runner-up in the 100. “We are a young team on paper with a group of competitive seniors,” said Morgan, who replaces Mike Schmidt, who stepped down after 29 seasons. “We had a good indoor season and hope to build off that and have it translate into a successful outdoor season.”
- Joe Aguilar
Geneva
Coach: Boone Thorgesen
Top returners: Lex Griffith, jr. (throws); Bennett Konkey, so. (sprints); Mason Halbach, jr. (sprints); Parsa Manafi, so. (distance); Owyn Reynolds, sr. (sprints); Julian Hipp, sr. (distance); Dom Larson, sr. (sprints)
Top newcomers: Max Allabaugh, jr. (jumps); Cameron Schmidt, fr. (sprints and distance); Andrew Lee, so. (sprints); Marco Van Rensburg, sr. (pole vault)
Worth noting: Griffith and Konkey both qualified for the state meet last season, with Griffith finishing as the top sophomore in the Class 3A discus and Konkey being one of just three freshmen to qualify for the Class 3A 100 dash. With a good group of returners and newcomers, Thorgesen is hoping that competing in the DuKane Conference will help his team be ready for the postseason. “We ended up our indoor season strong and are excited about getting to the outdoor season,” Thorgesen said. “We have a chance to be very competitive in a lot of events that cover the field, sprints, relays, and distance events which is exciting as we get into these bigger meets in our outdoor schedule.”
Kaneland
Coach: Andy Drendel
Top returners: Evan Nosek, sr. (distance); Freddy Hassan, sr. (jumps); Dylan Sanagustin, sr. (jumps and sprints); Kyle Rogers, sr. (pole vault); Gavin Smith, so. (sprints and distance); Luke Gadomski, jr. (hurdles and sprints); Alex Moos, sr. (sprints); Evan Whildin, sr. (distance); Tyler Rebacz, sr. (sprints)
Top newcomers: Carson Kaiser, fr. (distance); Ben Karl, so. (sprints); Joey Schuch, so. (distance); Evan Olp, jr. (jumps)
Worth noting: Drendel said that the distance group is “one of the more talented groups of athletes we’ve had at Kaneland.” The group is led by Nosek, who finished in ninth in the Class 3A 3,200 last spring, as well as Kaiser, who posted the top 3,200 time (9:25.87) for a freshman in the country. The Knights also have Hassan returning after taking seventh in the high jump at state. The Knights also boast a deep group of sprinters that broke the program’s indoor 4x200 record.“We focus on what we can control, which is our effort, our health, and our approach,” Drendel said. “If we continue to strive for PRs and outplacing our seeds, the places and points will take care of themselves.”
Marmion
Coach: Daniel Thorpe
Top returners: Sam Carrera, sr. (jumps); John Daffenberg, sr. (distance); Patrick Fitzgerald, sr. (hurdles); Juan Liz, sr. (sprints); Henry Mikrut, sr. (jumps); Chimaobi Oguike, sr. (throws); Rudy Reitmann, sr. (sprints and throws); Caleb Soulsby, sr. (sprints); Matthew Sullivan, sr. (distance); William Acevedo, jr. (distance); Joe Dorando, jr. (distance); Lucas Galindo, jr. (distance); Sam Ramirez, jr. (throws); Sam Rowe, jr. (distance); Jonah Sartain, jr. (distance); Michael Whitacre, jr. (distance); Jack Galindo, so. (throws); Josh Joy, so. (hurdles); Brandon Jurado, so. (distance); Henry Miller, so. (sprints); Jake Pawlikowski, so. (distance); Guillermo Ponce, so. (distance); Hugh Wileman, so. (sprints); Carsten Zink, so. (pole vault)
Top newcomers: None given
Worth noting: The Cadets will look to have strength throughout the distance events as Whitacre, Daffenberg, Dorando and Sullivan all return after qualifying for the Class 2A 4x800 relay. Daffenberg also qualified for the 800, while Dorando and Sullivan raced in the 3,200 at state. Fitzgerald returns to the team after missing his junior season with a broken arm. The Cadets will also be looking to qualify a pole vaulter to the state meet for the 23rd year in a row. “As always, our number one goal is to win conference and to send as many athletes as possible to state,” Thorpe said.
St. Charles East
Coach: Ben Provencher
Top returners: Greyson Ellensohn, sr. (distance); Evan Lagana, sr. (pole vault); Michael Wilson, (sr.) (sprints and distance); Patrick Klasa, sr. (sprints and distance); Peter VanLue, jr. (sprints); Leo Bolsoni, jr. (sprints); Sam Wollak, so. (sprints and distance)
Top newcomers: Xander Salazar, jr. (sprints); Jack Nitsch, sr. (pole vault); Ryan Tobin, sr. (distance); CJ Smith, jr. (throws)
Worth noting: The Saints saw a solid turnaround from last season, which included seven of their 10 state qualifiers from last season. Bolsoni, VanLue, Klasa and Wollak all return after making up the 4x400 relay, with the latter two also running in the 4x800 with Wilson, which both qualified for state. Ellensohn (Wichita State commit) set the school record in the 1,600 during the indoor season, and will look for a state medal after falling just short in the Class 3A 3,200. Lagana will also look to make a return to state in the pole vault.“The Saints are looking to build some momentum after an excellent third place showing at the DuKane Indoor Conference meet,” Provencher said. “We have a strong distance crew and some top-level sprinters. Our 4x400 and 4x800 are each expected to compete well throughout the season.”
St. Charles North
Coach: Kevin Harrington
Top returners: Nathan McLoughlin, sr. (pole vault); Dimitri Rosales, sr. (pole vault); Cooper Kowalczyk, jr. (throws); Wylder Smith, jr. (sprints); Logan Hill, jr. (sprints); Noah Wagner, sr. (sprints); Jakub Dzioban, so. (sprints)
Top newcomers: Lucas Reed, jr. (distance); Sam Hill, so. (distance); Logan Hitchings, so. (distance); Christian Enger, so. (distance)
Worth noting: McLoughlin and Rosales both ended last season earning All-State honors after finishing fourth and seventh, respectively, in the Class 3A pole vault at state. McLoughlin also broke the school record during the indoor season, jumping 4.88 meters (16 feet). Smith, Logan Hill, Wagner, and Dzioban also were state qualifiers last season, running in the 4x200 and 4x400 relays. “We graduated some really powerful athletes last year and are still in the process of figuring out who we are going to be for this year,” Harrington said. “Our point production indoors is not an indication of who we will be in May.”
St. Francis
Coach: Jason Accardi
Top returners: Michael Coco, jr. (distance); Nolan Kiley, jr. (sprints); Gavin Grover, sr. (pole vault)
Top newcomers: Alexzander Taylor, fr. (sprints and jumps)
Worth noting: The Spartans will sport a smaller team in 2025 that will look to grow throughout the season. Accardi said that he has high hopes that Coco and Grover will qualify for the Class 2A state meet in their respective events.
West Aurora
Coach: Cortney Lamb
Top returners: Azuriah Sylvester, sr. (jumps, hurdles and sprints); Sere Iranloye, sr. (hurdles and sprints); Nathan Gehrmann, jr. (distance); Terrence Smith, sr. (jumps and sprints); Elijah Pacheco, so. (throws); Donovan Wilson, sr. (jumps); Lachlan Mahoney, so. (distance); Miguel Orrala, sr. (distance); Michael Nava, sr. (distance)
Top newcomers: Dionte Shaw, sr. (throws); Chase Majersky, sr. (sprints); Sebastian Garcia, so. (sprints)
Worth noting: After winning the Kane County meet and coming second at the Metea Valley Sectional last spring, the Blackhawks are hoping to build off of that success in the fall. The Blackhawks have eight state qualifiers from last season returning including Smith, an Iowa football commit who took sixth at state in the Class 3A high jump. Shaw returns to the Blackhawks after spending last season at Moline, where he finished 10th in the Class 3A discus and 13th in the shot put at state. “We were very solid last year and are expecting to build on that success,” Lamb said. “Most of our key contributors are upperclassmen and are excellent role models for our younger athletes. Depth may be and issue, but we are very competitive on the top end of the roster.”