A breakdown of all the boys track and field teams in the area.

La Salle-Peru

Coach: Adam Spencer

Key returnees: Ryan Hartman, Sr., distance; Matt Beard, Sr., distance; Tre’Von Hunter, Sr., sprints/jumps; Ozzy Hernandez, Sr., sprints/jumps; Tyler Beckett, Sr., sprints/jumps; Ethan Bell, Sr., sprints/jumps; Will Daugherty, Sr., throws; Ray Miller, Sr., throws.

Key newcomers: Brett Aimone, Jr.; Andres Medina, Fr.; Jason Curran, Fr.; Gabriel Delgado, Fr.

Worth noting: Spencer said the Cavaliers will rely on their seniors to lead the way. “Our senior leadership is definitely our strength,” Spencer said. “Guys like Cooper Vaske, Estevan Alfaro and Wes Ruppert are great role models for the younger guys coming up. We have a solid core of older guys that have been together for years and I’m happy they get to have a more normal season to finish their high school careers.” Hartman and Beard are coming off of qualifying for state cross country in the fall, while Hart competed at state in the 3,200 meters last season. Spencer said he thinks the Cavs have a chance to qualify for state in the triple and long jumps as well as the 4x200 relay. “We’re just trying to keep our athletes happy and healthy for the stretch run,” Spencer said. “I’m happy we’re all finally back to a normal spring season and we have a lot of solid seniors that will help lead the younger guys in how we want to act and compete for our school.”

St. Bede

Coach: Marty Makransky

Key returnees: Duncan Lawler, Sr., jumps; Anton Cain, Sr., sprints; Tyrke Fortney, Sr., sprints/jumps; Josh Grob, Sr. sprints; Henry Orteza, Sr., distance; Tom Makransky, Jr., jumps/pole vault/mid-distance

Key newcomers: Rylan Heersink, Sr., throws; Ethan Sramek, Sr., sprints; Miguel Jones, Sr., distance; Stephen Shaver, Sr., mid-distance; Ryan Migliorini, Jr., throws

Worth noting: The Bruins will rely on a large group of seniors. “I’m excited about that,” Marty Makransky said. “Seniors are a little easier to get to be conditioned.” Leading the way are Lawler and Fortney. Lawler is a two-time state qualifier in the high jump and has cleared 6 feet, 4 inches indoors. “I’m expecting big things out of Duncan,” Marty Makransky said. “He has a real good work ethic, he’s really technical and real critical of himself. I expect him to do very well this year.” Fortney, when he’s not playing baseball, will run the 100-meter and 200-meter dashes and relays and may also compete in the long jump. “Ty could do whatever he wanted,” Marty Makransky said. “If he can stay healthy and we can get him on the track at the right time, there’s no doubt he’ll be good enough to run at state.” Sramek and Shaver missed large portions of last season due to injuries, but will make an impact if they stay healthy. Tom Makransky is adding triple jump this season and also will be the Bruins’ first pole vaulter in many years.

Hall

Coach: Rob Malerk

Key returnees: Zack Bosi, Sr., jumps/sprints/relays; Tanner Englehaupt, Sr., jumps/hurdles/ relays; Caleb Savitch, Sr., pole vault/sprints; Caleb Bickett, So., 400 meters/relays

Key newcomers: Ryan Bosi, Fr., sprints, jumps, relays; Rylan Kerper, Sr., throws; Gianmario Nugnes, Sr., 400/relays

Worth noting: Savitch qualified for state in the pole vault last spring, while Zack Bosi narrowly missed a trip to Charleston in the triple jump. “Caleb Savitch made it to state last year and is ready to return,” Malerk said. “Zack Bosi missed state last year by a few inches, which motivated him to work hard during the offseason to make it to state this year.” Savitch also will run in sprint relays, while Zack Bosi will also compete in the ong jump, sprints and sprint relays. Englehaupt and Bickett are other returnees who could make an impact, while newcomers Ryan Bosi, Kerper and Nugnes will play key roles as well. “A strength of our team is we are a close-knit team and very supportive of each other,” Malerk said. “The goals and expectations this year are to work hard during practice to be competitive at every meet and to have fun.”

Putnam County

Coach: Chuck McConnell

Key returnees: Joey Twardowski, Sr., distance/jumps/relays; Wyatt Grimshaw, Jr., distance/mid-distance/relays

Worth noting: Twardowski will run the 3,200 meters and compete in the high jump, while Grimshaw will run the 800 and 1,600. Both will run on the 4x800 relay. “I believe Wyatt Grimshaw and Joey Twardowski will continue to drop times in their respective events and achieve new PRs,” McConnell said. Along with Twardowski and Grimshaw, the Panthers have a larger roster this season. “We have increased our numbers on the team. Thus, we should be able to enter all the field events and running events,” McConnell said. “I believe we will be competitive in our meets. Our goal is to be competitive and have a great showing in the Tri-County Conference Meet later in the season . We have a good mixture of freshmen through seniors on the team. This will also help the older members to help the younger members who have just joined the team.”

Mendota

Coach: Keegan Hill

Key returnees: Jose Rocha, Jr., throws; Jordan Coney, Jr., throws

Worth noting: The Trojans did not have any seniors on the roster last year and that’s the case again this spring. Hill said he thinks Rocha and Coney can both improve in the throws. “We have a handful of returners and we look forward to seeing them grow into leadership roles as the season progresses,” Hill said. Hill said the Trojans have some newcomers in the distance races and throws who can make an impact. “There are multiple new faces in the program and we are excited to see their eagerness to improve daily in each of the events they compete in,” Hill said. “It is an optimistic group that we look forward to seeing develop.”

Princeton

Coach: Dan Foes

Top returners: Keegan Fogarty, Sr; Drew Harp, Sr.; Teegan Davis, Jr; Ethan Thompson, Sr.; Mack Williams, Sr.

Worthy of note: Numbers are down in the Tigers camp year with 11 upperclassmen (5 seniors, 6 juniors) and just six underclassmen. But coach Dan Foes is quick to say, “we still have a lot of great talent.” ... Team strengths will be the sprints and jumps, led by Keegan Fogarty, Teegan Davis, Ethan Thompson and Drew Harp. Fogarty is a returning state medalist in the 200 and 4x200 and state finalist in the 100 and 4x100. He qualified for the indoors state in the 60 and 200. Foes said Harp is an unique talent with a combination of size and speed, competing in the shot and sprint relays. Harp and Thompson (LJ) are returning state medalists in the 4x200 and also ran on the state 4x200. .... Davis is a returning state medalist in the high jump and state finalist in the long jump and is an Indoor State finalist in the high jump. He also is a valuable member of the sprints and sprint relays. ... The Tigers will also be strong in the throws with a young crew with sophomores Jack May, Payne Mller and Bennett Williams and freshmen Cade Odell and Ian Morris joining Harp (shot). ... As for the other areas of the team, Foes said, “we will have to see how everything develops.” ... Junior Chris Yepsen heads up the distance crew looking to build off a strong cross country season. Senior Gabe Jackson returns to the team in sprints/hurdles after a couple years off. Rounding out the roster are senior Mack Williams (200 up, HJ), juniors Gabe Glass (hurdles), Conner Hickey (sprints, jumps), Chris Ossola (distance) and Ethan Wallace (sprints) and sophomore Andrew Peacock (PV, TJ, sprints).

— Kevin Hieronymus

Bureau Valley

Coach: Dan DeVenney

Worth noting: Junior Mason Goosens qualified for Illinois Prep Top Times Meet — the unofficial indoor state meet — in the 60-meter dash and placed 25th in the 60 in 7.76 seconds. Junior Elijah House is coming off a strong cross country season in which he qualified for the state meet. In the indoor season, he missed the Prep Top Times Meet in the 800 meters by a tenth of a second at 2:09.56. He also ran a sub-five minute mile indoors at 4:58.66.

Earlville

Coach: Jillian Harp

Key returnees: Keegan Brown, Sr., mid-distance/distance; Jeremy Weymouth, Sr., throws; Carlos Gonzalez, So., sprints/jumps.

Key newcomers: Bryar Keller, Sr.; Nate Crook, Sr.; Michael Clemens, Fr.; C.J. Fuller, Fr.

Worth noting: Gonzalez was one of the Red Raiders’ top athletes last spring. Harp said she hopes some of the newcomers can help the team put together a competitive 4x200-meter of 4x400-meter relay. Every athlete on the team aside from Clemens also will be playing baseball for the Red Raiders. “This is a bit tricky, but baseball coach Dillon Reel is great about allowing the boys to have the time needed to be successful in track. Many days these boys are seen running between our track practice and baseball practice trying to get in the ample amount of time to be successful in both. This is one of the great things about our small school.”

Henry-Midland

Coach: Jarrod Lester

Key returnees: Hunter Green, Sr., sprints/jumps; Isaac Major, Sr., sprints/jumps

Key newcomers: Chris Yee, Fr., distance; Amsal Jakupi, Jr., sprints, jumps

Worth noting: Lester takes over the program and has a larger roster than years past. Green and Major will lead the way. Lester said he believes both have a chance to qualify for state in the long jump. “On the boys side we will be leaning on seniors Hunter Green and Isaac Major in sprints and long jump,” Lester said. “We are also developing some distance runners as the season progresses.” Yee is expected to contribute as a distance runner, while Jakupi will compete in the 100-meter dash, 200, 4x100 relay and the long jump. “I have very high hopes for Amsal,” Lester said. “He is a great athlete and can do almost anything in track.” Lester said the Mallards hope to compete well in the Tri-County Conference. “The main goal for our team is to place in the top three in the conference meet,” Lester said. “I think we can do that with the athletes we have out this year. We haven’t had this many out for track in a while. The second goal is to send as many athletes to state as we can.”

Fieldcrest

Coaches: Carol Bauer, Keith Baldwin

Key returners: Kendale Coleman, So.; David Huntley, Jr., 400/relays; Auden Maierhofer, So., sprints/relays; Pacey Mangan, Sr., 800/relays; Michael Scott, Sr., 800/relays; Mason Stoeger, Sr., distance/relays

Key newcomers: Zayden Hayes, Sr., sprints/relays; Aiden Hurd, So., throws; Nathan Buchanan, Fr., jumps/sprints; Caleb Krischel, Fr., 800/relays; Blake Ramsey, Fr., relays; Jacob Torres, Sr., 800/relays; Landin Wright, Fr., sprints/relays

Worth noting: Eastern Illinois University signee Stoeger is the unquestioned star for the Knights. His 4:35.07 is a Heart of Illinois indoor meet record and eclipsed the school’s indoor 1,600 mark set by Brian Peterson in 2008, and is second to only him in the indoor 3,200. The 4x800 relay of the veteran Scott and newcomers Krischel, Mangan and Torres could be formidable. “The team is really too small to really factor in team standings at a meet,” Bauer said. “But we do have the talent to get wins and points in single events. There is a lot of potential there. We’ll see how they develop as the season progresses.”

— Charlie Ellerbrock

Amboy co-op

Coach: Jeramey Wittenauer

Key returnees: Brock Loftus, Sr., distance; Wyatt Lundquist, Sr., mid-distance; Kyler McNinch, Jr., mid-distance/distance

Key newcomers: Ian Sundberg, So., throws; Kelton Schwamberger, Jr., sprints/mid-distance; Zane Murphy, Jr., sprints

Worth noting: With Ashton-Franklin Center joining Amboy, LaMoille and Ohio in the co-op, the Clippers have increased numbers with 31 athletes out. The Clippers don’t have many upperclassmen, but do have some talented ones, led by Loftus, a two-time state qualifier. “He’s never placed at state, so his goal this year, at least in the 3,200 (meters), is to medal at state,” Wittenauer said. Wittenauer said the Clippers will look to mesh the upperclassmen with the young talent. “We’ll try to get a mixture of upperclassmen and newcomers and see if we can get some relays put together and see how the season progresses.”