Bartlett's number may be up in Upstate Eight race
Bartlett will have the strongest boys track and field team among Elgin Area School District U-46 schools and hopes to finish in the upper echelon of the 11-school Upstate Eight Conference.
Here's a look at how U-46 schools stack up this season:
Bartlett: This year's crop will aim for state qualification under new coach Eric Kramer, who takes over for Jeff Bral, now the school's athletic director. The Hawks placed sixth at the UEC indoor meet, finishing 2 points out of fourth place. Bartlett also placed in the top three at two indoor invitationals.
State hopefuls include: seniors Austin Crawford (1,600), Ben Jalove (300 hurdles) and Mike Romack (300 hurdles); juniors Brian Polubinski (shot put), Femi Oyewole (high jump) and Tynan Johnson (long jump); sophomore Kevin Bauers (discus) and the 800- and 1,600-meter relay teams.
Other notable returnees include: seniors Zack Konstanzer (sprint relays) and Brendan Bauers (shot put); juniors Josafat Gonzalez (800, 1,600 relay), Brendan Bauers (shot put) and Robert Trotter (sprint relays); and sophomore Zach Karys (sprint relays).
Junior Jordan Barile and sophomores A.J. Bilyeu and Nick Smich will take part in sprint relays, sophomore Tyler Bernat is a shot putter, and freshmen Zach Audy, Kevin Harrison will run the mile. Freshman Alex Bailey will compete in both hurdling events.
"Numerous athletes on the team have already performed better than their outdoor personal record last year in this year's indoor season," Kramer said. "As coaches, we are looking forward to see how our team is performing when we get into the month of May."
Elgin: The Maroons are led by returning state qualifier Adam Kuforiji, a senior. Last year he ran the open 400 in 50.12 at the St. Charles North sectional and 49.97 in his preliminary heat at the state meet. He was recently clocked at 51.4 on a 200-meter track at an indoor meet.
"My goal for him is to score pretty high in the state meet," Elgin coach Kevin Cleveland said. "I think it's possible we could also get one of our relays (downstate), either the 1,600 or possibly the 800 relay. We have some good young kids coming up" said Cleveland, who believes his contingent of 45 athletes could finish in the middle of the Upstate Eight Conference.
Other Elgin athletes to watch include: seniors Jose Duarte (800, 1,600), Hector Hernandez (throws), distance runner Ricardo Macha and Craig McKenzie, a first-time competitor in the shot put; juniors Francisco Flores (400), Earl Holloway (sprints, long jump), and sprinter Will Wood; sophomores Dennis Moore (sprints) and Devante King (sprints, hurdles); and promising freshman Jeff Broger, who placed fourth at the UEC indoor meet in the 200.
Larkin: Participation numbers remain low with only three seniors on the team, but the Royals continue their building trend as a talented sophomore class that performed well last season at the frosh-soph level prepares to contribute to the varsity.
Two such sophomores are Dan Russell, a hardworking 800-meter runner, and Cyrus French. Coach Michael Scianna said the aim is for French to run a sub-50-second 400 this season. He is Larkin's best hope for state qualification.
Football player Chris Skonieczny is the school's leading sprinter. The junior is also being trained in the 400, which would allow the Royals to put together a young 1,600-meter relay team.
"The program is coming along," said Scianna, also an assistant varsity football coach who was recently pink-slipped due to reductions in force in District U-46. "We're basically all junior varsity and underlevel but we have some guys who will compete."
South Elgin: First-year coach Anthony LaRue, who has been involved with endurance running for nine years, takes over for Dale Schabert.
For our individuals I want to see attention being paid to personal records, respect for everyone on the team, growth in understanding of the sport and a fire inside while competing - as I call it, trying to achieve warrior status."
Some South Elgin athletes seeking such status will be Greg Griffin (high jump, 400, distance relays), junior Domico Failla (long jump, sprint relays, 200), junior Brad Birchfield (sprints, sprint relays) and Sean Duncan (400, 800, distance relays).
Varsity newcomer Francisco Gonzalez has already clocked a 4:52 mile and a split of 2:11 in the 3,200 relay indoors. LaRue said a couple of other untested new recruits show promise.
"The strength in our program is the excitement I see in the younger athletes we have on this team," LaRue said. "I am not sure how well we will do when the season is complete, but there is a fire being lit in these young men."
Streamwood: Sixth-year coach Weert Goldenstein will juggle 40 track athletes (at all levels) in an effort to improve on last year's ninth-place finish in the 11-team UEC.
Perhaps the best hope for a state qualification rests in the powerful legs of senior sprinter Derrick King, who was unable to compete at the sectional meet last year. King will compete in the 100, 200, and 400-meter races.
Other top returning athletes include: senior Roger Klein (distance); juniors Joel Pinto (distance), Steven Sandoval (hurdles/mid-distance) and Matt Nykaza (hurdles/mid-distance); and sophomore Jhoan Lino (distance).
Some promising freshmen will contribute in sprints and relays: Sean Patterson, Blake Holder, Austin Mugnai, Art Beese and Adedeji Giwa.
As for team aspirations, Goldenstein listed placing higher in the UEC and qualifying a few athletes for state as the athletes pursue personal bests throughout the season.