By Pantagraph staff
BLOOMINGTON
Coach: John Szabo, 29th year
2009: 4th in Intercity; 3rd in Big 12; 3rd in regional; 12th in sectional;
Returnees from top seven: Sr. – Kyle O’Daniel, Joe Roig; Jr. – Coleman Mullenix; So. – Keith Meyer.
Other key contributors: Jr. – Chance Leathers; Fr. – Steven Bishop.
Storyline: If BHS can get its fifth man to close the gap on the top four of O’Daniel, Roig, Mullenix and Meyer, it could finish in the top half of the Big 12 and advance to the sectional. “I love their work ethic and their attitude has been wonderful,” Szabo said.
Keep an eye on: O’Daniel and Roig were part of the 10th-place state 3,200 relay last spring. Look for O’Daniel, who ran 4:34.09 in the 1,600, to lead the Purple Raiders as he did a year ago.
Bloomington Roster
Seniors- Kyle O’Daniel^, Joe Roig^, Aaron Schneider^; Juniors- Chance Leathers^, Coleman Mullenix^; Sophomores- Keith Jackson, Keith Meyer^, Gage Swearingen; Freshman- Steven Bishop, Ethan Cossio, Sam Doud, Alex Eagle, Willis Liverman, Logan Moret, Charles Smith.
CENTRAL CATHOLIC
Coach: Tom Engelhorn, 9th year
2009: 5th in Intercity; 6th in Corn Belt; 5th in regional; 8th in sectional.
Returnees from top seven: Sr. – Colton Anderson, Doug Haas, Adam Lockett, Matthew Schlenker, Wes Haas.
Other key contributors: Sr. – Frankie Flannely, Nick Christensen.
Storyline: A school-record nine seniors helped the Saints log more training miles this summer than any other Engelhorn-coached team. “I think we’re going to be better than I thought,” he said. “I think if we stay healthy, we have a legitimate chance of going to state.”
Keep an eye on: Haas and Anderson ran on the 12th-place state 3,200 relay last spring. They should help give the Saints four runners consistently between 16:20 and 17:00.
Central Catholic Roster
Seniors- Colton Anderson^, Thomas Barnes, Alex Beck, Nick Christensen^, Matthew Feeney, Frankie Flannely^, Doug Haas^, Adam Lockett^, Jacob Marron; Junior- Matthew Schlenker^; Sophomore- Wes Haas^; Freshmen- Jack Martin, Delaney Paul.
CORNERSTONE
Coach: Michele Larsen, 4th year
2009: 7th in regional
Returnee from top seven: Jr. – Isaac Bauer.
Other key contributors: Sr. – Nick Jones, Shane Wallin; Jr. – James Barrett, Makoy Overfelt, Kyle Woodrum; So. – Kal Knapp, Jacob Arnold.
Storyline: Sean Larsen, who graduated last spring, put Cornerstone cross country on the map by placing 30th in the 1A state meet. “There seems to be a bit more excitement for the sport after we sent our first athlete to the state meet last fall,” said Michele Larsen, whose top returnee, Bauer, placed 41st in the regional.
Keep an eye on: The Cyclones’ eight-man roster is the biggest in school history.
Cornerstone Roster
Seniors- Nick Jones, Shane Wallin; Junoirs- James Barrett, Isaac Bauer^, Makoy Overfelt, Kyle Woodrum; Sophomores- Jacob Arnold, Kal Knapp.
NORMAL COMMUNITY
Coach: Tom Patten, 26th year
2009: 3rd in Intercity; 4th in Big 12; 3rd in regional; 12th in sectional.
Returnees from top seven: Sr. – Austin Kiesewetter, Quinn Biever; Jr. – Ryan O’Leary, Luke Gordon.
Other key contributors: Sr. – Aaron Hanson, Sam Wylde, Preston Brown; So. – Calvin Athy; Fr. – Micah Young.
Storyline: The Ironmen don’t have a star, but they do have a solid top trio in Kiesewetter, Biever and O’Leary, who ran 10:24.37 in the 3,200 last spring. “I think a lot is going to depend on us having a 4-5-6 that can run relatively close to our top three,” Patten said. “We’d like to be top three in conference, but it will take some good team running.”
Keep an eye on: Young placed 25th in last year’s junior high state meet. NCHS has the Intercity’s biggest team with 53 men.
Normal Community Roster
Seniors- Quinn Biever^, Caleb Bonner, Preston Brown, Matt Everly, Ryan Everly, Jeremy Grogg, Aaron Hanson, Tom Hunter, Austin Kiesewetter^, Russ Leone, Jonathon Miskulin, Jackson Moore, Tom O’Shea, Jacob Schroeder, Walter Slater, Alex Steffen, Mike Todden, Sam Wylde^; Juniors- Luke Gordon^, Steve Lauder, John Leone, Eric Lopez, Henry Matter, Ryan O’Leary^, Tyler Morgan, Joey Petrillo, Bertram Riches, Ankur Singh, Scott Todd, Ben Wagner; Sophomores- Omar Abusager, Brandon Adelman, Calvin Athy, Drew Burningham, Luke Dao, Ben Gifford, Joel Gordon, Jack Hoeniges, Matt Reeps, Brandon Tran; Freshmen- Jack Abel, Ian Cessna, Matt Christopherson, Bryce Glancy, Adam Jacob, Nathan Jones, Taimur Khusro, Kevin Krause, Tanner Kuenneth, Jordan Page, Collin Rink, Brad Willett, Micah Young.
NORMAL COMMUNITY WEST
Coach: Steve Destri, 3rd year
2009: 1st in Intercity; 1st in Big 12; 1st in regional; 2nd in sectional; 24th in 3A state.
Returnees from top seven: Sr. – Drew Kerschieter, Bryce Basting, Roman Endrizzi; Jr. – Caleb Wiebenga, Tyler Becker; So. – Peyton Scheuermann, Taylor Hallatt.
Other key contributors: Sr. – Jeremy Kemp; Jr. – Eric Gordon, Logan Abeling.
Storyline: The No. 22-state ranked Wildcats hope to be the top “downstate” 3A team in Illinois after returning six state meet veterans. Kerschieter overcame a foot injury to place 24th in the state track 3,200 in 9:37.16. Basting ran 7th in the state 800 in 1:54.94. Scheuermann sped 9:50.94, the No. 5 freshman 3,200 time in Pantagraph area history.
Normal Community West Roster
Keep an eye on: Endrizzi, 10 pounds lighter than last spring, gives West a solid top three with Kerschieter and Basting. The Wildcats will seek to repeat as Big 12 champion and hold off U High for Intercity supremacy. “It’s going to be a dogfight again between us and U High,” Destri said.
Seniors- Drew Kerschieter^, Bryce Basting^, Roman Endrizzi^, Jeremy Kemp^, Matt Peterson, Simon Amr, Frank Marganaro, Kyle Tobin; Juniors- Logan Abeling, Tyler Becker^, Austin Brinkman, Caleb Buckley, Eric Gordon^, Scott Ramirez, Caleb Wiebenga^, Mason Wudtke, Chase Cook, Christian Magee; Sophomores- Trevor Arbogast, Jake Kemp, Peyton Scheuermann^, Taylor Hallatt^, Jared Arthur, Luke Brotherton, Branden Lucas, Andrew Massey; Freshmen- Brady Adams, Doug Cook, Caleb Doughty, Mark Dover, Reid Henry, Robert Murphy, Matt Peterson, Wes Reynolds, Jack Rosa, Willem Walls, Jason Zhang.
UNIVERSITY HIGH
Coach: Lester Hampton, 22nd year
2009: 2nd in Intercity; 1st in Corn Belt; 1st in regional; 2nd in sectional; 2nd in 2A state.
Returnees from top seven: Sr. – Ryan Rutherford, James Clay, Alex Parlette, Jordan Killhoffer; So. – Wesley Ward.
Other key contributors: Sr. – Jace Mortimer, Stephen Husk, C.J. Hamilton, Jason Brooks, Mitchell Houska; Jr. – Alex Chavez, Steven Hulett, Austin Butorac; So. – Brendan Hoskins.
Storyline: Reigning 2A state champion Belvidere North may be out of U High’s reach, but the Pioneers still feel they can land one of the two remaining state trophies. Dyestat ranks U High third in the state.
Keep an eye on: Clay, 14th in last year’s state meet, is working to regain his spot on the roster after sitting out last track season. Rutherford, 17th in last fall’s state meet, placed 10th in the state track 3,200 in 9:44.38. “I expect him to be up with the best runners in 2A,” Hampton said. Ward ran 9:54.27, the ninth best freshman 3,200 clocking in area history. Mortimer, an ex-football player, brings 1:59.84 800 speed to U High’s mix. Hamilton was the area’s No. 2 400 runner last spring at 50.15.
U High Roster
Seniors- Josh Ayers, Jason Brooks, James Clay^, C.J. Hamilton, Mitchell Houska, Stephen Husk^, Lance Jessurun, Jordan Kilhoffer^, Jace Mortimer, Alex Parlette^, Ryan Rutherford^; Juniors- Austin Butorac, Alex Chavez^, Mike DeCreamer, Matt Donovan, Alex Gorsuch, Steven Hulett^, Ryan Newby, Brock Porter, Evan Swiech; Sophomores- Jordan Brooks, Danny Bugg, Tallon Chambers, Riley Dale, John Hamilton, Brendan Hoskins, Wesley Ward^; Freshmen- McLean Conklin, Tyler Gillam, Lucas Houska, J.D. Lafayette, Ravi Malpani, Ben Moy, Andrew Porter, Alexander Su, Tanner Tattini, Sam Totten.
^ – letterman.
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