2014 Class 1A Boys Individual Pre-Season Preview

Jon Davis is the defending state champion and odds on favorite to repeat (Colin Boyle photo)
 
Opening statement: This was not an easy individual year to rank. It may be that that the top six previewed are pretty safe picks, with those same six back from last year’s top ten. But everyone else, however, is a complete mystery, with 13 of 25 back who originally finished all-state, plus 29 back from this year’s top 50, many of whom majorly stepped up in track. Honestly anyone in the top 20 could end this season a top ten finisher. For these rankings, it really came down to whoever had a combination of both cross country and track credentials, plus a heavy consideration on experience. Freshmen who finish within the top 50 tend to really mature well as sophomores, as one can testify for returning state champion Jon Davis. Finally, a very big emphasis was placed on the reliability of the individual’s program, which for me is a more excusably-put way of saying “Okaw Valley Conference bias”. Will there be three runners from that one conference finishing in the top 10? It could happen but probably not with the variability of this year looking very similar to last year. But with the kind of talent produced over there, it is a very conceivable outcome, provided they don’t tire each other out too much competing amongst each other...all season long.
 
1. Jon Davis (Jr.) Fithian (Oakwood): I could go on forever but I’ll make this one short. He won state in cross country last year by 16 seconds with a time of 14:47. He finished his track season undefeated in the 3200 and capped it off with a double in 9:21/4:20- a very rare feat that pretty much sums up the kind of dominance Davis has had in this field. He’s the favorite.
 
2. Eric Ponder (Sr.) Tuscola: Now this is a bit of a bold pick that definitely has ”area code bias” written all over it, but I’m sticking with my gut! Ponder may be “beatable”, being the fourth best returner from last year’s meet. However, in terms of raw distance running talent, I would honestly not be surprised if he gives Davis a legitimate challenge. In track he went 9:25/4:23 for third and fifth respectively. He emerged champion of the competitive Okaw Conference in a time of 15:04. He almost broke the Tuscola course record set by none other than Monticello’s Steve Schroeder. And last but not least in his resume, he won the big Spartan classic by six seconds over...Jon Davis. What happened over at state was clearly a case of the other standout 1A athletes peaking better. But Ponder will have sights set on winning more than just invitationals this year!
 
3. Michael Cook (Sr.) Kewannee (Whethersfield): Michael Cook never ceases to amaze us when it comes to running at the end of the season. Before going on to be the second best returner, he ran 15:16 to win the Patriot Invitational on a much nicer day...and went on to improve that PR by 14 seconds on a considerably windier day. Cook was also busy during track season, finishing six in the 1600 and 800 in two very tough 1A races with times of 4:23/1:56. We should be seeing him out in the front pack this year.
 
4. Curtis Reed (Sr.) Mt. Zion: Reed has always been in the chase pack since sophomore year and will not be going anytime soon. He stands as the sixth best returner, as well as a 1:57 800 2A finalist. But something tells me that he will blow into a sensational runner as a lot of Mt. Zion leaders in their senior cross country season do.
 
5. Nick Monkemeyer (Jr.) Rockford (Christian): Monkemeyer has had a phenomenal cross country seaspn last year, running a 15:02 over at Big Northern Conference and not quite attaining the conference title from Byron’s TJ Pitcock. But he then made some noise over at state and now stands as the fifth best returner. Track season was a bit of a let-down, though. He was not quite ready for meeting those tough 2A standards finishing third place in his 1600 sectional race with a 4:35 and not quite making it out of state. But Nick is very ready for 1A cross country, and we clearly see this with his 15:35 performance over at Detweiller at Dark.
 
6. Matt Norvell (Sr.) Monticello: Ran a spectacular cross country season last year to step up as Monticello’s leading runner. He stands as the tenth best returner from last year’s state meet, and only seems to step up even more running a 9:41/4:33 3200 and 1600 time at track and holding his own against 2A competition.
 
7. Andrew Warnes (Jr.) Tolono (Unity): The 11th best returner with a time of 15:41. We see that Warnes has really stepped up since track his freshman year. He was a standout athlete and front man who was hard to see coming at first. This time he won’t be. For track, he specialized in the 800, finishing fifth with 1:56, but also improved on his 1600 with a time of 4:24. You’ll see him coming from a mile away!
 
8. Mohammad Hosseini (Sr.) Mt. Zion: He stands as the ninth best returner and unquestionably has the capacity to crack into the top ten with the past cross country times he’s ran. In track, he didn’t quite make it out of the 2A field, or break 10 minutes running a 10 flat in track. But that does not mean he can’t break the top ten mark in placing this year.
 
9. Michael Gleason (Jr.) Rochester: Not much word of him on the track. But his 15:33 13th place finish speaks for itself!
 
10. Nate Herridge (Sr.) Elmwood: Other than being Elmwood’s typical top finisher and cracking into all-state last year, he ran a 9:51 in track. He’s nobody you haven’t seen before.
 
11. Al Baldonado (Sr.) Spring Valley (Hall): This Spring Valley senior will be in major contention for a top ten finish. He ran 15:38 last year at state standing as the eighth best returner, as well as run 9:54 in track, for those who don’t get the memo!
 
12. Tanner Chada (So.) Aurora (A. Christian): Last year, this freshman ran a very strong cross country season to end it three places short of all state with a time of 15:46. Chada also ran an even stronger track season on top of that doubling up the 3200 and 1600 with 9:46/4:30, finishing sixth overall in the 3200. Looking to improve even more as a sophomore, there’s no doubt he’ll finish around this far up front.
 
13. Corbin Kakac (Sr.) Fairfield: Ran a 15:55 33rd place finish last year. His track times 9:44/4:24 suggest improvement.
 
14. Matt Osmulski (Jr.) Elmwood: His track season wasn’t the hottest- not quite making it out of state with a time of 10:09. But cross country is clearly what Elmwood athletes excel at, and one way or another he will finish somewhere close behind his teammate Herridge.
 
15. Cory Landon (Jr.) Carlinville: I’ve been eying him all cross country season. Going consistently under 16 minutes, he has all-state potential. But unfortunately he really got caught up in Decatur Sectional traffic and didn’t make it out of state where the cutoff was tenth place and 15:46. Running 4:23 in the mile and a 16:30 Detweiller at Dark effort, he should be showing up back to that same park November.
 
16. Nathan Ambrose (Sr.) Winnebago: He ran just outside of all-state in cross country with a time of 15:43. However, no track results of note other than a 4:39 mile and 2:07 800. But that’s never stopped him from cranking it out in cross country!
 
17. Brayden Hemblen Rock Falls (So.): Finished 32nd place with a time of 15:54. Track was pretty good, too with 9:42/4:37 PR’s. Look for this sophomore to improve.
 
18. Markus Skinner (Jr.) Shelbyville: Skinner had a very nice track season that ended with 3200 and 1600 times of 9:45 and 4:32, adding to his sophomore surge in cross country this year that helped with Shelbyville’s unexpected fourth place finish. Expect great results from him back over at Detweiller in a hustle to score Shelbyville some low points.
 
19. Nathan Smith (Sr.) Winnebago: Ran a pretty nice track time of 9:48 over at 2A state finals. We should see him considerably closer to his teammate Ambrose this year!
 
20. Tyler Johnson Pleasant Plains (Jr.): He closed his track season nicely with a 4:27 1600, along with his anchor in the 4x8 that led to his team winning overall. And let’s also not forget his other x-factor contribution of 15:48 that led to Pleasant Plains’ unexpected victory at the Elmwood Sectional. With these credentials, he is definitely worthy of a top 20 finish.
 
Best of the rest-
 
Ben Strobel (Sr.) Vandalia: didn't have the best track season with 4:52/10:46 marks or else he probably would be ranked higher, but his 29th place 15:48 finish suggests an all-state showing.
 
Wilson Pfederer (Sr.) Tremont: All in all a good cross country season finishing it off as Tremont’s third man with a 15:50. And his track season ended on a good note with a 4:32. We also clearly see he’s putting in nice summer work with a 16:29 Detweiller at Dark time.
 
Bryson Reyes (Sr.) Sterling (Newman Central Catholic): As we know, Newman had a phenomenal team race over at the Patriot invitational. And Reyes was just as much a part of that as the next man on his team with his time of 15:40. Expect a possible all-state crack from him this fall.
 
Brennan Guido (Jr.) St. Joe-Ogden: A key runner who is ready to put up some good numbers this season as evidenced by the 15:57 that he ran at the Detweiller at Dark meet last month.