Boys track and field: Scouting the Tri-Cities

Aurora Central

Catholic

Coach: Troy Kerber (29th season).

Last year: Sixth in the Suburban Christian Conference, 10th at the Class 2A Mendota sectional. Top returnees: Daniel Aquino, sr., middle distance; Gabriel Boebel, sr., middle distance; John Eastwood, sr., distance; Tyler Garcia, sr., middle distance; Josh Jerwers, so., distance; Christian Marchis, jr., throws; Jacob Marcoux, jr., throws; Joey Perez, sr., sprints/jumps; Richard Schwartzbauer, sr., sprints.

Key newcomers: McKimmon Englehardt, fr., hurdles; Henry Feldhaus, so., middle distance: Jonathan Mattas, fr., sprints/jumps; Max Mendoza, so., middle distance/hurdles; Caleb Minx, so., sprints/jumps; A.J. Zajac, jr., sprints; Griffin Zajac, so., sprints.

Outlook: As the Chargers move into the Metro Suburban Conference West Division, it's a rebuilding year. Coach Kerber graduated speedster Josh Robinson, sixth-place 2A 800 runner Javier Montelongo and hurdler Patrick Lefevre, who persevered through injury to run fifth in the Class 2A 110 hurdles. "I think we're kind of a process in the making," said Kerber, now in his fourth different conference. "We're going to start kind of slow because we have some good, young talent to go with some seasoned veterans." ACC had a subpar conference varsity finish last season by its standards but the frosh/soph squad placed third; at the 13-team Metro indoor meet March 17, ACC finished 11th. There's always the Chargers' hallmark 3,200 relay, where from a 2A state qualifier Aquino and Garcia will join a pool of about eight 3,200 and 1,600 relay candidates. Athletes such as Perez, Schwartzbauer, Feldhaus and Marchis will have to pick it up but have potential. Feldhaus advanced out of cross country regionals last fall and Marchis could challenge 50 feet outdoors in shot put. A.J. Zajac took second in the 100 and 200 at the 2014 frosh-soph SCC meet. "If we can qualify (for state) in three to five events it would be a very successful season for this particular team," Kerber said.

Aurora Christian

Coach: Anna Morgan (third year). Last year: Second in the Suburban Christian Conference; first at the 1A Seneca sectional; first in Class 1A. Top returnees: Tanner Chada, so., distance; Josh Schien, sr., pole vault, sprints; Zach Williams, jr., throws.

Key newcomers: Antoni Campbell, fr., sprints; Andrew Hasulube, fr., high jump, middle distance; Dylan Leschewski, so., sprints; Luke Solatka, so., sprints; Zach Teunis, jr., middle distance; Brock Whelan, sr., throws; Luke Winters, jr., middle distance.

Outlook: Don't fret over a lack of numbers. Last spring the Eagles brought 10 athletes to Charleston, three of whom were alternates, and won the big trophy. The issues instead are youth and the health of Chada. The sophomore placed sixth in the 1A 3,200 and qualified in the 1,600 last year then experienced terrible knee pain until January surgery, hopefully returning late-season. Aurora Christian graduated 1A discus champ Jonah Walker and seven-time all-state sprinter Johnathan Harrell, the cheerful, verse-rapping ringleader behind 36 of the Eagles' 37 state medals since 2011. "We're still very excited and really optimistic," said Coach Morgan, who with husband Craig McQuade had their first child, Morgan, on Jan. 30. Back is 14-foot vaulter Schien, sixth place in 1A last season. Anna Morgan figures on reloading sprints and jumps behind youngsters such as Campbell, who she said ran a 52-second 400 last year in eighth-grade. Thrower Williams should score in most meets, and footballer Whelan was rewarded for joining the team his senior year with a 52-11 shot put his first meet indoors, nearly 3 feet past state-qualifying distance. On an individual basis Aurora Christian should still have a presence in Charleston even with its youth. "With some of them being young we're excited for what they're going to be bringing to the program the next couple of years," Morgan said.

Batavia

Coach: Dennis Piron (17th year). Last year: Third in the Upstate Eight Conference; first in the UEC River Division; second at the 3A Bartlett sectional. Top returnees: Matt Fabian, sr., pole vault; Patrick Gamble, sr., throws; Jake Girmscheid, sr., hurdles, sprints; Tyler Mansfield, sr., pole vault; Howie Morgano, sr., jumps; David Morrison, sr., distance; Peyton Piron, sr., hurdles, sprints; Jon Shubert, sr., sprints; Nick Stuttle, jr., jumps, hurdles; Ryan Wieties, sr., middle distance.

Key newcomers: Shea Bastian, jr., distance; Zach Choffin, jr., distance; Jay Hunt, so., high jump, sprints; Mitch Krusz, sr., throws; Peter Rudelich, so., high jump; Chris Schmidt, jr., distance; Kamontez Thomas, jr., sprints.

Outlook: A solid squad with both top-line performers and depth to double-score in several events, the Bulldogs look to three-peat in the Upstate Eight River and go from there. "I think our conference will be pretty balanced," Dennis Piron said. "I think having some standouts in certain areas will really help you." Heading those standouts is Wieties, a 2014 state 800 qualifier who indoors dropped his own program record in the 1,600 to 4:24.63; the West Point recruit will decide where his best individual state chances lay in May as well as a possible relay spot. Peyton Piron, the coach's son, should be among Kane County's most dynamic runners. A returning 300 hurdles qualifier, he's a threat to qualify in both hurdles races, on a couple relays and in the 400, where on March 13 he joined Neuqua Valley's Division I-bound Ty Moss and Zac Espinosa all under the UEC indoor record, helping Batavia to a second-place team finish. Morrison, the county's fastest returning 3,200 runner by nearly 20 seconds, hopes to earn a second straight downstate bid. On top of these seniors the Bulldogs bring the cavalcade of legitimate point scorers listed above, including returning state qualifier and Grand Valley State recruit Mansfield in pole vault and high jumper Hunt, who matched the state qualifying standard at the UEC indoor meet with a personal-best 6-5. The Bulldogs are particularly loaded in field events and hurdles, a program staple on both the boys and girls side. Of interest is Krusz, throwing discus and shot put after nearly a two-year hiatus due to a serious knee injury. If there is an area of development it's in the short sprints and thus 400 and 800 relays. Freshman Reggie Phillips is probably a year away. "We'd be sensational if we had one pure sprinter," Dennis Piron said. As it is Batavia will be very good. "I think this group of seniors wants to get back on the medal stand and show the younger kids what hard work can do," Piron said.

Geneva

Coach: Gale Gross (10th year). Last year: Fourth in the Upstate Eight Conference; second in the UEC River Division; fourth at the 3A Bartlett sectional. Top returnees: Nick Carlton, sr., hurdles, sprints; Mitchael Deamantopulos, jr., distance; Justin Nebel, sr., jumps; Tom Sweet, sr., high jump; Justin Taormina, jr., jumps, sprints; Matt Weston, sr., throws.

Key newcomers: John Boenzi, jr., throws; Zeke Buck, jr., pole vault, sprints; Tyler Dau, so., distance; Don Friedel, jr., sprints, jumps; Jack Glavin, jr., throws; Alec Keating, jr., Brian Kuehl, so. distance; Aleks Nosewicz, jr. middle distance.

Outlook: Asked his opinion of the Vikings, Batavia coach Dennis Piron said that regardless of what they offer as front-tier talent, they're always there at the end. Geneva coach Gale Gross suggested this when he said: "I think we're going to have a little bit of depth." Geneva graduated a pair of state qualifiers, in eighth-place 3A 800 runner Blaine Bartel and the Tri-Cities' fastest 100 and 200 runner in 2015, Tim Roels. Despite returning only nine seniors Geneva retains legitimate goals of placing in the top four both in the conference and at sectional. At the UEC indoor meet the Vikings finished fourth among all teams, leaning heavily on Taormina to join a tight bunch with Waubonsie Valley and Batavia behind decisive winner Neuqua Valley. Many teams will say this, but Geneva will be better outdoors with Carlton adding the 300 hurdles and Weston and Boenzi throwing discus. Not hugely experienced, Geneva is bolstered by athletes from last year's frosh-soph squad which finished third overall in the UEC outdoors last season, second to Batavia when only River Division places were tallied. Taormina is a possible long jump qualifier, having already gone 22-4 indoors, and looks ready to accept Roels' mantle as the Vikings' top sprinter with Friedel coming off a solid UEC indoor meet. Sweet and potential state qualifiers Nebel and Buck will at least be consistent scorers while Deamantopulos was a 2014 cross country state qualifier. Typically solid from 800 on up, Geneva finished second in the 3,200 relay at the UEC indoor meet largely with varsity newcomers. Gross said the sprints and throws need development overall, but those two groups still are off to a pretty decent start. "I think by the end of the year the guys will add nice depth to the program."

Kaneland

Coach: Eric Baron (10th year). Last year: First in the Northern Illinois Big XII; first at the 2A Burlington Central sectional; second in Class 2A. Top returnees: Ben Barnes, sr., jumps, sprints; Brandon Cruz, jr., sprints; Mitch Groen, jr., pole vault; Austin Kintz, jr., distance; Andrew Lesak, sr., middle distance; Tanner Robertson, jr., hurdles; Isaac Swithers, sr., sprints.

Key newcomers: Kevin Fitzgibbon, sr., sprints; Tristan Kinder, jr., throws; Mike Rinella, jr., pole vault; Logan Strang, jr., throws; Danny Walker, so., pole vault.

Outlook: After sending 15 Knights to the 2014 state meet and finishing a mere 6 points behind 2A champion Cahokia then graduating many three-year varsity performers - stars, record setters and role models like Kyle Carter, Dylan Nauert, Nate Dyer, Nathan Kucera - coach Eric Baron sees some "vacuum affect." He still believes Kaneland has the horses to compete for a fifth conference title in six years, a seventh straight sectional title and a downstate presence. "Our points are big points," he said. Heading the scorers is Illinois recruit Barnes, whose long jump of 23 feet, 5 inches on his final attempt in last year's 2A championship won the event and set a school record. Barnes also runs sprints, back with Swithers from a third-place, program record-setting 800-meter relay. With Barnes, Cruz, Iowa transfer Fitzgibbon and Swithers - recently cleared from MCL surgery after a football injury though it'll take time for him to get to 100 percent - the Knights have the makings of good sprint relays. Returnees such as Lesak, 1,600 qualifier Kintz and Robertson have their time to shine after playing mainly supporting roles to last year's veteran crew, and Lesak and Kintz both prepped on a 3,200 relay that set a school record at 7:49.33. In these cases Kaneland will reload. In others it will rebuild behind promising underclassmen - in the throws, distance and hurdles, where freshmen such as Matt Richtman, Clayton Shannula and Tyler Nance start to compile a resume. Rinella, over 13 feet indoors, and Groen (pronounced "green") head what the Baron thinks may be on one of Kaneland's best groups of vaulters; having qualified in vault 32 straight years that says something. Though very young by recent standards, this quality program is on a roll. "I think it can be a team that can contend for conference-county-sectional things again," Baron said. "I don't know if we're in the running with Cahokia, but I think we're a top 10-type team. We'll see how things progress."

Marmion

Coach: Dan Thorpe (10th year). Last year: First in the Suburban Christian Conference; seventh at the 3A Bartlett sectional. Top returnees: Noel Abraham, sr., sprints; Paul Bancroft, sr., distance; Anton Blaeser, sr., jumps; Brady Bobbitt, sr., distance; Isaiah Brown, jr., jumps, sprints; Andrew Burroughs, jr., distance; Jake Cornish, sr., pole vault; Joe Duffield, jr., sprints; Luke Juriga, sr., throws; Quinn Gratz, so., distance; Josh Ruddy, jr., jumps; Peter Saucedo, sr., sprints; Charlie Zimmer, so., distance. Key newcomers: Sean Groom, fr., jumps, sprints; Andrew Lifka, so., distance; Michael Ronzone, fr., distance.

Outlook: Coach Dan Thorpe says it every year - the Cadets don't have that top-line speed. And every year Marmion goes about the business of winning a conference title. If that happens again May 12 in Aurora, the hosts will end their Suburban Catholic/Christian Conference reign on an 11-year run. (As of the 2015-16 school year Marmion joins St. Francis and Montini going into the Chicago Catholic League while Aurora Christian goes to the Northeastern Conference.) Brown turned heads indoors with an early long jump of 21-6, nearly 6 inches past his best mark last outdoor season. He'll also run in relays with experienced sprinters who should still be able to score in most meets they attend. Sectional shot put champ Juriga seeks more hardware before going to Western Michigan for football. Cornish only needs to add 9 inches to his top 2014 vault to qualify for state. And while Thorpe looks for sprint relays to come around, distance coach Dan Klatt's crew is already there. Bobbitt, who ran the 1,600 in 4:20.21 indoors at Batavia, turned down offers from Ohio State, Georgia Tech and Lehigh to take a Penn State preferred walk-on slot; he could head a solid 3,200 relay and spin off into potential individual qualification from 800 to 3,200 meters, There are plenty of distance alternatives with Bancroft, Burroughs, Lifka, Gratz, Zimmer and Co., who got their varsity feet wet while also enjoying frosh-soph success. Numbers, though, are a concern if not now in the future. At around 70 athletes this is Thorpe's smallest team, with only 12 freshmen. He'll continue to recruit the halls to retain the status quo. "Once again we're a track team," Thorpe said. "Not one or two kids are going to carry us. We're able to fill all events."

St. Charles East

Coach: Chris Bosworth (fifth year). Last year: Eighth in the Upstate Eight Conference; fourth in the UEC River Division; fifth at the 3A Bartlett sectional. Top returnees: Kyle Decker, sr., hurdles, sprints; Mo Flanagan, sr., sprints;- Michael Gerkin, jr., distance; Devon Kelly, jr., sprints; Joe Komlanc, sr., sprints; Marco Loleng, jr., jumps; Will Muckian, sr., distance; Mark Sciurba, jr., distance; Mike Skora, sr., distance.

Key newcomers: Hunter Klose, sr., middle distance; Jack Rzpecki, jr., distance; J. B. Sandlund, so., middle distance; Colton Webber, so., pole vault.

Outlook: When Bosworth arrived as St. Charles East's head coach the Saints already had a foundation of solid sprints and with it sprint relays. A distance runner at Lake Park in his prep days, he brought that dimension. Soon he hopes to have the third phase sorted out. "We're a more well-rounded team but now we need to get more field events," he said. From a two-time defending UEC River cross country champion Gerkin, Sciurba and 1,600 qualifier Skora anchor the distance and should get a big boost from Sandlund, third in the 2014 frosh-soph 800 and second, under 2:03, at the recent varsity indoor meet. The 3,200 relay, which trailed Neuqua Valley and Geneva at the indoor UEC meet, could also spin off potential individual qualifiers. Veteran sprinters doesn't bring the breakout speed of graduate Jordan Duncan, but Kelly, Flanagan, Komlanc and quality hurdler Decker front a reliable cast both in relays and open events. Decker broke 8 seconds in the 55 hurdles at the UEC indoor meet; he enters the outdoor season as the area's quickest returning 110 hurdler and will push Batavia's Peyton Piron among River 300 hurdlers. Kelly is a potential 400-meter qualifier. "We should be good on the track," Bosworth said. In the field the Saints miss the graduated high jumper Ryan Memije, a consistent scorer, but return Loleng and the improving Webber in horizontal jumps and pole vault, respectively. Throwers and high jumpers are young, but Bosworth is expecting to score if not double-score in most meets his team will enter. At the UEC indoor meet when scored across all 16 teams the Saints finished fourth overall, behind only Neuqua Valley, Batavia and Geneva and ahead of such quality programs as Bartlett, Waubonsie Valley, West Aurora and St. Charles North. That satisfied Bosworth's top-five goal. "I think we should do a lot better than we did last year," he said. "The way I see it there are only a couple of events that we don't score in."

St. Charles North

Coach: Kevin Harrington (second year, 12th overall)

Last year: Fifth in the Upstate Eight Conference; third in the UEC River Division; sixth at the 3A Bartlett sectional. Top returnees: Brad Dawrant, sr., sprints; Jack Glavin, jr., throws; Steve Lewandowski, sr., distance; Max Markowicz, sr., middle distance; Danny Obernesser, sr., distance; Chris Suda, sr., distance;

Key newcomers: Christian Baker, sr., sprints; Jack Druffel, jr., pole vault; Olu Elegbede, jr., sprints; Joey Fiandaca, jr., pole vault; Eric Lins, so., sprints; Josh Pelock, jr., pole vault; Joey Rangel, jr., distance; Carter Stibgen, jr., distance; Riley Smith, so., hurdles; Tyler Tomich, jr., distance; Ryan Turner, sr., throws.

Outlook: Like most teams the North Stars have areas of strength and others to be determined. "I wouldn't favor us for much right now but I certainly hope to change how I talk about that in about a month," said candid coach Harrington. Pelock's 13-9 indoor pole vault heads a dogfight in North's deepest event, also returning frosh-soph UEC River winner Fiandaca. Lewandowski and Suda ran on a 12th-place 3A 3,200 relay, and Harrington said Obernesser is "on fire right now." The North Stars' 8:13 run in the Mustang Relays on March 9 was as fast as early as Harrington could recall. The graduation of 400-meter ace Jack Feeney and all-state high jumper Erik Miller leaves a void especially in jumps, but big things promise to arrive. In the 110 and 300 hurdles Smith set St. Charles North frosh-soph records in each event, winning the UEC River in both at that level. Lins did the exact same thing in the 55 indoor and the 100/200 outdoor. Linz and returnee Dawrant head a developing cast of sprinters including Baker, running track for the first time since he was a freshman. The coach is excited about his throws. Indoors Turner added 6 feet to his best 2014 shot put distance, and strongman Glavin won conference outdoor frosh-soph shot and discus and should challenge Matt Loula's 2004 school shot put record of 50 feet, 1 inch. North remains in the River's Big Four with Batavia, Geneva and St. Charles East, but the status of jumps, middle distance and sprints has Harrington in wait-and-see mode. "This is one of those years if I'm not sure if it's a rebuilding year because we're so young on sprints," he said. "It's hard to categorize until we see the kids get out and run some."

West Aurora

Coach: Cortney Lamb (11th year).

Last year: Seventh in the DuPage Valley Conference; 10th at the 3A Joliet West sectional. Top returnees: DaQuan Cross, so., jumps, sprints; DaVion Cross, so., jumps, sprints; Alex DeBolt, jr., throws; Karl Fowler sr., throws; Connor McCue, jr., middle distance; Hunter Siler, sr., throws; Baron Smith, sr., sprints; Drake Spears, jr., hurdles, sprints; Chris Walker, jr., jumps.

Key newcomers: Chandler Berhens, so., sprints; David Castillo, so., distance; Michael Dudley-Pryor, so., sprints; Nick Thompson, jr., vault

Outlook: If track and field were based solely on jumps West Aurora could compete with Cahokia for an all-class state title. As freshmen DaQuan and DaVion Cross high jumped a respective 6-1 and 5-11 in varsity meets, but after Lamb kept them on the frosh-soph level for the outdoor DVC meet DaQuan went 6-3 to win that level and DaVion won both long and triple jump, going 1-2 with Walker in the latter. Pulled up for the state series, DaVion Cross and Walker each triple-jumped farther than 45 feet and ended the year in Charleston with Cross in 11th place and Walker second at 46-11½. Just ending their basketball season the Cross twins didn't run at the indoor Upstate Eight meet - where West Aurora finished eighth in its return there - but Walker set an indoor conference record at 47-1¼; each of his three attempts would have finished in last year's outdoor top-four marks in 3A. Walker added a winning long jump of 22-8½ that topped his 2014 outdoor best by more than two feet. Along with developing sprinters such as Dudley-Pryor and strong senior Smith, the jumpers may help in relays, but Lamb will be cautious about overuse. "We want to make sure they're successful and in their best event," he said. Along with the usual cast of throwers who will score in nearly every meet, including throws coach Bob Fowler's senior son, Karl, the Blackhawks have another top-notch individual, McCue (whose older brother, Brady, runs for Loyola). Capable of 800 or 1,600 qualification, he won the 2014 DVC 800 and qualified for 3A. McCue entered this week with the state's fastest indoor 800, 1:56.46. West Aurora took a huge hit when Spears broke an ankle in the Blackhawks' penultimate basketball game; a key relay participant, if he returns it'll be with hardly any training. To compete for titles West will need its front-liners to score big while building depth on the track. "We're going to have to score a ton in the field events," Lamb said.