Boys track and field: Previewing the 2025 season across the Herald-News area

As the outdoor season revs up, here’s a look at the 2025 boys track and field teams across the Herald-News area.

Bolingbrook

Coach: Jeff Lester

Top returners: Bruce Duncan III, sr. (sprints, relays); Devin Cathey, jr. (jumps); Isaac Stowers, jr. (sprints, relays); Jason Vervack, jr. (middle distance, relays); Ramere Jackson, sr. (relays); Jordan Lampkins, jr. (relays, jumps); Nikolas Maldonado, jr. (distances); Alex Sogavo, sr. (shot put); A.H. Perkins, jr. (sprints, jumps); Logan Matlock, jr. (PV), Olumuolade Olu-Akintomide, sr. (jumps)

Key newcomers: Jaden Gillespie, so. (hurdles); Azy Stefania, so. (distances); Peyton Broks, so. (shot put); Marlon Williams Jr., fr. (jumps)

Worth noting: The Raiders, new to the conference, took fourth in the tough Southwest Suburban Prairie indoor meet, an encouraging sign.

Coal City

Coach: Colin Keppner

Top returner: Julian Micetech, jr. (hurdles)

Key newcomers: Ryland Clements, fr. (relays); Gage Kraus, fr. (relays); LRiyhan Hunter, fr. (relays)

Worth noting: The freshmen leading the 4x200 relay excelled in the grade school state finals.

Dwight

Coach: Larry Lane

Top returners: Graham Meister, so. (throws); Holden Grimes, so. (throws); Ayden Roff, sr. (sprints, relays); Tysen Walker, jr. (sprints); Chris Ozee, so. (middle distance); Joe Duffy, so. (hurdles, relays, jumps); Colland Bachand, so. (hurdles, jumps)

Key newcomers: Joe Faris, so. (distances); Angel Martin, fr. (sprints); Mekki Hakey, fr. (middle distance); Evan Olsen, fr. (throws)

Worth noting: Meister won the 1A shot put title by more than 2 feet as a freshman and already has surpassed 58 feet this year. Around him and the relays, Lane hopes to build a formidable squad by May.

Joliet Catholic

Coach: Rachael Rayes

Top returners: Craig Peacock, jr. (sprints); Michael Brow, sr. (sprints); Collin Murphy, sr. (middle distance); Chris Corsi, jr. (distances); Justin Collins, sr. (jumps)

Key newcomers: Peyton Henry, fr. (sprints); Collin Nickel, fr. (sprints); Dylan Travis, so. (jumps); T.J. Shanahan, fr. (shot put); Malik Howard, fr. (jumps); Phil Larson, fr. (PV)

Worth noting: The Hilltoppers finished sixth in the boys side of the Lemont Invitational and have some promising athletes for 2025.

Joliet Central

Coach: Brian Reed

Top returners: Nathaniel Gabriel, so. (middle distance); Anthony Miranda, sr. (sprints); Erick Ortiz, jr. (distances); Antwi Boakye, sr. (LJ)

Key newcomers: Jayden Lopez, fr. (middle distance)

Worth noting: The Steelmen have their work cut out for them in the tough Southwest Suburban Prairie but show some promise.

Joliet West

Coach: Joseph Tucker

Top returners: James Kokuro, sr. (sprints); Payton Hudson, jr. (middle distance); Julian Esquivel, sr. (distances); D’shon Woods, sr. (jumps); Wonder Ankamah, sr. (jumps); Khristian Lestz, jr. (HJ)

Key newcomers: Lucas Houlihan, fr. (distances)

Worth noting: Kokuro will pile up the points for the Tigers in the 100, 200 and 400 and the Tigers will look for consistent scoring elsewhere to complement his work.

Lemont

Coach: Frank Kovach

Top returners: Dominic Patnaude-Noodwang, jr. (sprints, relays); Andrew Ascolani, so. (sprints, relays); Nathan Murray, so. (sprints, relays); Scott Biedess, so. (middle distance); Adam Mustafa, sr. (distances); Gavin Abad, so. (distances); Daniel Jaquez, jr. (HJ); Daniel Foy, sr. (PV)

Key newcomers: Ethan DiNello, fr. (sprints, LJ)

Worth noting: Kovach is the one new boys head coach in the Herald-News area this year and has some talent with which to work.

Lincoln-Way Central

Coach: Dustin Waddell

Top returners: Jack Galminas, sr. (distances); Braden Hoff, sr. (distances); Bryce Counihan, jr. (distances); Kyle Fridel, sr. (distances); J.J. Carr, sr. (throws); Najah Falanah, jr. (shot put)

Key newcomers: Cian Scanlon, so. (middle distance)

Worth noting: The 4x800 team of Galminas, Friedl, Counihan and Hoff set an Illinois Top Times record of 7:56.16 in Saturday’s race.

Lincoln-Way East

Coach: Ray Hines

Top returners: Sean Hanrahan, sr. (distances); Keagan Ruane, sr. (sprints, relays); Isaiah Kuli, sr. (sprints, relays); Landon Johnson, sr. (relays); Joe Johnston, sr. (hurdles); Ethan Eichie, sr. (hurdles); Kayden Smith, jr. (sprints, relays); Griffin Chojnacki, jr. (PV); Tebit Okwen, so. (TJ); Owen Bohren, so. (LJ); Jimeto Okafor, so. (shot put); Mason Halliman, so. (throws)

Key newcomer: Jack Murphy, fr. (sprints)

Worth noting: The Griffins are chasing repeats in the SWSC and hope to take a second straight sectional title as well. They have the talent to do so.

Lincoln-Way West

Coach: Joe Strain

Top returners: Austin Rowswell, sr. (sprints, relays); Josh Veldman, sr. (sprints, relays); Ryan Stiglic, sr. (PV); Anthony Lusciatti, jr. (hurdles); Brendan Vlasak, sr. (hurdles)

Key newcomers: Zaven Johnson, fr. (sprints); Hunter Spee, so. (sprints); Braydon McNulty, fr. (hurdles)

Worth noting: Rowswell, leader of a deep team, ran the second-fastest indoor 400 (48.03) in Illinois prep history Saturday on Gately’s banked track.

Lockport

Coach: Tom Razo

Top returners: Jason Soderstrom, jr. (PV); Xavier Adeniyi, jr. (sprints); Jonathan Evans, sr. (sprints); Nolan Lamoureux, sr. (sprints); Henry Eissing, so. (distances); Michael Pratt, jr. (shot put); Graydon Czako, sr. (jumps)

Key newcomers: Fope Omisore, fr. (sprints); Jack Mertens, so. (sprints); Matthew Lienhardt, fr. (distances); Patrick Valcich, fr. (distances); Prince Nartey, fr. (jumps)

Worth noting: The Porters, a solid fourth in the SWSC indoor meet, always blossom in the spring.

Minooka

Coach: Nick Lundin

Top returners: Matthew Maffeo, jr. (sprints); Max Smith, so. (sprints); Carter Wikoff, sr. (middle distance); Evan Wilson, sr. (middle distance); Nico Comino, jr. (distances); Nate Schalk, jr., (distances); Jeremy McPherson, sr. (shot put); Payton Fisher, sr. (TJ); Trevor Chicon, sr. (LJ); Kobey Dannenberg, sr. (hurdles)

Key newcomers: Nehemiah Brown, so. (jumps, hurdles); Matthew Whalen, so. (middle distance); Alex Workman, fr. (middle distance); Ryan Resar, fr. (distances)

Worth noting: Minooka has a lot back from the 2024 squad – especially in the core running events – and newcomers who can help fill out the roster.

Morris

Coach: Ryan Battersby

Top returners: Brody Peterson, jr. (sprints); Nikita Hovious, jr. (distances); Cuyler Swanson, so. (distances); Everett Swanson, so. (distances); Colin Zierman, jr. (sprints, hurdles); Kazden Klinker, jr. (hurdles); Owen Noon, jr. (HJ); Luis Loza, jr. (HJ); Corbin Miller, jr. (LJ)

Key newcomers: Dominic Sallese, fr. (sprints); Kado Thanadabouth, fr. (sprints); Romero Zdanovic, fr. (hurdles)

Worth noting: Morris will lean on the Swansons for points in distances and relays, and they will provide plenty.

Peotone

Coach: Lori Lonard

Top returners: Joshua Bass, sr. (sprints); Augustyn Price, so. (sprints); Roman Jelinek, sr. (distances); Adam Murray, so. (jumps)

Key newcomers: Rex Stoltman, fr. (sprints, HJ); Benjamin Johnson, fr. (sprints); Greyson Denny, fr. (distances)

Worth noting: The Blue Devils are young but hope to develop by May.

Plainfield Central

Coach: Jeff Purdom

Top returners: Torrance Freeman, jr. (sprints, relays); Gilberto Saucedo, so. (sprints); Tyler Weir, sr. (middle distance); Prince Jones, jr. (LJ)

Key newcomers: Jakub Banka, so. (jumps)

Worth noting: The Wildcats are in rebuilding mode but have shown promise.

Plainfield East

Coach: Mike Adamson

Top returners: Joe Owusu, jr. (sprints); Mikhail Bolden, sr. (sprints); Shawn Harris, sr. (jumps); Nasir Robinson, jr. (sprints); Grant Withaeger, jr. (distances); Dominic Taylor, jr. (distances); Elijah Frimpong, so. (hurdles); Jaden Pringle, jr. (shot put)

Key newcomers: Jairo Gomez, so. (middle distance); John Berducio, jr. (distances); James Turi, fr. (hurdles)

Worth noting: As the lightning-fast Owusu goes, so goes Plainfield East.

Plainfield North

Coach: Tony Holler

Top returners: Omar Coleman, sr. (sprints; relays); Keith Cyracus, sr. (sprints, relays, LJ); Devan Draughon, sr. (sprints, relays); Treycen Bownes, sr. (sprints, relays, TJ); Quinn Davis, sr. (distances); Thomas Czerwinski, jr. (distances); Gavin Hall, jr. (distances); Aiden Connors, jr. (distances); Jack Davis, so. (hurdles); Evan Patchett, jr. (hurdles); Omer Mescioglu, sr. (discus); Quintin Wiencek, sr. (discus); Tomas Pena, sr. (throws); Kevin Wilson, sr. (throws)

Key newcomers: Sam Appiah, fr. (sprints)

Worth noting: The relay teams, both sprint and distance, should be excellent, leading the chase to displace Minooka atop the Southwest Prairie Conference.

Plainfield South

Coach: Jason Crowe

Top returners: David Obadein, sr. (sprints); Anthony Vilcek, sr. (sprints); Andreas Amos, sr. (sprints); Dylan Buturusis, so. (distances); Dylan Maloney, sr. (distances); Austin Cory, jr. (distances); Cole Maranowicz, sr. (distances); Jackson Sperli, jr. (hurdles); Nickolas Grigsby, sr. (shot put); Liem Sesta, so. (HJ); Rwan Blanchard, sr. (PV); Javin Asante, sr. (jumps)

Key newcomers: Jaevon Calloway, fr. (middle distance, hurdles); Ayden Flemings, fr. (jumps)

Worth noting: Obadein and Vilcek are a potent one-two punch in the sprints.

Providence

Coach: Mark Coglianese

Top returners: Luke Leverett, sr. (sprints); Kyle Szafranski, jr. (distances); Braylon White, sr. (sprints); Charlie Shafer, jr. (middle distance); Yanru Chao, so. (hurdles, jumps); Gavin Kenny, sr. (jumps)

Key newcomers: Ben Coleman, fr. (shot put)

Worth noting: Leverett is the heart of the Celtics, a threat every time he gets in the blocks.

Reed-Custer

Coach: Andrea Shroba

Top returners: Jason Busto, jr. (distances, relays); Tanner Gullquist, so. (hurdles, jumps, PV); Damien Andrade, so. (sprints, relays)

Key newcomers: Carson Lowe, fr. (middle distances)

Worth noting: The Comets are young, with nary a senior on the roster.

Romeoville

Coach: Scott Harper

Top returners: Shaun Alexander, jr. (jumps); Xavier Santiago, jr. (sprints); Jaden Hardin, jr. (sprints, jumps); Danny Alvarez, jr. (distances); Javion Portis, so. (sprints, jumps); Francisco Figueroa, sr. (throws); Marc Thomas, sr. (throws); Antijuan Jones, so. (sprints, jumps); Troy Rotunno, so. (HJ)

Key newcomers: Zach Agyemang, fr. (hurdles)

Worth noting: The Spartans have a good mix of sprint and jump potential this spring.

Seneca

Coach: Terry Maxwell

Top returners: Sean Sigler, jr. (PV); Travis Barr, sr. (sprints); Colton Pumphrey, sr. (sprints, hurdles); Zebadiah Maxwell, jr. (shot put, discus); Matt Stach, jr. (sprints, LJ).

Key newcomers: Brayden Simek, fr. (sprints, jumps); Cooper Thorson, so. (sprints, jumps); Trent Powell, fr. (PV); Callum Wright, fr. (distance).

Worth noting: Along with Barr in sprints, coach Maxwell looks for improvement in jumps this year, hoping to add to Sigler’s drive to repeat as a pole vault medalist in the state finals.

Wilmington

Coach: Stephanie Stickel

Top returners: Billy Moore, jr. (sprints, jumps); Nate Cupples, jr. (sprints, LJ); Cam Allen, so. (shot put); Reid Waldon, sr. (jumps)

Key newcomers: Finn Cruck, fr. (sprints)

Worth noting: Moore and Cupples look to be the key Wildcats for point purposes.