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The boys cross country season is underway. Here are previews of teams in the Kane County Chronicle coverage area.
Batavia
Coach: Bronco Meeks
Top athletes: David Bednarek, so.; Francesco Benelli, so.; Alejandro Jacob, so.; Colin Knowles, jr.; Quintin Lowe, sr.; Adam Miller, sr.; Ethan Storie, jr.; William Streepey, jr.; Felipe Wicker, jr.
Worth noting: Lowe, the lone Class 3A state qualifier for Batavia last fall, closed out his junior season last spring by consistently scoring for the state-championship track team on a regular basis. “They have seen that success,” Lowe said of his teammates who were in close proximity to the track program earlier this year. “We want to change that dynamic in cross country. I feel like – with me at the top – we can do some damage at the state meet this year.” Lowe spearheaded the Bulldogs’ season-opening Kane County title by winning the individual crown in 15:35.3.
Burlington Central
Coach: Vince Neil
Top athletes: Robert Anderson, jr.; Adam Hinkleman, jr.; Logan Karottu, jr.; Obaid Khwaja, jr.; Ryan Kries, sr.; Alan Perez, jr.
Worth noting: Running as a cohesive unit is certainly a desired goal in the sport. ”I think our pack is going to be stronger than it was last year,” Neil said. “We’ve got five kids who are going to do really well for us. The boys are going to put together a good season.” Kries is the most athletic of the Rockets’ returning athletes and is a former All-State track relay runner. “We expect him to be a leader,” Neil said. ”They are looking fit,” Neil said of his athletes’ determination this fall.
Geneva
Coach: Peter Raak
Top athletes: Julian Hipp, so.; Evan Kirby, sr.; Jack Kuehl, sr.; David Roeder, sr.; Anthony Ross, sr.; Dominic Ross, so.; Andrew Warwoup, sr.
Worth noting: The Vikings certainly will be battle-tested as the season progresses between their competition in the DuKane Conference and a quality invitational schedule on the weekends. “We have a very tough conference,” Raak said of the many roadblocks in the DuKane. “We have a good crew of seniors. Running strong as a pack will be key for us.” Much will be expected of the senior quintet of Kirby, Kuehl, Roeder, Warwoup and Anthony Ross this fall. “Our end goal is to qualify for state as a team,” Raak said.
Kaneland
Coach: Chad Clarey
Top athletes: Palmer Behrends, jr.; Chase Breenan, jr.; Brayden Farmer, sr.; Nolan Hosking, sr.; Evan Nosek, so.; Collin Reutimann, jr.; David Valkanov, jr.
Worth noting: Kaneland, technically the defending Class 2A state champion last fall, missed a second consecutive trophy with an agonizingly close fourth-place finish. Nosek was the Knights’ major individual consolation prize as the sophomore finished in the No. 21 position in his first state appearance. “I would say we are accepting what we can control in our program,” Clarey said. “The general feeling of the group is that they are positive.” Clarey readily admits the Knights’ window has little leeway. “We can’t afford to lose anybody,” he said.
Marmion
Coach: Andrew Lifka
Top athletes: Nathan Brandon, jr.; Connor Carlson, jr.; John Daffenberg, so.; Joseph Dorando, fr.; Vincent Dorando, so.; Robert Gramley, jr.; Mitchell Gratz, sr.; Michael Whitacre, fr.
Worth noting: The Cadets were narrowly denied a Class 2A state berth last year. Kafka is optimistic the lessons learned from its eighth-place result at the Fenton Sectional last fall will reap rewards this season for Marmion. “We basically have the bulk of our top 14 back,” Lifka said. “First and foremost, we want to get our team to state.” Carlson and Daffenberg were at-large qualifiers to Peoria last November. Gratz will be assigned senior leadership duties this fall.
St. Charles East
Coach: Chris Bosworth
Top athletes: Adrian Ahuatl, jr.; Grayson Elleshon, so.; Oscar Frontjes, jr.; Mitch Garcia, sr.; Connor Reed, jr.; Lexton Rockwell, sr.; Jed Wilson, jr.; Michael Wilson, fr.
Worth noting: The face of the program, Micah Wilson, who led the Saints to the Class 3A team state championship in 2019 before claiming the individual title last year, has graduated and is plying his trade at the University of Wisconsin. “That state championship team has all graduated,” Bosworth said. “They [current team members] have to make their own success.” Garcia is the Saints’ top returnee. Jed Wilson and Rockwell are the Saints’ other returning downstate starters from last fall. “[Garcia] has the capability to be an All-State, top-25 runner,” Bosworth said. “He has put in the work to do that.” The Saints were runner-up to Batavia last weekend for top county honors.
St. Charles North
Coach: Kevin Harrington
Top athletes: Nick Chana, jr.; Kyle Denton, sr.; Matthew Kuryla, sr.; Wilhelm Lackner, jr.; Owen Santos, jr.; Noel Sookswat, so.; Will Stone, jr.; Nolan Wright, jr.
Worth noting: Lackner is the only returning St. Charles North athlete with any significant postseason experience. The junior advanced out of the Class 3A St. Charles East Sectional as an at-large qualifier last fall. Lackner also secured the last of the top 20 Kane County Meet finishes last Saturday in Geneva to pace the North Stars’ ninth-place result. Chana was 10 spots behind his junior teammate for the North Stars’ second-finest showing at the county invitational. The St. Charles North juniors constitute the core of the program. Kuryla is the lone senior of note to begin the season.
St. Francis
Coach: Scott Nelson
Top athletes: Sam Andrzejewski, sr.; Mike Coco, fr.; Charlie Coyle, jr.; Andrew Hernandez, sr.; Joe Kolker, jr.; Daniel O’Connell, sr.; Brandon Spahn, jr.
Worth noting: Eighteen years have nearly passed since St. Francis’ third-place finish at the Class A state finals. It is the lone trophy for Nelson in his near-four-decade run at the Wheaton high school. But the Spartans, who finished in the No. 11 Class 2A team slot last year, are fourth-ranked, according to ilxctf.com, as the season begins. “We are kind of that quiet dark horse that can open a lot of eyes as we go through the season,” Nelson said. “We put a great summer [of training] in.” Andrzejewski and O’Connell are St. Francis’ returnees to watch after their top-77 finishes last fall at Detweiller Park.