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A look at the boys cross country teams throughout the NewsTribune area:
Coach: John Beatty
Top returning runners: Erik Garcia, Sr.; Kevin Rynke, Jr.; Connor Fundell, Sr.
Top newcomers: Braylin Bond, Fr.; Griffin Hammers, Fr.
Worth noting: The Cavaliers graduated their top three regional finishers from last year’s team, including state qualifiers Matthew Beard and Ryan Hartman. Garcia, Rynke and Fundell are ran on the varsity last fall and were top six runners for L-P at the regional. Hammers enters with potential as Beatty said he could possibly become a state qualifier. “Our goal is to get both (boys and girls) teams so sectional,” Beatty said. “I would like to see a couple of individual state qualifiers. … We have a lot of new runners this season and this is a bit of a rebuilding year after losing so many seniors.”
Coach: Marty Makransky
Top returning runners: Greyson Marincic, So.
Top newcomers: Nathan Husser, Jr.; Haiden Ator, So.
Worth noting: Marincic is the only returning runner for the Bruins, who have three boys on the roster. Marincic was consistently St. Bede’s No. 3 runner last fall and finished 48th at the Three Rivers Conference Meet and the regional. “We want to peak and be running our best at the end of the season,” Makransky said.
Coach: Tom Keegan
Top returning runners: Eri Martinez, So.
Top newcomers: Christopher Hollenbeck, Fr.; Joseph Caracheo, Fr.; Bryson Giacometti, Fr.
Worth noting: The Red Devils are a young squad with the lone returner, Martinez, being a sophomore. Three freshmen, who Keegan said “will hopefully give us a core of runners for the next few years, round out the roster. “The goal for this year is to get them some experience and acclimated to running long distances,” Keegan said.”
Coach: Chuck McConnell
Top returning runners: Wyatt Grimshaw, Sr.; Roman Mack, Jr.
Top newcomers: Azael Vargas, Sr.; Brayden Zuniga, Fr.
Worth noting: Grimshaw is looking to place top 10 at the Tri-County Conference and advance to the sectional. “After the past two seasons of disruptions, Wyatt is back in the groove and is already on pace to be faster than the end of last season,” McConnell said. Mack battled injuries last season and now looks to set new personal records, McConnell said. Vargas and Zuniga decided to go out for cross country after competing in track in the spring.
Coach: Kevin Wohrley
Top returning runners: Anthony Kelson, So.; Dagen Setchell, Jr.
Top newcomers: Kody Chase, Sr.
Worth noting: Kelson will lead the way for the Trojans after a solid freshman year in which he placed ninth in the Three Rivers Conference Meet and advanced to the sectional. Setchell also gained experience last season, while Chase joined the squad after running distance events for Mendota during track last spring. “In the early races it may look like we’ve slipped back, but I see a great deal of potential in our new runners that will develop nicely over the next two months,” Wohrley said. “I think we have a chance to climb some in the conference as well as show progress late into the season.”
Coach: Pat Hodge
Top returning runners: Christian Yepsen, Sr.; Kamden Wahlgren, So.; Joshua Roth, Jr.; Robert Nelson, Sr.
Top newcomers: Augustus Swanson, Fr.
Worth noting: With just five runners out, the Tigers will not be able to field a team with Yepsen, last year’s MVP, nursing an injury that came at the end of cross country last year and resurfaced during track. “He’s still in the recovery stage and will come back very gradually. So we won’t have enough to score as a team in the early part of the season. Hopefully, we’ll be healthy by the end of the year,” Hodge said. In addition to losing six boys by graduation, three others from last year didn’t come out. Hodge said Wahlgren, Roth and Nelson are ahead of where they were last year at this time. Hodge said Swanson is a very nice addition being in the first group coming into PHS that has had cross country experience at the junior high level, qualifying for the IESA State Meet last year.
Coach: Robert Benck
Top returning runners: Elijah House, Sr.; Ben Roth, Sr.
Top newcomers: Adrian Gallardo, Fr., Owen Larkin, Fr.
Worth noting: Last season, the Storm took their team to the Oregon Sectional and one runner to state. Benck said they hope to build on that performance this season. House was 25th at the Oregon Sectional and qualified for state. Both House and Roth, Benck said, “are in great shape after a summer of hard work, as evidenced by their performance at Detweiller at Dark in late July.” Benck said BV has a strong group of freshmen. “Larkin is a tremendous worker,” he said, and “Adrian Gallardo brings his speed and stamina as a former soccer striker on board.”
Coach: Michael Robinson
Top returning runners: Kyler McNinch, Sr.; Charlie Dickinson, Sr.
Worth noting: McNinch and Dickinson were both members of the Clippers’ state-qualifying team last fall. McNinch was Amboy’s No. 2 runner and placed top 100 at the state meet. “Our goal is to be competitive and continue the tradition we have started of winning teams,” Robinson said. “We want to improve as the year progresses and hopefully make it back to state next year.”
Coach: Jarrod Lester
Top returning runners: Preston Rowe, Jr.; Noah Dorsey, So.; Nicolas Yee, Jr.
Worth noting: Lester takes over the cross country program after taking over as track and field coach in the spring. Rowe, Dorsey and Yee were three of the Mallards’ top four runners at the Class 1A St. Bede Regional last season with Rowe leading the way as he placed 18th to help Henry-Midland to a sectional berth. “The main goal for our team this year is to make it to the sectional,” Lester said. “I think Preston, Nicolas and Noah have a chance to make it to state. They are all talented runners with excellent work ethic.”
Coach: Carol Bauer
Top returning runners: Caleb Christian, So.
Top newcomers: Nathan Buchanan, So.
Worth noting: The Knights took a big hit with the graduation of NewsTribune Boys Cross Country Runner of the Year Mason Stoeger, who is now running at Eastern Illinois University after placing seventh in the Class 1A state meet last year. Christian had a strong track season in the 1,600 and 800 meters, while Buchanan showed promise in running during track while splitting time with the baseball team. “The focus for the team will be to continue to improve and hopefully see some individuals qualify for the sectional.”
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