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| Friday, March 21, 2008 | (No comments posted.)
BEECHER
Athletes to watch: Matt Paarlberg, Jr., distances, relays; Bill Carey, Sr., distances, relays; Griffin Nykaza, Fr., distances, relays; Josh Barelli, So., distances; Steve Cooper, So., sprints, middle distance.
Outlook: The Bobcats return Paarlberg and Carey from the 3,200-meter relay team that placed fifth in last spring's Class A meet. Those two could also earn berths in individual events. Appropriately, at an indoor meet hosted by Eastern Illinois, Beecher's main relay took third, which indicates continued competitiveness in that event.
Quote: "We want to get back down in the 3,200 again, but we also feel we can maybe get one or two individuals down. We will have to decide if we want to get four down, or maybe one or two individuals. I think if things come around, we can do both." -- coach Henry Nykaza
BLOOM TWP.
Athletes to watch: Imani Carey, Sr., sprints, relays; Pershaun Mathis, Sr., hurdles; Charles Giles, Sr., SP, discus; Juan Sanchez, Sr., distance; Japheth Cato, Jr., LJ, sprints; Matt Page, Jr., PV.
Outlook: Coming out of the 2007 indoor season, optimism ran high within the Bloom Twp. program, but the good feelings didn't last. Injuries and the decision of one would-be contributor to take up baseball conspired to make the outdoor campaign a disappointment. Former St. Rita coach Jeff Timms is working with the sprinters and jumpers, and good signs are emerging. A healthy Carey can do great things and state-qualifying long jumper Cato is back to try again. Sanchez ran at the state cross country meet.
Quote: "At this point of the season, everything's very positive, but we've got to stay focused on doing the right things: stretching right, eating the right foods, doing the right things in the classroom and making the right choices. We've won everything we've gone into indoors, but the prize is in May." -- coach Andrew Schmitt
CRETE-MONEE
Athletes to watch: K.J. Franklin, Sr., sprints; LJ, TJ; Vee Hope, Sr., sprints, LJ, TJ; Pershawn Sallis, Sr., sprints, LJ; Quintus Johnson, Sr., sprints, SP, discus; Joe McDonald, Sr., sprints; Terry Starnes, Jr., distances; Josh Martin, So., distances.
Outlook: With a personal-best leap of 23 feet, 2 1/2 inches during the indoor season, Franklin has already shown he's serious about garnering a spot at state two months from now. Hope's gone 6-4 in the high jump indoors and he, too, should be a prominent figure all season long for the Warriors. Starnes and Martin will keep Crete competitive in distance races, and coach Mark O'Connor likes what throwers Johnson and Jesse Glover have done so far.
Quote: "This is, by far, the most balanced team that I have coached here at Crete-Monee. We are capable of scoring in each of the different types of events. I am excited at what we can accomplish this year in a very competitive conference and even in qualifying for state." -- O'Connor
DE LA SALLE
Athletes to watch: Armand Rhone, Sr., sprints, relays, HJ; Iman Matthews, Sr., sprints, relays; Gerry Medina, Jr., middle distance, distances; James Muehleman, Sr., TJ, LJ; John Zackrison, So., sprints, middle distance; Ahmad Evans, Fr., sprints, relays.
Outlook: Rhone, the Meteors' captain, nearly enjoyed a clean sweep of his events in the Catholic League Indoor Championships. The senior placed first in the 55, 200 and 400 dashes, and was runner-up in the high jump. Muehleman was the triple jump winner at the same meet. Zackrison offers versatility -- coach Robell McMiller says the sophomore can be plugged into almost any race -- and Evans could be one of the state's fastest freshmen. He's posted indoor times of 6.6 and 22.3 in the 55 and 200, respectively.
Quote: "(We) took second in the Chicago Catholic League Indoor Championships due to a disqualification of the 4x200 relay team, which won by nine meters. With the leadership of captain Armand Rhone, De La Salle is looking forward to competing with the East St. Louises and Cahokias." -- McMiller
HOMEWOOD-FLOSSMOOR
Athletes to watch: Alex King, Sr., hurdles, relays; Loren Hewlett, Sr., sprints, relays; Maurice Jackson, Sr., HJ, TJ, relays; Anthony Dixon, Sr., SP, discus; David Mann, Sr., hurdles; Mike Cornelius, Sr., hurdles; Olarne Mabidu, Sr., middle distance, relays.
Outlook: Coaches always welcome the presence of a senior-laden group, but maturity will be especially vital this season for the Vikings, who will be without a home track due to a resurfacing of the football field. The constant bus rides may grow old, but life on the road should be good for H-F, which is led by Jackson, who has qualified for the Top Times meet in the high jump. Dixon (52-2 shot put indoors), Mann (7.69 in the 55 hurdles), King and Cornelius will be counted on as well for a steady stream of meet points.
Quote: "It's going to be tough (because of no home meets), but we need to stay focused regardless of the conditions. We're really trying to get our guys to leave everything they have on the track and not have anything to regret at the end of the night." -- coach Jim Schmidt
ILLIANA CHRISTIAN
Athletes to watch: Austin Warner, Sr., distances; Jordan Piaskowy, Sr., distances, PV; Nick Kramer, Sr., middle distance; Pat Sons, Sr., hurdles; Tim Huizenga, Sr., sprints, jumps; Nerf Udoekong, Sr., relays; Caleb Schmal, Sr., relays.
Outlook: Track season almost always blooms optimistic at the Lansing school, no doubt an outgrowth of a couple decades worth of success. The Vikings have been represented at state for the past 24 seasons, and that string shouldn't be broken this spring. Warner, Piaskowy, Kramer and Sons were all conference champs a year ago, and several athletes were part of Illiana's cross country squad that placed fifth at last fall's state meet. Overall, this is a deep and experienced contingent.
Quote: "We only graduated three from last year's team and nearly won the conference; therefore, expectations are high as long as everyone can remain healthy. Hopefully, from these athletes, we can continue our streak of heading downstate." -- coach Jeff White
MARIAN CATHOLIC
Athletes to watch: Mitchell Erickson, Sr., PV; Kyle Carroll, Jr., TJ, LJ, sprints; Walter Cunningham, Jr., sprints, relays; Alexander Franzese, Sr., sprints, relays; Erick Gavin, So., sprints, hurdles; Evan Watson, sprints, relays.
Outlook: Erickson is the defending Class AA champion in the pole vault and, barring injury, he should be listed as a favorite to repeat. His biggest concern may be trying to keep sharp when his event is so often excluded at local meets. Coach Lavon Burks has other athletes who could step forward -- Carroll, for instance, was third in the triple jump at the Chicagoland Catholic Schools Indoor Invitational -- but Erickson remains the Spartans' best bet to bring home hardware from Charleston at the end of May.
Quote: "Our guys are all raw steel. They are bringing a lot of strength in numbers and physical strength this year and they are ready to take a trip to state, with Mitchell Erickson leading the way." -- Burks
MT.CARMEL
Athletes to watch: Darrin McMiller, Sr., HJ; Ryan Slager, Sr., middle distance, distances; Josh Moore, Jr., LJ, sprints, relays; D.J. Carr, Jr., sprints, relays; Byron Stanford, Jr., sprints; Justin Young, So. sprints.
Outlook: New coach Dan Turney will oversee a young Caravan squad. Only five seniors are found on the roster, but Mt. Carmel's youth wasn't a liability at the Chicagoland Catholic Schools Indoor Invitational. The Caravan placed fifth in the 22-team field, and Turney reports that some personal records have been set almost every time out. Thus far, McMiller has cleared 6-2 in the high jump, Moore's had a 20-10 long jump, Carr's run a 23.3 200, Slager's gone 2:08 in the 800 and the 800 relay team's best time is 1:34.11.
Quote: "Our goal from Day 1 is to win the Chicago Catholic League outdoor meet and qualify as many athletes downstate as possible. If our guys continue to work hard during the outdoor season and reach their potential, we have a great shot at accomplishing both goals." -- Turney
SETON ACADEMY
Athletes to watch: Sean Martin, Jr., LJ, sprints; Salahudin Abdullah, Sr., relays, hurdles; Elliot Barney, Jr., middle distance; Demetrius Cooper, Sr., discus, sprints; Jeffrey Wright, Sr., relays; Terry Phillips, Sr., relays.
Outlook: The Sting move up to Class AA, which could be a challenge, but running against bigger schools all year will help prepare them for the sectional. Seton's strength is in the relays, hurdles and sprints. Barney has a chance to return to state after becoming the school's first male track athlete to qualify.
Quote: "I think we have a good chance for success and a good season. I see us continuing to make progress, and we are looking for our relays and some individuals to get down to state." -- coach Damani Shakoor
THORNRIDGE
Athletes to watch: Julian Turner, Sr., sprints, jumps, relays; Marcus Hartnett, Sr., hurdles, sprints, jumps; Greg Covington, SP, discus; Corey McCullough, PV; Donovan Nash, middle distance.
Outlook: Every year, someone else looks like the chic pick to control things in the SICA East and, by the time the conference meet rolls around, the Falcons are in the thick of the hunt. Thornridge made Thornton sweat big-time in last season's SICA East get-together, which shouldn't have been surprising given the Falcons' unbeaten dual-meet record. Turner and McCullough are returning state qualifiers, and veteran coach T.J. Shirley should once again be able to create sufficient roster depth behind them.
Quote: "We are a blue-collar team that works extremely hard. We hope that by the end of the season we will be competitive at the conference, sectional and state meets." -- Shirley
THORNTON
Athletes to watch: William Lindsey, Jr., hurdles; Brian White, Sr., sprints, relays; Quinton Richmond, Jr., sprints, relays; Angel Perez, Sr., middle distance, relays; Khiry Dukes, Jr., sprints.
Outlook: Lindsey and White are the leaders of a revamped Wildcats squad, which suffered some key graduation-induced losses. Lindsey has been battling hamstring issues during the indoor season, but the junior is spurred by the memory of a tumble in last year's Class AA 110 high hurdles and should be a force once his health returns. White was a key member of Thornton's 400 and 800 relay quartets that were fifth and fourth, respectively, in Charleston and will be this year's sprints headliner.
Quote: "It's a little bit of an adjustment period right now. We had guys who were on the bus before, but didn't necessarily have to drive. With one meet loss in the last two years, you get spoiled and get some unrealistic expectations. But there's still a standard and they're hungry, which I like." -- coach Vince McAuliffe
T.F. NORTH
Athletes to watch: Courtney Kimes, Sr., relays, middle distance; Brandon Crum, Sr., relays; middle distance, distances; Roger Cato, Sr., relays, sprints; Dontrell Nelson, Sr., sprints, relays; Justin Higginbothan, Jr., LJ, TJ; Devin Walker, Sr., distances; Matt Boclair, Sr., hurdles.
Outlook: Progress is definitely being made in Calumet City. After years of near-dormancy, the track program's numbers have grown consistently healthy under Moses Hulbert's watch. More importantly, the quantity has been accompanied by quality. The Meteors had five entries in last year's Class AA meet, and both Cato and Nelson were members of all three of the school's relay qualifiers. Each can also be dynamic in open races. Higginbothan has gone 42 feet in the triple jump indoors and should also be a factor.
Quote: "I'm not taking second class anymore. Those days are over. Either you're in or you're out. We've got a pretty good core of kids and we're getting a little more respect from parents and fans." -- Hulbert
T.F. SOUTH
Athletes to watch: Jordan Hampton, Sr., LJ, TJ, HJ; T.J. Moore, Sr., middle distance, relays; Cordero Jackson, Sr., sprints, relays; Ivn Powell, Jr., sprints; Eric Valentine, Jr., sprints, relays, LJ; William Smith, Jr., sprints; Kevin Bradley, Sr., sprints, relays.
Outlook: Hampton is the linchpin of the Rebels, having represented them at last spring's state meet. It wasn't just a token appearance, either, as he long-jumped his way to 10th place in Class AA. First-year head coach George Carter believes Hampton is also capable of going 6-6 or better in the high jump. Moore should be reliable in the 800 and Jackson is a solid relay man. Valentine was the 200 and long jump champ in the SICA East sophomore meet a year ago, and Smith was second in the 400. Two soph relay teams took third.
Quote: "The best way to advertise the program is to win -- we had some success at the lower levels, which has created some excitement in those guys. We don't have a real deep team, but I want to be more competitive in every track meet we're in. That would improve the kids' confidence." -- Carter
THORNWOOD
Athletes to watch: Jonathan Majors, Sr., sprints, jumps, relays; Kunle Daramola, Jr., middle distance, relays; Ryan Blackmon, So., sprints, relays; Darien Orr, Sr., sprints, relays; Andrew Lawrence, Sr., sprints, relays; Denzel Carter, Jr., SP; Jurl Vinegar, Sr., distances.
Outlook: The string of state championships ended four years ago and a new one isn't likely to start this May, but that doesn't mean the Thunderbirds are suddenly talent-less. Veteran leaders include Orr, Lawrence and Majors, whose brother Leslie was a state-champion long jumper in 2003. To resemble Thornwood's best squads of the past, the current group needs scoring flexibility, which means having people like Carter, Vinegar and Daramola step up and deliver consistently in non-sprint events.
Quote: "The team is looking stronger on both the frosh-soph and varsity levels. We have a lot of new faces stepping up (and) determined to be competitive." -- coach Brian Evans
-- Compiled by Ken Karrson
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