2026 Pre-Season XC Previews: Middle School Boys Team
The Illinois middle school boys cross country scene continues to grow stronger every year, and the 2026 season is shaping up to be another exciting one. With returning state contenders, talented young runners, and several deep teams ready to make their mark, the battle for the top spots should be highly competitive throughout the fall. In this preseason ranking, we take a look at the Top 25 Illinois Middle School Boys Cross Country Teams entering the 2026 season. These rankings are based on returning talent, previous cross country performances, track results, team depth, and the potential each squad brings into the new season. While preseason rankings are never a guarantee of what will happen once the racing begins, they provide an early look at the teams we expect to be in the mix for state-level success.
Arlington Heights (Thomas)
Head Coach: Todd Slowinski
Last Year’s Finish: 5th @ IESA 4A State Championships
Key Returners: Austin Ryter (7th), Barrett Irvin (8th), Brandon Cole (8th), Camden Erickson (8th), Nathan Erickson (8th), Luke Custable (8th), Anthony Hicks (8th), Emmett LaPorte (8th), Michael Mathew (8th), Dan Stevens (7th)
Channahon
Head Coach: Brian Papp
Last Year’s Finish: State Champions @ IESA 3A State Championships
Key Returners: Nolan Bullis (8th), Levi Bruesewitz (7th), Aaron Hodapp (8th), Lincoln Joachim (6th), Liam Wesolowski (8th), Ian Soto-Romero (8th), Aaron Getsoian (8th), Richard Colant (7th), Will Gavin (7th), Kai Walter (8th), Cole Parker (7th)
Mt. Prospect (St. Raymond)
Head Coach: Sean Hargadon
Last Year’s Finish: State Champions @ IESA 1A State Championships
Key Returners: Emmett Voyles (7th), Everett Voyles (6th), Owen Khamo (6th), Ryan Sawadski (8th), Cristian Rizo (8th), Vincent Strand (8th), Donald Strand (8th), Colby Schumacher (8th), Jonathan Franz (8th)
Mt. Prospect (Lincoln)
Head Coach: Steve Shaffer
Last Year’s Finish: 20th @ IESA 4A State Championships
Key Returners: Christopher Marinov (8th), Peter Jezior (8th), Jackson Stocking (8th), Jackson Grimes (7th), William Warnement (7th), James Nixon (8th), Josh Arias (8th), Max Egloff (8th)
Lockport (Oak Prairie)
Head Coach: Kenric Bond
Last Year’s Finish: 12th @ IESA 3A State Championships
Key Returners: Sam Wasilewski (8th), Eli Zimmerman (8th), Oliver Goska (8th), Tristan Sola (8th), Declan Caturano (8th), Ashton Radecki (8th), Liam Sutton (7th), Connor Maher (8th), Ryan Zak (7th), Rhyder Liescke (8th)
Shelbyville (Moulton)
Head Coach: Jason Palmer
Last Year’s Finish: 4th @ IESA 2A State Championships
Key Returners: Tate Shoaff (8th), Jasper Hardy (7th), Ike Holt (8th), Jackson Palmer (8th), Mack Pogue (7th), Tate Danneberger (7th), Liam Pierce (8th), Adam Arebalo (8th), Kaleb Bruns (7th), Oliver Woolery (7th), Carter Galvin (7th)
Mt. Zion
Head Coach: Joe Fritzsche
Last Year’s Finish: 8th @ IESA 3A State Championships
Key Returners: Reid Talleur (8th), Drew Jenkins (7th), Nathanael Lee (7th), Wesley Murray (7th), Hudson Baker (7th), Evan Jones (8th), Tobin Corrigan (8th), Jace Cook (7th), Isaiah Cochran (7th)
Tolono Unity
Head Coach: Jeff Kyle
Last Year’s Finish: 4th @ IESA 3A State Championships
Key Returners: Jace Revell (8th), Dominic Dees (8th), Jackson Elam (8th), Asher Jett (8th), Conor Zumbahlen (8th), Cooper Leith (8th), Harrison Gaines (7th), Logan Nasser (8th), Jace Boyett (8th)
Lake Zurich North
Head Coach: Kerry Nelson
Last Year’s Finish: 19th @ IESA 4A State Championships
Key Returners: David Singeorzan (7th), Daniel Padaliak (8th), Nathan Czarnik (8th), Camden Miller (8th), Colton Butterfield (7th), Alexander Sykut (7th), Brendan Willis (8th), Gavin Szabo (7th), Andrew Haddad (7th), Corey Boudreault (7th)
New Additions: Ryan Sanchez (7th)
Minooka
Head Coach: David Michalski
Last Year’s Finish: 8th @ IESA 4A State Championships
Key Returners: Isaac Hamilton (7th), Charles Mascolino (8th), Vincent Brandolino (8th), Benjamin Tucker (7th), Joey Holmes (8th), Bastian Anderson (7th), Ian Hastings (8th), Mason Wolf (8th), Andrew Meade (7th), Ethan Boe (8th), Keegan Whalen (7th), Lochlan McCollom (8th), Gage Whillock (6th)
Downs (Tri-Valley)
Head Coach: Gary Savage
Last Year’s Finish: 4th @ IESA 3A Dunlap Valley Sectional
Key Returners: Cohen Cervantes (8th), Evan Tscholl (8th), Beau Maffet (7th), Ben Schultz (8th), Cole Jacobsen (8th), Ellis Shaver (7th), John Van (8th), Charlie Mizell (8th), Bryce Walden (8th), Everett Corn (8th)
Maryville Christian
Head Coach: Lucas Kramer
Last Year’s Finish: State Champions @ SIJHSAA Class L State Championships
Key Returners: Conner Potthast (7th), Jett Nazetta (7th), Jameson Vieregge (7th), Noah Cleland (8th), Samuel Conforti (7th), Levi Friederich (8th), James Dossett (7th), James Hepp (7th), Malcolm Redden (6th), Nolan Bennett (8th), Isaac Freeman (7th)
Bolingbrook (Jane Addams)
Head Coach: Adam Thas
Last Year’s Finish: 4th @ IESA 3A Bolingbrook Central Park Sectional
Key Returners: Jack Rossi (8th), Jase Norton (8th), Tyler Wilson (8th), Landon Mueller (7th), Julian Murillo (7th), Alex Doody (8th), Asher Warning (8th), Christopher Reid (8th)
Evanston (St. Athanasius)
Head Coach: Nicole Kustok
Last Year’s Finish: 5th @ IESA 1A State Championships
Key Returners: Hayes Kustok (7th), Wells Kustok (6th), Charlie Harrington (8th), Luke Jankowski (8th), Conor Young (6th), Mateo Aceves (8th), Luke Mendez (8th), Decker Agnew (6th), Stefan Katrov (7th), Sam Solotorovsky (8th), Oliver Dietch (7th), Teddy DeLucenay (7th)
Orland Park (St. Michael)
Head Coach: Mark Bohdan
Last Year’s Finish: 4th @ IESA 2A Westmont Sectional
Key Returners: Jackson Herbert (8th), Decker Wojcik (6th), Nolan Messina (7th), Quinn Roach (6th), Oliver Patrick (7th), Jake Perry (8th), Brady Vickers (7th), Dominic Dinnocenzo (6th), Jack Collins (8th)
St. Charles (Wredling)
Head Coach: Scott Nold
Last Year’s Finish: 9th @ IESA 4A Settlers Hill Sectional
Key Returners: Lucy Scarpelli (8th), Owen Pluskwa (8th), Lincoln Warren (8th), Josh Thompson (8th), Maxwell Manion (7th), Mason Manion (7th), Vladimir Semethy-Lullo (7th), Daniel Schneider (7th), Brody Bollow (8th), Everett Paul (7th)
Geneva North
Head Coach: Jake Austin
Last Year’s Finish: 3rd @ IESA 4A State Championships
Key Returners: Owen Knecht (7th), Lachlan Deringer (7th), Parker Mann (8th), Jack Bennett (7th), Elliott Wagner (7th), Gavin Anderson (8th), Wyatt DeBoer (8th), Landon Maloni (8th), John Barto (7th), McClean Stevens (7th)
El Paso-Gridley
Head Coach: Mike Heffron
Last Year’s Finish: 2nd @ IESA 2A State Championships
Key Returners: Roman Hinthorne (8th), Hart Zeller (7th), Tate Harms (7th), Elliott Nowark (7th), Dexter White (8th), Maddox York (7th), Mason Hall (7th)
Plainfield (Aux Sable)
Head Coach: Eric Capshaw
Last Year’s Finish: Paw Pac Conference Champions
Key Returners: Noah Soto (8th), Braeden Cory (8th), Gian Avila (8th), Isaiah Santiago (8th), Parker Gawecki (8th), Carson Cox (7th), Ben Rendak (7th), Zach Delaney (8th), Yan Jimenez (8th), Bryce Sorg (8th), Maxton Roman (8th), Liam Supples (8th)
Bourbonnais
Head Coach: Dan Chamernik
Last Year’s Finish: 6th @ IESA 4A State Championships
Key Returners: Carson Kuckie (6th), Brody Gowler (7th), Kellen Zipper (8th), Alex Velazquez (8th), Camden Wilson (8th), Callen Hiser (6th), Grant Benoit (7th)
Cary
Head Coach: Angela Swanson
Last Year’s Finish: 17th @ IESA 4A State Championships
Key Returners: Ethan Rivera (8th), Luke Ossman (7th), Tate Tatroe (8th), Bennett Erickson (7th), Jordan Grinnell (7th), William Valaitis (8th), Owen Willhoit (7th), Charlie Soper (7th), Eli Bogda (8th), Nathan Becker (8th)
Lake in the Hills (Marlowe)
Head Coach: Shannon Choklad
Last Year’s Finish: 18th @ IESA 4A State Championships
Key Returners: Logan Kachan (7th), Ben Fruhauff (8th), Ryan Burns (8th), Drew Lasota (8th), Lucas Gotsch (7th), Colin Hodolitz (8th), Maksym Rosario (7th), Brody Verhagen (7th), Brian Kozlowski (8th), Eli Phillips (7th)
LaGrange (William F. Gurrie)
Head Coach: Steve Driscoll
Last Year’s Finish: 15th @ IESA 3A State Championships
Key Returners: Ben Strozak (8th), Damian Garcia-Zamorano (8th), Owen Nelson (6th), Ryker Santiago (8th), Spencer Borling (6th), Charlie Nutting (7th), Owen Yarborough (8th), Connor Sand (8th), Kartar Singh (8th), Jackson Kmiecik (8th)
Chatham (Glenwood)
Head Coach: Ryan Staley
Last Year’s Finish: 4th @ IESA 4A Wilson Park Sectional
Key Returners: Westen Garber (8th), Jack Johnson (7th), Chase Berisha (8th), Elliot Lee (8th), Levi Lack (8th), Nolan Winters (8th), Ace Jones (8th), Connor Brooks (8th), Avidan Wolke (7th), Maxwell Ferguson (8th), Tristan Gurski (8th), Colton Ihnen (7th)
Edwardsville (Liberty)
Head Coach: Katie Dowell Arnold
Last Year’s Finish: 2nd @ IESA 4A State Championships
Key Returners: Adam Kirk (7th), Jack Fields (7th), Declan Byrne (7th), Charlie Schrage (8th), Connor Rosentreter (7th), Cooper Atchison (8th), Vinnie Foppe (7th), William Sears (8th), Kenneth Rodgers (8th)
