As boys track and field season heads outdoors, here are previews of teams from around the Record Newspapers coverage area.

Newark

Coach: Nina Sittler

Top returning athletes: Reggie Chapman, sr., sprints/long jump/relays; Cody Kulbartz, sr. discus/shot put/800/relays; Kellen Westerfield, so., long jump/200/400; Owen Underhill, jr., sprints/shot put; Jon Nicosia, so., sprints; Dylan Thomas, jr., shot put/discus/200; Jameson Kelley, jr., triple jump/sprints

Top new athletes: Teagan Britz, fr., 800/1,600/3,200; Kolton Rizzo, sr., 800/1,600; Harrison Mathre, fr., hurdles/sprints; Noah Baker, sr., throwing/sprints; Sean Crowe, fr., middle distance; Bryson Ness, fr., sprints; Jacob Severson, fr., middle distance

Worth noting: Sittler said the team’s strong senior leadership is complemented by Newark’s largest group of underclassmen in recent years.

“A talented group of freshmen joins the roster, bringing depth and versatility across the full lineup,” Sittler said. “With a focus on determination and hard work, this team is positioning itself to be a strong contender at this year’s Little Ten Conference Meet.”

Oswego

Coach: Jeff Edwards

Top returning athletes: Dontrell Young, jr., 100/200/400; Jezhian Sprinkle, jr., hurdles; Bo Breed, jr., distance; Dylan Johnson, sr., sprints; Jonathon Becvar, hurdles; Danny Claycomb, hurdles; Jack Wandolowski, sr., sprints/relays; Alex DiTella, jr., sprints/relays; Ammar Banire, so., sprints/relays; Matthew Sobecki, sr., distance; Ryan Wilson, jr., distance; Jeremiah Houston, relays; Carter Wahman, pole vault; Josh Spera, pole vault; Matthew Sewart, pole vault; Kyle Taylor, sr., long jump; Dylan Johnson, long jump; Trent Rainey, triple jump; Alexander Pollner, triple jump; Alex Gatenby, sr., high jump; Cass Farries, jr., throws; Andrew Shaw, sr., throws; Tristen Thomas, sr., throws

Worth noting: Young is one of the premier sprinters in the state. He placed second in the 200, fourth in the 100 and eighth in the 400 as a sophomore last year. Sprinkle is a returning state qualifier in the hurdles currently ranked sixth in the state in the 60 hurdles. Breed, who reset the school indoor 800 record this spring, is the engine of the team spanning the 800, 1,600 and 4x400 relays. Wilson recently set personal bests in the 1,600 and 3,200. Wahman is fresh off a huge PR of 13 feet, 6.5 inches in the pole vault at the Meet of Champions. Gatenby is a returning all-conference high jumper.

“We have dreams of bringing home the first-ever state trophy for Oswego High School in track and field,” Edwards said. “We have a tremendous amount of talent; the key will be staying healthy and training with intent.”

Oswego East

Coach: James Milner

Top returning athletes: Donavin Eason, sr., hurdles/sprint relays; Jamari McKay, sr., jumps/sprints; Micah Monahan, sr., 400/relays; Alan Kent, sr., 200/400/relays; Connor Griffin, sr., shot put; Grant Van Meter, sr., discus; Jack Wolstenholm, jr., distance; Felix Pilny, sr., distance; Mason Van Denend, jr., distance; Aidan Pantojas, jr., distance; Phoenix Scott, jr., distance

Top new athletes: Ty’Rel Thomas, jr., sprints; Carson Fell, jr., sprints; Brenton McAfee, so., sprints; Jayden Suresh, so., sprints; Roland Tate, so., sprints; Anthony Garcia, so., distance

Worth noting: Oswego East looks to build off one of the most successful seasons in program history. The Wolves last year won Southwest Prairie Conference and sectional championships and finished ninth at the state meet. Eason is a multiple-time state qualifier who anchors the hurdles crew, and McKay was a state finalist in the triple jump. Monahan and Kent both return from the all-state 4x400 relay. Griffin and Van Meter are two of the top throwers in the conference. Thomas is a breakout sprinter who leads a promising junior and sophomore group.

“With a powerful senior class and a wave of developing underclassmen, the Wolves aim to build on last year’s championship run,” Milner said. “The team features standout performers in every event group – sprints, hurdles, distance, jumps and throws – making Oswego East one of the most well-rounded squads in the Southwest Prairie Conference."

Plano

Coach: Bolaji Adeoti

Top returning athletes: Johnny Espino, jr., sprints/relays; James Smithey, sr., sprints/relays/jumps; Alejandro Delgado, so., distance/relays; Ryder Knapp, so., sprints/relays/jumps; Cameron Johnson, sr., sprints/relays; Matthew Smithey, so., sprints/hurdles/jumps

Top new athletes: Jayden Balingit (Lumba), fr., jumps/sprints/relays; Iaan Figueroa, fr., throws/sprints/relays; Sam Palacios, fr., distance/relays; Muhammed Babar, so., jumps/sprints/relays

Worth noting: This team is one of the youngest groups Plano has had in recent years, more than half the roster made up of freshmen and sophomores. Adeoti is especially excited about his relay groups, with the 4x200, 4x400 and 4x800 all having potential to be major strengths. The sprint crew led by Espino, James Smithey and Johnson gives Plano strong depth in the short sprints. Delgado and Palacios will lead Plano in the longer races and distance relays with with the jumps group led by freshman standout Balingit (Lumba). Matthew Smithey leads the hurdle group.

“Overall, this is a young team with a lot of energy, a strong group of leaders and a great deal of potential,” Adeoti said.

Sandwich

Coach: Brian Long

Top returning athletes: Luis Murillo, jr., throws; Jacob Ross, jr., pole vault; Nolan Minard, sr., distance; Dylan Johnson, sr., throws

Top new athletes: Joel Arriola, fr., sprints; Kingston Hicks, so, sprints

Worth noting: The Indians last spring finished fifth at the Kishwaukee River Conference Meet and qualified four athletes for state. Ross took fourth in the Class 2A pole vault last year, and Murillo is a returning state qualifier in the shot put. Arriola was an IESA state qualifier in the sprints in eighth grade.

“This season, we took a step back from competing indoors in order to better prepare and build for the outdoor season,” Long said. “Our main objective is to compete at a high level while prioritizing our health. We look forward to having both teams compete at the Plano Field of Dreams meet again this year. With a couple of new coaches, we feel confident that we have the right leadership in place.”

Yorkville

Coach: Nolan McCue

Top returning athletes: Owen Horeni, sr., middle distance/relays; Jayden Ruth, so., sprints/long jump/relays; Aiden Kolkmeyer, so., hurdles/jumps/sprints/relays; Evan Fals, jr., pole vault; Carter Reichert, so., middle distance/relays; Peyden Shepherd, so., hurdles/sprints; James Sapp, jr., throws; Caden Steg, sr., throws; James Cherney, jr., middle distance/relays; Robert Crum, so., sprints/throws/jumps/relays

Top new athletes: Jimmie Rodgers, so., jumps/hurdles; Jacoby Thompson, fr., sprints/hurdles; Noah Esparza, fr., middle distance/relays; Julian Remijio, fr., distance; Coen Jansen, so., sprints/relays; Sean Waldon, so., jumps/hurdles

Worth noting: Notre Dame commit Horeni, already a four-time all-stater, is coming off a stellar indoor season. He set the Southwest Prairie Conference indoor record of 1:55.65 in the 800, set the indoor school record of 4:09.17 at the Illinois Indoor Championships and has the top 800 time in the state of 1:52.60. Kolkmeyer won the high jump at the Illinois Indoor Championships, clearing 6 feet, 5.5 inches, and Fals was fourth in the pole vault with a school record 14 feet, 0.5 inches. Other indoor school records broken this spring were by Ruth in the 55, 200 and long jump, Kolkmeyer in the 55 hurdles and the 4x400 relay of Kolkmeyer, Ruth, Crum and Horeni.

“Despite having a predominantly younger team, there is a lot of varsity experience throughout the group, and they compete like veterans. This is the most talented Yorkville roster and best coaching staff that we’ve ever had,” McCue said. “We feel like we were just scratching the surface of the team’s potential during indoor, and our goal for outdoor is to be towards the top of the team standings in every meet we participate in.”

Yorkville Christian

Coach: Jeff Schutt

Top returning athletes: Graham Razum, jr., 800/1,600; Nate Fosco, sr.; Gus Hauser, sr.; Henry Fox, sr.; Michael Pigeon, sr.; Max Wecther, sr.; Justen Stepney, sr.; Anderw Smith, sr.; Jed Ogulei, sr.

Worth noting: The Mustangs have a record 32 boys out for track. Leading the way is two-time state qualifier Razum in the 800 and 1,600. Nate Fosco, Gus Hauser, Henry Fox, Michael Pigeon, Max Wecther, Justen Stepney, Andrew Smith and Jed Oguiei lead the senior group.

“We have many newcomers to the sport, and we have yet to see what performances they may be capable of, but they are hard workers, so it should be a good season,” Schutt said. “We hope to get as many athletes, especially the seniors, down to state to give Graham some company.”