High school boys cross country: 2020 season preview capsules

McHenry turned in one of the most dominant performances in Fox Valley Conference history last season, placing all seven runners in the top 13 at the FVC Meet to score 38 points.

The Warriors had three runners graduate and one transfer, but they have a solid core with Carlos Montes, Caleb Schopen and Enrique Robles returning.

Cary-Grove’s Ian Barnes and Crystal Lake Central’s Austin May are two of the other top returners in the FVC.

Marian Central’s Peter Walsdorf was East Suburban Catholic Conference runner-up last season and a Class 2A All-Stater.

Marengo’s Luke Chaffin won the Kishwaukee River Conference and had a strong showing in the Class 2A State Meet.

Woodstock coach Jay Fuller thinks his loaded team could qualify for the state meet, if there is one. Heading into the season during the COVID-19 pandemic, conferences will look to have their meets, but the IHSA postseason is in question.

Fox Valley Conference

Burlington Central

Coach: Vince Neil.

Last year's finish: Third in FVC Meet.

Top returning athletes: Robert Perry, jr.; Zac Schmidt, jr.; Ysuf Baig, jr.; Nathan Guy, sr.; Javarius Foreman, sr.

Top new runners: Ryan Kries, fr.; Joey Kowall, fr.; Adam Hinkelman, fr.

Worth noting: The Rockets graduated their top two runners, Anthony Farmer and Gio Martinzez, from a team that was eighth in the Class 2A State Meet. … Perry and Schmidt have been the team leaders over the summer. Neil thinks Burlington will have a tighter pack this season.

Cary-Grove

Coach: Layne Holter (21st season)

Last year's finish: Sixth in FVC Meet

Top returning runners: Ian Barnes, jr.; Ryan Peters, sr.; James Grant, jr.; Dominic Garrard, jr.; Carson Hendrey, sr.; Logan Hubka, jr.

Top new runners: Jonathan Hunt, so.; Sean Barnes, fr.; Luke Boldwyn, fr.

Worth noting: Ian Barnes was one of the area's top runners as a sophomore, taking sixth in the FVC Meet and seventh in the Class 3A Palatine Regional. With Maxum Caesar now running at Illinois-Chicago, Barnes should take a step up and become the Trojans' No. 1 runner. … Holter looks forward to having Peters return after missing most of last season with an injury.

Crystal Lake Central

Coach: Bill Eschman (27th season)

Last year's finish: Fourth in FVC Meet

Top returning runners: Austin May, sr.; Tommy Landt, sr.; Karson Hollander, so.; Danny Hamill, jr.; AJ Camacho, sr.

Top new runners: Ryan Atkinson, sr.; Reiley Wheeland, sr.; Noah Blome, sr.; Will Foster, jr.; AIden Schulfer, fr.

Worth noting: Eschman is now the dean of FVC cross country coaches after his brother Rich retired as Crystal Lake South's coach after 27 seasons. … May was fifth in the FVC Meet last year and returns to lead the Tigers. … Eschman likes that a group of eight to 10 runners that dedicated themselves to running 65 miles a week over the summer. "They seem very motivated to have the best season they can have under these (COVID-19 pandemic) circumstances," he said.

Crystal Lake South

Coach: Nick Willhoit (first season).

Last year's finish: Eighth in FVC Meet.

Top returning runners: Alex Picchi, sr.; Garrett Czajkowski, sr.; Matt Brown, sr.; Josh Diersen, sr.; Jack Lyons, sr.

Worth noting: Picchi finished 14th in the FVC Meet and was usually the Gators' No. 1 runner. … Rich Eschman retired as coach and teacher at South. He had coached the Gators' cross country teams for 27 seasons. … Willhoit hopes the seniors can utilize their maturity to run competitively and intelligently.

Dundee-Crown

Coach: Ronald Delarmente (third season).

Last year's finish: Ninth in FVC Meet.

Top returning runners: Cristian Rodriguez, sr.; Daniel Montoya, sr.; Conner Mogge, jr.; Tyler Toms, jr.

Worth noting: Delarmente feels like the Chargers have about 10 runners all near the same pace. He wants to see those runners push each other and see how the competition amongst the team plays out.

Hampshire

Coach: Ryan Hollister (second season).

Last year's finish: Seventh in FVC Meet.

Top returning runners: Isai Morales, sr.; Aidan Gonzalez, jr.; Darius Nguepi, sr.; Henry Nangle, jr.; Sebastian Abreu, jr.; Owen Cuplin, so.

Top new runners: Brayden Garland, fr.; Gage Homola, fr.; Brandon Gray, fr.

Worth noting: The Whip-Purs return four of their top five runners from 2019, led by Morales and Gonzalez. Morales was the Whip-Purs' top runner until a mid-season injury slowed him down. Gonzalez advanced to the Class 2A State Meet as an individual. Nguepi and Nangle are the other two top runners coming back. … Hollister hopes there is an official state meet because he feels like the Whips have the runners to qualify in Class 2A.

Huntley

Coach: Matt Kaplan (13th season).

Last year's finish: Second in FVC Meet.

Top returning runners: Charlie Kucz, jr.; Ryan Besch, sr.; Thomas Patel, sr.; Owen Cravens, sr.; Hudson Fisher, so.

Top new runners: Luke Grubbs, fr.; Jaden Gutierrez, fr.; Zach Zuzzio, fr.

Worth noting: The Red Raiders will miss Ian Geisler, one of their top runners the last three seasons and a fourth-place finisher at the Class 3A State Meet. Geisler, the Northwest Herald Boys Cross Country Runner of the Year, now runs at Iowa. … Most of last year's team is back, led by Kucz, who was 12th in the FVC Meet. … Grubbs and Gutierrez are freshmen who could make impacts. … "We're excited to have the opportunity to compete after missing the spring track season," Kaplan said. "It will be fun to watch this group get back out there racing at the FVC dual and triangular meets."

Jacobs

Coach: Kevin Christian (14th season).

Last year's finish: Fifth in FVC Meet.

Top returning runners: Andrew Doetsch, jr.; Connor Maloney, sr.; Kyle Horn, sr.; Mitchell Ruffin. jr.; Zach Osmanski, jr.

Top new runners: Alec Melendez, so.; Aidan DeMuth, so.; Adam Lakeman, so.; Julian Van Antwerp, so.

Worth noting: Doetsch will be Jacobs' top returner after finishing the season with an injury last year. He finished ninth in the FVC as a freshman. "He had a terrific summer and will contend for the title," Christian said. … Christian feels the Golden Eagles will be five to 10 runners deep. Maloney and Horn look strong as seniors and transfer Melendez will be a key member in the lineup.

McHenry

Coach: Kevin Horst (fifth season).

Last year's finish: FVC champion.

Top returning runners: Carlos Montes, sr.; Caleb Schopen, sr.; Enrique Robles, jr.; Nate Puls, sr.; Rayaan Ahmed, so.

Top new runners: Jamicko Hernandez, fr.; Doug Martin, fr.

Worth noting: The Warriors dominated the FVC Meet last season, placing their seven runners in the top 13 to win with 38 points. Montes (eighth), Robles (ninth) and Schopen (13th) return from that team, but Jackson Albanese (11th, a sophomore) transferred to another school. … The Warriors were 8-0 in FVC duals last year, but will need to find depth outside their top three to keep that streak going.

Prairie Ridge

Coach: Judd Shutt (16th season).

Last year's finish: 10th in FVC Meet.

Top returning runners: Luke Kim, sr.; Daniel Llanquiman, jr.; Ian Mahon, so.; Will Green, jr.; Aidan Gilleland, jr.

Top new runners: Will Gelon, fr.; Eddy Klimkowski, fr.; Roberto Cardenas, so.

Worth noting: Kim and Llanquiman are pick-ups from the soccer team, whose season was moved to the early spring. Shutt feels the Wolves will benefit greatly from their presence. … "We have a greatly improved squad compared to the last several years," Shutt said. "The time at home this spring and summer allowed a good number or our runners to log miles consistently. Our front pack is in good fitness."

Kishwaukee River Conference

Harvard

Coach: Jeff Koza (first season).

Last year's finish: Fifth in KRC Meet.

Top returning runners: Steven Austin, jr.; Zach Isonhart, sr.; Jacob Pedersen, sr.

Top new runners: Manny Pined, fr.; Jared Gonzalez, fr.; Elijah Binz, fr.

Worth noting: Austin was 11th in the KRC Meet and Isonhart was 26th. They return to lead the Hornets. … Koza has high expectations for the Hornets as he takes over the program. He thinks Harvard can be a rising team to watch in the KRC.

Johnsburg

Coach: Chris Setzler (25th season).

Last year's finish: Third in KRC Meet.

Top returning runners: Andrew Ardon, sr.; Jackson Batt, so.; Ethan Berthoud, so.; Grady Germann, sr.; Brad Wizceb, sr.

Top new runners: Matt Bennett, fr.; Preston Michel, fr.; Gavin Boal, sr.; Kyle Rasper, jr.

Worth noting: The Skyhawks return four of their top runners from the third-place team in the KRC. Ardon (15th), Berthoud (16th) and Batt (18th) were their top three finishers in the meet. … "We were very young last year and that year of training and maturity will make a big difference," Setzler said. "I don't know if we have the firepower to catch Woodstock, but I'd like to see us move up to second in the KRC and see how close we can get."

Marengo

Coach: Kim Hoffmeister (second season).

Last year's finish: Second in KRC Meet.

Top returning runners: Luke Chaffin, sr.; Zach Secor, sr.; Aaron Moehrlin, sr.; Preston Bailey, jr.; Patrick Signore, so.

Top new runners: Tommy Lulinski, sr.; Owen Resenbeck, sr.; Camden Weirich, so.

Worth noting: Marengo returns five of its top six runners, led by KRC defending champion Luke Chaffin, who finished 54th at the Class 2A State Meet. Secor (seventh in KRC) and Moehrlin (eighth) are back, as are Patrick Signore and Preston Bailey. … Since Woodstock returns practically its entire team, it may be tough to catch, but the Indians clearly look like the Blue Streaks' toughest competition.

Richmond-Burton

Coach: Ryan Carlson (sixth season).

Last year's finish: Sixth in KRC Meet.

Top new runners: Tristan Rockwell, jr.; Sean Rockwell, fr.; Parker Sweeney, so.

Worth noting: The Rockets get Tristan Rockwell from the soccer team since that season was moved to the 2021 part of the school year. … "We're just excited to experience some sense of normalcy, even if it involves new schedules, format and keeping safe distances from others," Carlson said.

Woodstock 

Coach: Jay Fuller (seventh season).

Last year's finish: KRC champion.

Top returning runners: Jack Hansen, sr.; Aidan Schleutermann, sr.; Logan Hagmann, sr.; Alex Wickersheim, jr.; Max Hodory, jr.; Dylan Hanson, so.

Top new runners: Tanner Hurless, sr.; Jovanni Gonzalez, so.; Aidan Greenlee, so.; Thomas Seick, so.

Worth noting: The Blue Streaks return 13 of their top 14 runners from their KRC champion team, led by Hansen and Schleutermann, who both finished in the top five. … Fuller believes Woodstock has a team that can make it to the Class 2A State Meet, but it remains to be seen if there will be one.

Woodstock North

Coach: Cas Creighton (seventh season).

Last year's finish: Fourth in KRC Meet.

Top returning runners: Jorge Aragon, sr.; Ethan Creighton, sr.; Nathan Speciale, sr.; Michael Rank, jr.; Billy Nolan, jr.

Top new runners: Landan Creighton, fr.; Will Madigan, fr.; Tommy Schroeder, so.

Worth noting: Frank Dudzik, who was fourth in the KRC Meet, graduated, but five of the Thunder's top seven runners return. … "We have a nice group that should be able to pack run together," Cas Creighton said. "As long as everyone stays healthy we should have a great season."

East Suburban Conference

Marian Central

Coach: Murray Domich (second season).

Last year's finish: Fourth in ESCC Meet.

Top returning runner: Peter Walsdorf, sr.; Chris Atadero, sr.

Top new runner: Michael Babala, fr.

Worth noting: Walsdorf is the top returning runner from the ESCC Meet last year, he was runner-up to Marist's Thomas Leonard. Marian's Ryan Jones (NCAA D-II Illinois-Springfield) was third. Domich expects Walsdorf, a Class 2A All-Stater and the only returning member of the Northwest Herald All-Area first team, to be the area's top runner. … Atadero finished 19th in the ESCC Meet to earn all-conference honors.