Scouting DuPage County boys track
Top teams: Downers Grove North, Downers Grove South, Glenbard North, Hinsdale Central, Lake Park, Neuqua Valley, Waubonsie Valley, Wheaton North, Wheaton Warrenville South, York.
Top athletes: Addison Trail: Jordyn Carr-Jones (sr., hurdles, sprints), Darrion Conrad (sr., sprints), Marco Flores (jr., middle distance), Chris Purdy (sr., long jump); Benet: Jeff Girardot (sr., middle distance); Matt Lang (sr., hurdles, sprints), Will Lang (sr., hurdles, sprints), Michael Welsh (sr., hurdles, triple jump); Downers Grove North: Alec Danner (sr., distance), Robert Falconer (sr., middle distance), Dan Ferenc (sr., pole vault), Zharion Jackson (sr., sprints), Joe Keys (sr., hurdles, long jump), Brendan Lockerby (jr., middle distance), Andrew Marszewski (sr., sprints), Jacob Ridderhoff (jr., distance); Mike Taylor (jr., sprints), Tariun Triplett (sr. sprints); Downers Grove South: Juankeem Finley (sr., sprints), Shawn Lee (fr., throws), Stephen Pipilas (jr., distance), Eddie Suida (so., distance), Damani White (sr., triple jump, hurdles), Ian Wisniewski (sr., sprints, hurdles, jumps); Fenton: Cristian Sanchez (jr., distance); Glenbard East: Adam Armstrong (sr., throws), Matt Leonard (sr., jumps), Ryan Schulze (sr., jumps, sprints); Glenbard North: Isiah Hawkins (jr., sprints), Jace James (sr., hurdles, high jump), Paris Miller (sr., sprints), D'myreo Mitchell (sr., discus), Greg Newsome (jr., sprints), Aquil Spates (jr., sprints), Vittorio Tricase (sr., sprints, long jump); Glenbard South: Gabe Dodd (sr., sprints), Conner Howard (sr., jumps), Stevan Plavsic (so., hurdles, jumps), Taylor Sadkowski (sr., shot put), Joey Wood (jr., middle distance); Glenbard West: Cameron Benes (jr., middle distance), Justice Bradley (sr., sprints), Tyquan Cox (so., sprints), Vince Divenere (sr., hurdles, sprints), Corey Graham (so., jumps); Hinsdale Central: Blake Evertsen (sr., distance), Sam Fathizadeh (sr., middle distance), Cullen Fitzgerald (jr., jumps), Luke Skokna (so., sprints); Hinsdale South: D.J. Anderson (sr., jumps), Alec Cirjakovic (sr., high jump), Brett Haffner (jr., distance); IC Catholic Prep: Luke Ricobene (jr., sprints), Jordan Rowell (sr., sprints, long jump); Lake Park: Chago Basso (sr., throws), Colin Kirkham (jr., distance), Ethan Kovall (sr., pole vault), Tom Paprocki (jr., pole vault), Solomon Sangobowale (jr., jumps), Dan Spejcher (jr., hurdles, long jump); Lisle: Isaiah Hunter (sr., sprints), Cameron Stitt (jr., jumps), Charlie Waldusky (so., discus); Metea Valley: Ben Loutsis (sr., sprints), Ralph Papa (jr., distance), Ben Piotrowski (sr., middle distance), Alonzo Taylor-Jones (sr., sprints); Montini: Jake Mondschean (jr., distance), Matt Quaglia (jr., sprints), Mitch West (sr., sprints); Naperville Central: Kyle Baus (sr., pole vault), Tommy Chavez (sr., distance), Brian Gaden (sr., hurdles), Thomas Shilgalis (so., middle distance), Peter Villanova (sr., middle distance); Naperville North: Aidan Blecke (sr., middle distance), Barry Cate (sr., long jump, sprints), Kris Heinz (sr., high jump, sprints), Sterling Stanley (sprints, hurdles); Neuqua Valley: Myles Gascon (jr., sprints), Jackson Jett (sr., distance), Zach Kinne (so., distance), Kai Larson (jr., sprints), Jake McEneaney (jr., distance), McKenzie Mitchell (jr., jumps), Josh Mollway (sr., distance), Ife Oketona (jr., long jump), JaQuere Williams (sr., sprints), Isaiah Robinson (sr., middle distance); St. Francis: Nick Brouch (sr., distance); Griffin Kasprak (jr., jumps); Timothy Christian: Xavier Ross (jr., hurdles, jumps); Waubonsie Valley: Charlie Burke (sr., sprints), TréVon Petty (jr., sprints), Haneef Spikener (sr., sprints), Wes York (jr., middle distance); West Chicago: C.J. Griffin (jr., sprints, hurdles), Danny McComb (sr., distance), Zenen Cardenas (jr., sprints); Westmont: Kyle Casper (jr., hurdles, sprints); Wheaton Academy: Jonah Jones (sr., distance), Harrison Taylor (sr., sprints); Wheaton North: David Bradley (sr., pole vault), Tyler Johnson (jr., throws), Andrew Lauber (sr., sprints), Justin Ostrem (jr., distance), Joey Simon (jr., middle distance), Connor Zydek (so., middle distance); Wheaton Warrenville South: Tom Ansiel (sr., pole vault), Christian Harris (sr., sprints, long jump), Cedric Rowzee (so., sprints), Erik Stubner (sr., sprints, high jump), Kyle Thompson (sr., middle distance), Joe Zubak (jr., hurdles); Willowbrook: Casey King (sr., middle distance), Will Schuller (sr., hurdles); York: Charlie Kern (jr., distance), Sean MacGregor (jr., distance), Kurt Namini (sr., sprints), Obi Nnam (sr., hurdles, high jump), Cal Widener (sr., shot put).
Outlook: No major rule changes, no conference moves - for now - the start of the 2017 boys outdoor track and field season in DuPage County feels stable.
Just the right conditions for Neuqua Valley to target its eighth large-school top-10 finish and fourth state trophy at the finals in Charleston.
"Obviously, we know we've got bigger fish to fry," senior Jake McEneaney said after he and Josh Mollway each broke the existing 1,600-meter record at the DuPage Valley Conference indoor track and field meet, which Neuqua won handily over loaded Wheaton Warrenville South.
The 1,600 followed another 1-2 sweep in the 3,200 by Jackson Jett and Zach Kinne, plus a five-second victory margin in the Wildcats' 3,200 relay of Matt Milostan, Alex Johnson, Dakota Getty and Alan Poe.
The distance stable includes coach Mike Kennedy's son, Ryan, Jeremy Hayhurst, Tyler Bombacino and senior Scott Anderson, 15th in the 3,200 at the 2016 state meet.
"Our goals lie in late May," said McEneaney, who outdoors on March 24 ran the 3,200 in 9 minutes, 11.06 seconds at the Raleigh Relays in North Carolina, Neuqua's sixth-fastest time ever.
Depth from last fall's Class 3A cross country winner reigns supreme and some holes exist in field events. Yet Neuqua offers returning triple jump state qualifier McKenzie Mitchell, 400-meter runner Kai Larson, program 55-meter record holder Myles Gascon, DVC indoor long jump winner Ife Oketona, versatile JaQuere Williams and Division I recruit Isaiah Robinson. And more.
Deciding between the open 400, the 800 or perhaps both, Robinson placed ninth in the 3A 800 in 2016 and led off a second-place 1,600 relay that, with Williams anchoring, set a program record of 3:16.00.
"We do have high hopes, and those high hopes don't come from me. Our athletes have seen that they can compete at that very, very highest level. Whether it's last year in track or at cross country, they know they can be there and they want to be there again," Mike Kennedy said.
Any number of teams and individuals share that goal.
Before he retired last year, WW South coach Ken Helberg left a stocked lineup for incoming Tigers coach Chris Arthurs.
The strong senior class includes 800-meter runner Kyle Thompson and state-tested sprinter and high jumper Erik Stubner, plus junior hurdler Joe Zubak. In 2016 all-state pole vaulter Tom Ansiel set the Tigers' outdoor record at 15 feet, 7 inches then went 16-7 indoors, 6 inches over the 2016 winning Class 3A height.
WW South will vie for the title of any invite it enters. How that translates to the state series obviously remains to be seen.
"We have some good experience and good depth that I think is our strength right now," said Arthurs, 29, a former WW South thrower, Class of 2006.
Lake Park and Glenbard North each have athletes who could pop in Charleston.
Lake Park senior Chago Basso surpassed 61 feet in shot put in 2016 and placed sixth in 3A discus, short of his personal-best of 185-6. Junior Dan Spejcher, seemingly destined to follow Lancers multievents collegiates Scott Filip, Tim Ehrhardt and Olympian Zach Ziemek, finished 11th in 3A long jump and looks to add the 110 hurdles, at least. The pole vault factory has potential all-staters Ethan Kovall and Tom Paprocki on the runway.
Few teams can match Glenbard North's athleticism. Hurdler Paris Miller and 400-meter man Aquil Spates transcend sleeper status. Northwestern football recruit Jace James is a state-caliber high jumper but when it counts will focus on the 110- and 300-meter hurdles. He qualified for each last year and reached the 300 finals.
"I told him I want him to come home with a medal in both events," said Panthers coach Mark Karwowski.
The DVC holds intrigue throughout, whether it's defending DVC 100-meter champion Alonzo Taylor-Jones of Metea Valley or Waubonsie Valley's passionate 800 runner Wes York.
Wheaton North believes it's a year away yet finished fourth indoors on the DVC varsity level and third on the sophomore level. Naperville Central placed ninth on varsity, but Redhawks coach Steve Wiesbrook will use some of his first-place sophomores. Naperville North coach Mike Beese hopes to drive a bus-full to Charleston, including 6-foot-5 high jumper Kris Heinz.
"I don't think there's another conference that has as much depth top to bottom, and some of the top-end talent is really special," Arthurs said.
Coaches in the West Suburban Conference Silver Division would debate that first part.
In fact, though Downers Grove South won the WSC Gold indoor meet with a rousing 156 points to Hinsdale South's 132, Downers South coach Dustin Hausherr wondered how his team would rank even among Silver bottom-half finishers Hinsdale Central and Glenbard West, much less potential top-10 3A teams Lyons Twp. and Oak Park.
"The conference has never been as good as it is right now," said Hinsdale Central coach Noah Lawrence, whose sophomores gave the Red Devils their first WSC Silver win at any level, indoors or outdoors, since 2004. He has a 6-foot-6 high jumper in Cullen Fitzgerald.
Hinsdale Central, whose returning 3,200 all-stater Blake Evertsen comes off injury, placed sixth in 3A cross country. Downers Grove North trailed only to Neuqua Valley.
"It's brutal. I mean that in a good way," Downers North coach Eric Buhot said of the Silver.
His Trojans, third indoors in the Silver, are exceptional on the track. From sprinter Tariun Triplett to middle distance runner Robert Falconer and distance aces Alec Danner and Jacob Ridderhoff, plus all their pals, four downstate relays are a possibility. Senior Joe Keys is among DuPage County's top hurdlers, winning preliminary and final heats in both heights at the Silver indoor meet.
Neither York coach Charlie Kern nor Glenbard West's Jon Schweighardt were concerned with their teams' respective fourth- and sixth-place Silver indoor finishes.
"It's all about a build, for me," said Kern, whose son, also Charlie, placed 10th in the 3A 1,600 last spring and fourth in 2016 cross country. Dukes senior Cal Widener won the Silver indoor shot put at 53-9, surpassing the 3A qualifying standard in a year not considered huge overall in throws.
Likewise, Schweighardt recalled his 2016 second-place sectional finish after placing fifth at last year's Silver indoor meet. A Hilltoppers team 150 strong provides plenty of depth around sophomore sprinters Tyquan Cox and Corey Graham and senior hurdler Vince Divenere.
West Suburban Gold teams Downers South and Hinsdale South can never be discounted. Downers South coach Hausherr runs a complete program whose 145 athletes are the most in his six years; the Mustangs seek their ninth Gold title in 10 years. Hinsdale South graduated nearly all members of its all-state 1,600 and 3,200 relay teams, but coach Dean Norman always assembles a good sprint corps. And his returning relay runner is DuPage's top returning triple jumper, Class 3A qualifier D.J. Anderson, who went 46-7 in 2016.
Willowbrook middle distance runner Casey King hopes to make noise and Addison Trail seeks much more than the 15 points it scored at the Gold indoor meet. Little went right for the Blazers indoors and coach Bruce Kelsay - whose 76 athletes in his 18th and last season as head man are the most he's had - believes Darrion Conrad, Chris Purdy, Marco Flores and all-state 110 hurdler Jordyn Carr-Jones could send him out right.
"This year we want to bring down a minivan and not a car," Kelsay said of the downstate trip.
In the Upstate Eight Conference River and Valley divisions, both Batavia and West Aurora look good to defend their respective titles, which would be Batavia's fifth straight.
West Chicago will compete well in the Valley. Zenen Cardenas, last year's Wildcats' MVP as a sophomore, heads a sprint group with high hopes of qualifying three relays including a 1,600 relay for the first time in history.
"He's just dialed in," West Chicago coach Paul McLeland said of Cardenas. "He's all about track and relay quality."
So is new Glenbard East coach Dan Greco, a former Rams sprinter, Class of 2008. Greco succeeds Dennis Lueck, who after the 2014 retirement of Jack Brady took the post until an engaged replacement showed. Greco appears to be that person.
"It's kind of full circle," Greco said. "I never thought I'd one day be a head coach over there."
On its own island in the East Suburban Catholic Conference, hurdler-rich Benet looks to recapture the ESCC title it's swapped with Marist the past four years, and owned from 2006-2010.
"That's our No. 1 goal," said Redwings coach Brian Quick, who returns defending ESCC 800 and 1,600 champ Jeff Girardot. Coming off its first sectional title, Benet goes from being one of Class 2A's largest teams to one of 3A's smallest at this year's Naperville North sectional.
With John Kurtz handing Fenton's track program to Clint Porter after 48 years ("a loss," Porter said of Kurtz, who remains boys cross country coach), Lisle's Ken Jakalski is the DuPage County dean at 31 years, just ahead of St. Francis' Scott Nelson and Timothy Christian's John Vander Kamp at 29 apiece.
"I'm still having fun, I enjoy every minute of it," Jakalski said.
Primed to stay ahead of friendly rival Westmont, which boasts 1A-qualifying hurdler Kyle Casper, Lisle seeks a top-five finish in the Interstate Eight Conference.
Following in the fleet steps of graduate Aaron Harris, last year's 2A 200 and 400 winner and second in the 100, Lisle senior Isaiah Hunter finished second in the 400 at the Illinois Top Times. As a freshman in 2016 Charlie Waldusky threw the discus 130 feet; Cameron Stitt, son of a 7-foot high jumper, reached a personal-best 6-3 indoors.
Regarding Nelson, St. Francis is finally getting seniors to stick around. Chief among them is distance runner Nick Brouch, who last fall became the Spartans' first cross country all-stater in five years.
For now, St. Francis joins Montini in the Chicago Catholic League. The Broncos suffered some football falloff, and while distance and jumps have improved Matt Quaglia and Navy-bound senior Mitch West continue to bring the speed. Coach Eric Brechtel's goal is a top-four 2A team finish but he'll give West, the CCL indoor 60-meter record holder and four-time state medalist, every chance to win an individual sprint title.
"We owe it to Mitch, he's given everything he could to the team the last four years," Brechtel said.
At long last we come to the Metro Suburban Conference. Timothy Christian's Xavier Ross will attempt to improve upon his amazing sophomore year 1A qualifications in triple jump, 300 hurdles and 200 dash while competing in the MSC Red. Fenton, Wheaton Academy and IC Catholic Prep look up to Glenbard South's numbers and depth in the MSC Blue.
Though young, the Raiders have more Plavsics hurdling (Milivoj, Nikola, Stevan) than some Metro Suburban teams have hurdlers. Glenbard South won the indoor meet with field events and depth, which shouldn't go away when Stevan Plavsic can run the 300 hurdles, Joey Wood can show his 400-1,600 range and discus comes into play.
Wheaton Academy's Jonah Jones hopes to reach the 2A 1,600-meter finals and break Matt Fields' program record of 4:21.90; Fenton also shows distance strength headed by junior Cristian Sanchez.
IC Catholic, where Luke Ricobene and Luke Calles return from a fourth-place Class 1A 400-meter relay squad, boasts the most decorated individual athlete of any mentioned above: Northern Illinois football recruit Jordan Rowell.
In addition to two relay medals including last year's 400 relay, the 6-foot-2, 195-pound Rowell has seven all-state finishes spanning 100, 200 and 400 meters.
"In my humble opinion he is the finest athlete that's ever graced our halls," said Knights coach Bob Cronin. "Obviously we think he has the ability and the desire to win individual championships, and I did put an 's' on that. I think he has the ability and desire to win multiple events."
Key dates: Hinsdale Relays, Hinsdale Central, April 8; Wheaton North Best 4, April 8; Fremd Thrower's Invite, April 13; Naperville North Gus Scott, April 13; St. Francis Spartan Invitational, April 13; Downers Grove South Bud Mohns, April 15; Metea Valley Invite, May 15; West Aurora John Bell, April 15; Downers South Bob Cohoon, April 21; Glenbard South Raider Invite, April 21; WW South Red Grange, April 21; Hinsdale South Mike Yavorski, April 28; Glenbard West Jim Arnold, April 29; Waubonsie Valley Red Ribbon, April 29; DuPage County Meet, Lake Park (East Campus), May 5; Hinsdale Central McCarthy Invite, May 5; Lisle Carlin Nalley, Bolingbrook, May 6; East Suburban Catholic Conference, Notre Dame, May 10; DuPage Valley Conference, WW South, May 11; Upstate Eight Conference, Elgin, May 11; West Suburban Gold, Willowbrook, May 11; Metro Suburban Blue, Aurora Central Catholic, May 12; Metro Suburban Red, Elmwood Park, May 12; West Suburban Silver, Lyons Twp., May 12; Chicago Catholic League, Loyola, May 13; Class 1A Seneca sectional, May 17; Class 3A Lockport sectional, May 18; Class 3A Naperville North sectional, May 18; Class 2A Lisle sectional, May 19; Class 3A Hoffman Estates sectional, May 19; Class 3A Lake Park sectional, May 19; Class 1A, 2A, 3A Finals, Charleston, May 25-27.