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The Class A Boys division promises to be very competitive across the board this season. There are five teams listed below who competed in last year's state championship, including the runner up Port Byron (Riverdale). Take a glance at the select capsules below:
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Head Coach/Coaches: Randy Moore / Brandy Forward
Last Year's Finish: State Championship- 14th place
Key Returners: Weston Forward (Sr.), Andrew Kurien (Jr.), Joel White (So.), Sam Walsh (So.), Evan White (So.), Brendan McGonigal (So.)
Key Newcomers: Blake Lindburg (Fr.)
Unexpected Losses: Cameron McGonigal (Sr.)
Coach Moore's Outlook: "On paper, we don't look like much with just two returning varsity runners from last year's state qualifying squad. Weston Forward has done an excellent job of leading this young squad this summer. What are we capable of? Honestly, I don't know. The boys are running the miles, they are building on our established team culture, and they are doing the work together."
Head Coach/Coaches: Kevin Claus
Last Year's Finish: State Championship runner up
Key Returners: Braeden Bode (So.), Cael Hinde (Sr.), Andy Murray (Jr.), Gage Gaulrapp (Sr.), Adam Benoit (Jr.), Sam Butterfield (Jr.), Merik Rozek (Jr.), Texas Mudd (Sr.)
Outlook: Bringing home a trophy was a magical moment for the Rams who will be looking to rebuild after losing a lot of pieces to graduation. Braeden Bode looks to be one of the top runners in the classification with a 9:57 to his name from last track season. After him will be Cael Hinde who will be looking to break 17:00. They will need some guys to step up and get under 17:20 if they wish to return to being a quality 1A team once again this season. They are definitely capable of doing that.
Head Coach/Coaches: Jacob Wooldridge / Rachel Chalmers
Last Year's Finish: Elmwood Sectional- 7th place
Key Returners: Haven Gronewold (Sr.), Daxton Trueblood (Sr.), Justin Zimmerman (So.), Quincy Stuhmer (Sr.), Kade Parker (So.), DJ French (So.), Bryce Sonnemaker (Jr.)
Key Newcomers: Noah Hardy (Fr.)
Outlook: Returning every boy that competed last cross country season, the Bluejays have had a lot of time to grow and develop as a team. They will be led by last year's individual state qualifier, Haven Gronewold. He was a great #1 for them last year running 15:53 and will be looking to be even lower this year.
Daxton Trueblood and Justin Zimmerman enter the season as the returning #2 and #3 runners. They will be looking to break 17:00 this season. Quincy Stuhmer was mainly a 400 runner during the track season but was the fourth man on this team last year. If he maintained his fitness over the track season, he should be 17 low this season. Kade Parker made great strides during the track season running 5:01 in the 1600m. Expect him to be with Stuhmer. Coach Woolridge Stated, "We feel we can and should be a state-qualifying team. We have been so close the last two years, and this is really the last year of our three-year window."
Head Coach/Coaches: Brendan Hoskins
Last Year's Finish: Elmwood Sectional- 10th place
Key Returners: Cooper Phillips (Jr.), Caden Clark (Sr.), CJ Moore (So.), Jacob Lawless (Sr.), Logan Demling (Sr.), Evan Petri (So.), Landon Smith (Jr.), Wyatt Reinhart (So.)
Key Newcomers: Kaleb Jacobs (Fr.), Ryder Wilson (Fr.)
Outlook: The Spartans are just a few years removed from a great stretch in their school's history that saw them in trophy contention a few years in a row.
This squad is definitely rebuilding back to that level but will be an interesting team to watch this season. They look to be led by Logan Demling. He was the team's top runner last season and will be under the microscope this year. They will need him to be under 16:00 if they wish to be a top-20 team this year.
Cooper Phillips had a good year last season until the sectional meet where it was just not his best day. He will look to be 16 low this year. Caden Clark was the third runner on this team last year. He will be looking to break 16:30 this year. After these three, there will be a lot of questions about who can finish as their fourth and fifth runners.
Head Coach/Coaches: Jeremy Melick
Last Year's Finish: Elmwood Sectional- 8th place
Key Returners: Joey Bosch (Sr.), Tucker Sennett (Jr.), Matthew Bowers (Jr.), Jack Lied (Jr.), Parker Melick (Sr.), Luke Graham (Jr.), Austin Carruthers (Jr.)
Key Newcomers: Oliver Melick (Fr.), Collin Bowers (Fr.), Cleveland Hoerr (Fr.)
Outlook: The Princes come into this season after missing the state meet last year. They return two state qualifiers: Joey Bosch and Tucker Sennett.
Bosch was the team's top runner for most of last season up until state. Sennett was right with Bosch last year, with him actually beating him at the state meet last year. Both runners will look to challenge 16:00. Oliver Melick is an incoming freshman and will be an instant factor for this squad. He may be able to take down the 17:00 barrier. Matthew Bowers and Jack Lied will be the squad's potential fourth and fifth runners. Both will look to be under 17:30.
Head Coach/Coaches: Tim Bower
Last Year's Finish: State Championship- 19th place
Key Returners: Luke Weber (Sr.), Brock Probst (Sr.), Hayden Borgic (So.), Isaac Street (Jr.), Jackson Sornberger (Jr.)
Key Newcomers: Tanner Whitaker (So.)
Outlook: The Eagles had a great 2022 season by finishing in the top 20 at the state meet. With only two returners from that team, they seem to be entering a rebuilding year. Luke Weber enters the season as the team's projected top runner. He will look to be sub 16:00. After him will be the duo of Brock Probst and Hayden Borgic who both will attempt to break 17:00. After that will be a toss-up of who the team's number four and five will be.
Head Coach/Coaches: Art Green / Chuck Keller
Last Year's Finish: State Championship- 20th place
Key Returners: Julius Ramos (So.), Noah Flaig (Jr.), Aidan Braunecker (Sr.), Vincent Vogel (Jr.), Oliver Kreke (So.), James Emmerich (Sr.), Calvin Sudkamp (Jr.)
Key Newcomers: Elliot Frisbie (Sr.), Danial Ramos (Fr.)
Outlook: The Bulldogs had a great 2022 state meet that saw them finish top 20 in the classification. Entering this year four members of that team return, but have an uphill battle if they hope to be another state qualification.
They will be led by Julius Ramos who looks to be a sub 16:30 runner this year. Following him will be the duo of Noah Flaig and Aidan Braunecker who both will look to run low 17:00s. After that, this group will be looking to solidify their fourth and fifth runners. Coach Green stated, "I think it is going to be hard to do as well as last year with the loss of that senior class. I think we will be dependent on underclassmen to have to really step up for us this year on both the Girls and Boys teams"
Head Coach/Coaches: Charles Helton
Last Year's Finish: Shelbyville Regional- 10th place
Key Returners: Will Meyer (Sr.), Matt Dunn (Sr.), Sam Wilson (Jr.), Alex Behme (Jr.), Jack Goby (Sr.), Daniel Eichen (So.), Dominic Genetti (So.)
Outlook: Led by the duo of Will Meyer and Matt Dunn, the Cavaliers will have a great 1-2 punch that makes this squad a potential state qualifying team. After those two is Sam Wilson who will look to be a sub 17:30 guy this year. The fourth and fifth spots will need to be a major upgrade though for this team to see success on the state level.
Head Coach/Coaches: Sam Ingram
Last Year's Finish: Eureka Regional- 9th place
Key Returners: Ryan Kuhn (Jr.), William Scroggs (Sr.), Lincoln Rassi (So.), Lucas Whalen (So.), Andrew Sauder (So.), Seth Witte (Sr.), Nicholas Bunting (Sr.)
Outlook: The Chiefs qualified nobody for the state meet in the year 2022. Expect that to change this season. Last year Ryan Kuhn was the top runner and will look to run in the low 16:00s this season. William Scroggs was a great depth piece last season but after running 4:48 in the 1600m during the spring, expect him to be right with Kuhn. Lincoln Rassi is a rising sophomore who will be looking to be running in the low 17:00s this season. After that will be a bunch of young runners that will be trying to keep the team's 1-5 split to under 1:30.
Head Coach/Coaches: Erica Plaisier
Last Year's Finish: State Championship- 26th place
Key Returners: Ryan McKenzie (Jr.), Tyce Plaisier (Sr.), Gio Molina (Sr.), Rich Meszaros (Jr.), Josh Bemister (Sr.), Jake Gudgel (Jr.), Jake Ellens (Jr.)
Outlook: The Trojans return five runners from their 2022 state team and will be looking to return this season. They will be led by Ryan McKinzie who was the team's top runner last year. Expect to see something in the low 16:00s from him. Tyce Plaisier and Gio Molina will be coming in just behind him and both project to be around the 16:30 mark this season. After that will be returning state qualifiers, Rich Meszaros and Josh Bemister who will look to be somewhere in the 17:40s or better.
Head Coach/Coaches: Megan Howell
Last Year's Finish: St. Joseph-Ogden Sectional- 13th place
Key Returners: Dylan Howell (Sr.), Will Fuson (So.), John Paul Brewer (Jr.), Evan Fogerson (Sr.), Brody Somers (Jr.), Tyce Alumbaugh (Jr.), Cole Stoeger (Sr.)
Key Newcomers: Azul Mendez (Fr.)
Outlook: The Broncos have been a developing squad over the last few years. They will be led by the duo of Dylan Howell and Will Fuson. Both qualified for the state meet last year and will be in all-state contention this fall. After that will be newcomer Azul Mendez who ran great in middle school with a 1600m PR of 5:11. He will look to be under 17:30 this season.
Head Coach/Coaches: Ben Scamihorn / Juli Akal
Last Year's Finish: Benton Sectional- 7th place
Key Returners: Wyatt Doyle, Hunter Ponce, Anthony Hardin, Noah Mcvey, Noah Smith, Erick Scroggins, AJ Shields
Key Newcomers: Easton Johnson, Joshua Ervin, Noah Crump, And Malik Randol.
Coach Scamihorn's Outlook: "We are most likely going to be led by Wyatt Doyle. He had a breakthrough track season, running 2:01 in the 800m, and has been having a great summer. Following Wyatt will be Anthony Hardin, Hunter Ponce, and Noah Mcvey. These three have had a great summer and have been training together. The more they can close the gap on Wyatt, the better. I have many guys who could fill the 5-7 spots, which is exciting. I am hoping this group pushes each other as the season progresses and produces a couple of runners who can be close to our 2-4."
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The Class A Boys division promises to be very competitive across the board this season. There are five teams listed below who competed in last year's state championship, including the runner up Port Byron (Riverdale). Take a glance at the select capsules below: