Boys cross country: Scouting Northwest

MID-SUBURBAN EASTBuffalo GroveCoach: Chris Marks (First year).

Last year: 6th in Class 3A, MSL champions, 2nd at Palatine regional, 3rd at Schaumburg sectional.

Key losses: Kevin Salvano (Notre Dame), Tom Cleary.

Top returning runners: Mitchell Guittar (jr.), Arturo Bautista (sr.), Josh Hellyer (sr.), Zach Gazda (jr.), Jake Spies (so.), Javier Guerrero (so.), Luke Wenzel (so.).

Promising newcomer: Grant Wasielewski (fr.).

Outlook: Last year was really special for BG, capped by Salvano winning the Class 3A individual state title. The Bison also won their first ever MSL title, and ended the season with a sixth-place finish in Class 3A. But Salvano is running for Notre Dame now, and the Bison will also miss the contributions of last season's strong No. 2 runner Tom Cleary, who finished second in the MSL behind Salvano. But Buffalo Grove does have Guittar returning. The junior is the top returning runner in the MSL, having finished third in conference and 49th in Class 3A. Hellyer and Bautista also return and are pushing Guittar, giving the Bison a nice core. Sophmores Spies, Guerrero, and Wenzel are looking to make an impact. Wasielewski is also hoping to crack the top five as Marks begins his first year as head coach. And despite losing the two elite runners the Bison should remain competitive and contend for MSL title. "We are looking to focus on competing well in the MSL East and at the MSL meet, and concentrate on returning to Peoria in November," said Marks.

Elk GroveLast year: 12th in MSL Coach: David Dompke (nine years)

Key losses: Sean Frintner.

Top returning runners: Oscar Patino (jr.), Nate Kraemer (so.), Quentin Lange (sr.), Nic Baggeto (jr.), Oscar Gonzalez (jr.), Ethan Bilodeau (so.).

Promising newcomers: Michael Johnson (fr.)

Outlook: Lange is the top returning varsity runner for Elk Grove, having finished as third runner for the Grenadiers at the Niles West regional. Patino, Bilodeau, and Kramer also gained valuable experience and were part of the regional lineup. Kraemer is running up top for the Grenadiers and with Bilodeau form a nice core. Johnson is also looking to make an immediate impact.

HerseyCoach: Jay Renaud (sixth year).

Last year: 4th in MSL, 4th at Hoffman Estates regional, 7th at Schaumburg sectional.

Key losses: Kevin Paton, Dan Gerardi, Brendan Stonequist.

Top returning runners: Jacob Krupa (sr.), Sam Svienty (sr.), Andrew Hyndman (sr.), Ryan Theisen (jr.), Joe Theisen (jr.), Jack Friedian (jr.), Quinn Cunningham (jr.), Nate Mayo (jr.).

Promising newcomers: Ryan Buch (so.), Josh Harden (so.), Thomas McCarthy (so.), Bobby McKavanagh (so.), Josh Methner (fr.), Max Svienty (fr.), Zach Joyce (fr.), Colin Safford (fr.), Sam Stubbs (fr.), Spencer Burkhalter (fr.).

Outlook: Renaud is optimistic about the Huskies' potential this season, especially after an injury-riddled 2015 season. Krupa was supposed to be the Huskies' top runner last fall after finishing 12th in MSL in 2014, but he missed most of the season do a medical condition. The senior is back and is once again leading the attack. Krupa has the potential to be one of the top MSL runners. Buch has been nipping at Krupa's heals for the team's top spot and gives the Huskies a nice 1-2 punch. Senior Sam Svienty was the team's top runner at the end of last season and is not far off the pace of Krupa and Buch. Ryan Theisen, Friedian, and Hyndman were also part of a sectional lineup that missed qualifying for state by 13 points. Methner also could also contribute to the Huskies attack by season end. Hersey definitely has experience and talent and will be aiming to win its third MSL title in four years. The Huskies are also looking to return to the Class 3A state meet. "Our goals pretty much haven't changed over the pasts few years. Win the MSL conference, qualify to state, finish in the top 10, stay healthy, and have a lot of fun," added Renaud.

ProspectCoach: Mike Stokes (26 years).

Last year: 7th in Class 3A, 2nd in MSL, 2nd Hoffman regional, 2nd Schaumburg sectional, MSL East division champions.

Key losses: Karson LeComte (Nebraska), Matt Cozine (Drake), Alec Heyde, Max Crowinshield, Luke Filipic, Mackenzie Bach.

Top returning runners: Sean Sanaghan (sr.), Jack O'Donnell (sr.), James Riordan (sr.), Jack Terry (jr.), Nick Serio (sr.), Jeff Snell (sr.).

Promising newcomers: Andy Reimann (so.), Jack Hempleman (jr.), Nate Cozine (jr.), Casey Daleiden (jr.), Nate Fowler (so.).

Outlook: Prospect's distance squad was good from start to finish last season. Prospect finished second in the MSL, Hoffman regional and Schaumburg sectional before taking seventh in Class 3A. The Knights then did it on the track in spring by taking third in the 3,200 relay in Class 3A and capped a fantastic year by finishing fifth in the 3,200 relay at New Balance National Meet in a sizzling time of 7:41.48. Prospect will lose a core group from that team, including LeComte and Cozine, who paced the attack last fall. But Stokes has plenty of talent returning to put his squad in contention for the MSL title and state glory. Sanaghan, O'Donnell, and Terry were key contributors to last year's squad and will pace the effort this season. O'Donnell is strong leader that will set tone. Riordan had a strong track season and Reimann is primed for a breakout fall. Hempleman, Cozine, Daleiden, and Fowler add plenty of depth. Prospect has not won an MSL title since 1994, but the Knights join Hersey as co-favorites for the MSL title run this year. "We have a very strong senior class and a lot of depth, we'll keep progressing and see how it all shakes out," said Stokes.

Rolling MeadowsCoach: Frank Schweda (eighth year).

Last year: 11th in MSL.

Top returning runners: Joe Hume (sr.), John Gerardi (sr.), Robert Heck (sr.), CJ Miller (so.), Eddie Lennon (so.), Brendan Brady (so.), Matt Schoessling (so.), Mark Helminski (jr.), Royce Piscitello (so.).

Promising newcomers: Jacob Johnson Wright.

Outlook: Gerardi and Hume were the top two runners for the Mustangs at the MSL meet last fall and will pace the attack this season. Schweda is also counting on a sophomore group led by Miller and Lennon to step up and contribute this season. "We are looking to move up in our conference meet and also have the goal of getting to sectional meet. We will need our younger guys to step up," said Schweda.

WheelingCoach: Tom Polak (17th year).

Last year: 8th in MSL, 6th at Hoffman Estates regional, 16th at Schaumburg sectional.

Key losses: Justin Loquercio (Missouri), Elliot Nabatov (Illinois-Springfield), Joe Swiech, Anthony Gonzalez .

Top returning runners: Matt Hoffman (sr.), Adrian Figueroa (jr.), Lewis Monaxious (sr.).

Promising newcomers: Ben Karp (so.), Tyler Polak (so.), Leo Sierra, Sahil Sharma (sr.), Sebastian Vences (so.), Jackson Gross (so.), Eric Le, Carlos Montiel, Sean Straub (sr.), Jimmy Morales (sr.), Pedro Godinez (sr.).

Outlook: Loquercio capped a big season for the Wildcats by finishing 25th in Class 3A and earning all-state honors. Hoffman is hoping to follow in his footsteps. Hoffman was the Wildcats' No. 2 runner last season finising 19th in the MSL and 25th at the Schaumburg sectionals. The senior is one of the top returning runners in the MSL and will pace the Wildcats' attack. "Matt has improved from last year. I believe he can be a top-five runner in the conference meet, and we expect a run for a state-qualifying spot and a state medal. He is healthy and is focused," said Polak of his top runner. There are a lot of new faces in the Wildcats attack, with Sierra emerging as the No. 2 runner.

MID-SUBURBAN WESTBarringtonCoach: Tom Root (third year).

Last year: 6th in MSL, 6th at Palatine regional, 11th at Schaumburg sectional.

Key losses: Scott Williams, Alex Maher. Ryan Ziolkowski.

Top returning runners: Nick Laning (jr.), Bart Susol (sr.), Robert Tilley (jr.), Greg Van Hollen (so.), Stuart Todd-Middledicth (sr.), Hamzah Firozi (jr.), Jon Love (sr.)

Outlook: Barrington returns five runners that ran at the Schaumburg sectional, where they finished in 11th place. Laning will lead the charge. Laning finished 14th in the MSL and 21st at the Schaumburg sectional and has set himself up for a big junior year. "He has taken another step forward from last year and is very confident in his fitness," said Root. The Broncos will miss the contributions from Connor Mahoney, who was the No. 2 runner last season, has decided to focus on basketball this season. Tilley, Van Hollen, and Todd Middleditch add experience to a Bronco attack. Love and Firozi have also shown potential.

ConantCoach: John Powers (17th year) Last year: 9th in the MSL

Key losses: Jason Giuliano, Nick Elm, Armaan Goyal.

Top returning runners: Chris DiGioia (sr.)

Promising newcomers: Chris Floyd (jr.), Sam Torrens (jr.), Tabish Sultan (jr.), Kyle Morimoto (jr.).

Outlook: DiGioia is the only returning varsity runner from last season Cougars team. Powers is looking for his team to gain experience and confidence as the season progresses after a solid summer of running. Floyd has been running up top and will pace the Cougar attack early.

FremdCoach: Darius Sanchez (sixth year).

Last year: 5th in MSL, 3rd at Hoffman Estates regional, 12th at Schaumburg sectional. Key losses: Joe Smaga, Alex Lytle.

Top returning runners: Danny Peterson (sr.), Matt Wallace (jr.), Jack Buban (sr.), Luke Vogelgesang (sr.), Ed Worthem (jr.), Drew Kelley (sr.), Nathaniel Jinkens (sr.)

Outlook: The Vikings' attack starts with Peterson, who has emerged as one of the top runners in the MSL. Last year Peterson took fourth in the MSL and will be pacing the team this season. Wallace and Worthem will also be looking to continue their progress and will key the Vikings' surge as they take aim at a state berth. Buban adds experience. Big things are also expected from Vogelgesang. Fremd was a young team last year, but is hoping the experience pays off as they compete for a high finish at the MSL meet and push for a deep postseason run. "We are hungry to compete and are looking to mix it up with the best in the area. We have high expectations for this seasoned group," said Sanchez.

Hoffman EstatesCoach: Brendan Mariano (sixth year).

Last year: 22nd in Class 3A, 3rd in MSL, Hoffman Estates regional champion, 4th at Schaumburg sectional, MSL West division champions.

Key losses: Shiv Patel, Bryan Gamboa, Nathan Otto, Matt Petersen.

Top returning runners: Jack Worman (sr.), Alex Makrounis (sr.), Ryan Greenwalt (sr.), Nathan Lim (sr.), Andrew Dressler (sr.).

Outlook: Hoffman Estates has been trending up the past two seasons, having won back-to-back MSL West Division titles and also qualifying for the Class 3A state meet each year. But the Hawks took a hit to graduation, losing leaders Gamboa and Patel. Hoffman does return Worman, Makrounis, and Greenwalt, who form a solid core. Worman and Makrounis both made all-conference last season. Mariano has done a solid job in lifting the Hoffman attack and now is faced with the task of filling the gaps to support his top three runners and to get his squad in line for another strong postseason run.

PalatineCoach: Chris Quick (11th year).

Last year: 7th in MSL, 5th at Palatine regional, 15th at Schaumburg sectional.

Key losses: Dan Trejo, Zach Michael (North Central).

Top returning runners: Brian Leonard (sr.), Nate Izewski (sr.), Ben Kontney (sr.), Curt Kontney (sr.), Evan Eckels (jr.), Jorge Corona (so.), Matt Ahlgrim (sr.).

Promising newcomers: Art Oshinson (jr.), Joe Ahlgrim (so.), Richard Jacobo (fr.), Zach Simons (jr.) Jacomore Busse (jr.), Luke Sauerland (so.), Thomas Lambke (so.).

Outlook: The big news for the Pirates is Leonard is back after having his junior season lost to a leg injury. Leonard was the top sophomore runner at the 2014 MSL meet, finishing in eighth place. He showed he'd recovered from his leg injury by running 4:18 in the 1,600 in the spring. The Pirates senior will definitely be in contention for the individual MSL title and also has the potential to secure all-state honors. "It's huge for us," said Quick of Leonard's return. "We definitely missed him last season, he is such a competitor." Ben Kontney, Eckels and Izewski also return this season and are hoping to push the Pirates into contention for an MSL title and also a return to the state meet. Joe Ahlgrim has shown plenty of promise and will combine with Corona and Oshinson to inject some youth into the Pirates' lineup. Keep an eye on freshman Richard Jacobo, who could dent the lineup by seasons end. Palatine was on quite a streak when it won 10 straight MSL titles from 2003 through 2012. Quick is looking to get the program back on track this season.

SchaumburgCoach: Scott Lilley (fifth year). Last year: 10th in MSL.

Key losses: Nick Olvera, Lars Hay.

Top returning runners: Mike Baranowski (jr.), Karstan Zielinski (jr.), Josh Lisowski (sr.), Austin Morales-Sanchez (so.), Brendan Warzynski (jr.).

Outlook: Lilley will be leaning on Zielinski, Warzynski, and Baranowski to power the Saxons attacks. The three were running in the top five for the Saxons at the Hoffman Estates regional. Lisowski also returns and will add experience to the Saxons attack.

CENTRAL SUBURBAN NORTHMaine WestCoach: Andrew Trotter (26th year). Last year: 6th in CSL North.

Key losses: Charlie Ellsworth, Angel Maldonado.

Top returning runners: Derek Pace (jr.), Angel Soria (jr.), Cesar Soria (sr.) Richard Sevcic (sr.), Donny Johnson (jr.), Vrutik Patel (jr.).

Promising newcomers: Ray Ure (fr.), Jonathan Kang (fr.).

Outlook: Angel Soria and Pace combine to give the Warriors a solid pair of front-runners. Cesara Soria adds experience. Trotter is also optimistic about a talented freshman class that may contribute fast, particulary Ure and Kang.

EAST SUBURBAN CATHOLICSt. ViatorCoach: Wayne Edelman (tenth year).

Last year: 25th in Class 2A, 2nd in ESCC, 3rd at Fenton regional, 5th at Chicago University sectional.

Key losses: Jacob Bononote, Nick Spanier.

Top returning runners: Sam Brey (sr.), Rich Rinka (jr.), Brady Collis (jr.), Kevin Goss (jr.), John Leininger (jr.), Dan Dabobna (jr.).

Promising newcomer: Patrick Natindim.

Outlook: St. Viator and Edelman are aiming to qualify to its fourth state meet in five years, and the talent is there to do it. Brey will lead the charge. The senior was the No. 1 runner for the Lions at the Class 2A state meet last season, finishing in 90th place. Goss also was a key contributor to the Lions success last season. Collis and Rinka both add state experience.

WEST SUBURBAN GOLDLeydenCoach: Bradley Henning (third year). Last year: 5th in the WSG.

Key losses: Matt Szelazek, Alan Prado.

Top returning runners: Brian Santos (jr.), Patrick Sarad, Nathan Diazleal (sr.), Gerardo Porras, Shawn Guagenti (jr.), Bartlomiej Sniezek (jr.), Dioco Reyes (jr.).

Promising newcomers: Armando Alvarez (jr.), Julian Munoz, Daniel Casarez.

Outlook: Santos, Sarad, and Reyes form an experienced core and will push the Eagles' attack this season. Henning is offering a young team with three sophomores in its top seven runners. "We are young, but we are trying to build upon our summer running," added Henning.

NORTHEASTERN ATHLETICChristian Liberty AcademyCoach: Taylor Stafford Bauer

Top returning runners: Tom Lowry (sr.), Luke Walder (sr.), Scott Naubert (sr).

Promising newcomers: Matthew Merrill (so.), David Law (fr.), Jacob Elafros (fr.)

Outlook: Bauer is excited for the potential of the Charges with three seniors leading the team. Lowry will be the one to watch, the Charger senior was a state qualifier finishing in 52nd in Class 1A last fall. He is coming back from injuries but still should make a huge impact. "He is just a great kid, with drive and determination," added Bauer. Merrill was a sprinter in track last season and has great potential.

- Michael Eaken