Class A boys season preview

jayslagle
Aug 28
10 min read

Contributor: The Nerd

2024 State teams (max possible returners)

1. 47 Fremont (2 returners)

2. 62 Lincoln North Star (6)

3. 112 Lincoln East (4)

4. 129 Omaha Westside (3)

5. 144 Creighton Prep (6)

6. 153 Papio South (3)

7. 181 Lincoln Southwest (4)

8. 199 Millard West (4)

9. 222 Lincoln Southeast (5)

10. 231 Grand Island (3)

11. 262 Millard North (6)

12. 286 South Sioux City (7)

Top returners (notable 2025 track results)

2 Josiah Bitker, 12, Lincoln North Star 4:18, 9:20 (6^th A)

7 J'Shawn Afuh, 11, Lincoln North Star 1:56 (7^th A), 4:30 (one attempt)

8 Michael Nichols, 12, Fremont (limited)

9 Tyler Smith, 12, Lincoln North Star 1:58, 4:18 (5^th A), 9:26 (2^nd A)

12 Aiden Gehring, 10, Papio South 1:56, 4:28

14 Connor Boyle, 12, Lincoln Southwest 4:41, 9:58

15 David Protzman, 12, Norfolk 4:32, 9:41

16 Ben Schlegelmilch, 12, Lincoln East 4:29, 9:52

20 Daren Linscott, 12, Lincoln East 4:41, 10:04

21 Luke McGinty, 12, South Sioux City 1:59

22 Collin Krahling, 11, Omaha Westview 4:35, 9:47

23 Zachary Petzet, 11, Kearney 4:31 (only raced in May)

25 Walker Anselmo, 10, Bellevue East 4:51, 10:25 (last race 4/25)

27 Trey Crabtree, 11, Lincoln High 1:59, 4:29

33 Elijah Bickley, 11, Millard West 1:58, 4:34

34 Jorge Carpio, 12, Grand Island 4:47, 10:30

36 Mercier Cerasoli, 11, Omaha Central (now Prep) 4:53, 10:09 (last race 4/7)

37 Liam Gonzalez, 11, Norfolk 4:37, 10:21 (last race 4/10)

38 Aaron Robles, 11, Creighton Prep 4:43, 9:59

39 Hylan Caouette, 12, Creighton Prep 4:30, 10:01

41 Finlay Sully, 12, Creighton Prep (no T&F)

43 Jack Knapp, 11, North Platte 2:03, 4:44, 10:10

45 Cole Cover, 12, Lincoln Southwest 4:39, 10:00

46 Levi Riedel, 12, Millard West 4:42, 9:54

48 Leveret Stricklett, 10, Creighton Prep 2:08, 4:50

It feels like Class A is entering a new era. Not only has the GOAT Juan Gonzalez moved onto the University of Oregon, but the Class of 2025 also included ten other top-20 finishers from the 2024 State XC meet. With just 25 boys returning from last year’s Class A Top 50 finishers, this season offers a great opportunity for unsung runners to make their mark.

There are no classification changes for Class A for the 2025 XC season. As a reminder, Class A teams are allowed to run up to seven athletes at Districts and State, and the placement of the top five athletes is used to calculate a team’s point title.

On paper, Lincoln North Star (LNS) is the clear team favorite heading into the season. They finished 2^nd in 2024 with 62 points, the lowest score of a runner-up team since Fremont in 2013. In fact, their score was lower than the winning Class A score in seven of the eight meets from 2016 through 2023, so LNS had a historically strong team. While they lost Easton Zastrow (4^th at 2024 State XC and 1:54 800) to graduation, they return their six other State competitors. Josiah Bitker, J’Shawn Afuh and Tyler Smith finished 2^nd, 7^th and 9^th in 2024, respectively, while Raul Iniguez improved his open 800 PR from 2:03 in 2024 to 1:56 this past season. Franky Turek and Titus Bitker were non-scoring team members as freshman but they’ve improved, running 3200 bests of 10:09 and 10:06 this spring. With six such accomplished returners, the squad doesn’t need a superhuman effort in late October; they just need to stay healthy until then. While a large incoming freshman class is unproven at this point, the Gators also return Pablo Chavez (2:05, 4:48) and Noah Neemann (4:52, 10:37). LNS had two third-place State XC finishes prior to last year’s runner-up result, and they seem well-positioned to capture the first XC title in their program’s history.

Fremont only returns senior Michael Nichols and junior Aden Soto from its State champion team, but we’d hardly call this a rebuilding season. Keep in mind that if not for the tiebreaker loss to Creighton Prep in 2023, the Tigers would be in the hunt for their sixth consecutive State XC title. Nichols jumped from 38^th place as a sophomore in 2023 to an 8^th-place medal last season, and he should be healthy after an abbreviated track season. Soto will be hunting for a top-10 finish after running 4:28 and 9:43 this spring; he broke 10:00 in his last five 3200s of the season. Steven Fiscus (2:03, 4:44, 10:00) has competed on Fremont’s varsity in about one-third of their meets the past two seasons, and he ran a 17:32 5k this summer. Other runners competing for varsity spots will likely include Jaxon Pleskac (5:00, 10:31 plus a 17:32 5k this summer), Max McBratney (2:18, 4:58, 10:38), Brandon Larios Sagastume (2:05, 4:49, 10:38, averaged 5:51 in a 5-mile race this summer), and Manuel Batz Ren (2:01, 4:47, 17:07 summer 5k). If some of these marks don’t blow you away, the track record of Coach McMahon should. Fremont will also welcome a new batch of eager freshmen, with Jasper Semrad headlining the Class of 2029. Jasper finished 5^th at the Junior High State XC meet, and his 4:50 1600 this spring broke the Fremont junior high record of… wait for it… Juan Gonzalez. Fremont hasn’t finished lower than 4^th since 2007, and I expect them in the top four again this year.

Like LNS, Creighton Prep also returns six 2024 State competitors, although the highest finisher was in 38^th place. The Jays may be held back by their lack of low-stick runners, but their 2025 track results reflect a solid roster of competitive runners. Aaron Robles, Hylan Coulette and Peter Youell all posted times of 10:01 or lower, Mark Hoffman qualified for State in the 800 (1:59), Leverett Stricklet posted times of 2:08 and 4:50, and Finn Sully played soccer. Prep typically has a roster of nearly 100 boys, so time will tell if any other returners made big improvements over the summer. The team includes a large freshmen class that is led by Peter Lickteig and Joe Kwapnioski. Lickteig finished 7^th at Junior High State XC and ran seven sub-5:00 1600s this spring including a 4:48 mile at New Balance Nationals, while Kwapnioski was 28^th at JH State XC and ran a 5:04 1600 this spring. Prep also adds two key transfers: (a) Omaha Central transfer Mercier Cerasoli, a junior who finished 36^th last year and ran 4:53 and 10:09 during track season, and (b) Millard South transfer Isaiah Coleman, who didn’t qualify for State in 2024 but had a strong track season with times of 4:44 and 9:48.

With so many top-end seniors departed, the rest of the field is full of question marks. Aiden Gehring is one of three returners for Papio South, and he is on the hunt for a rare four-medal XC career in Class A after finishing 12^th last fall as a freshman. He ran 1:56 and 4:28 this spring, and is joined by Dalan Hochstein (61^st at State XC, 1:58, 4:34) and Ben Insko, who does not run track. The Papio South student X account, @StengGang, has been unusually quiet this summer, so we have gotten no hints on the other boys fighting for a varsity spot.

Connor Boyle (14^th place, 4:41, 9:58) is one of four returning boys for Lincoln Southwest. Cole and Cade Cover also return with 10:00 PRs in the 3200, while CJ Andazola had times of 2:05 and 4:58 in the spring. Based on spring results, Mitchell Ripley (4:45, 10:23) and Braxton Beed (2:07, 4:53) also appear to be contenders for varsity. Despite my best (err, half-hearted) attempt at investigative journalism, we couldn’t nail down which freshman boys are headed to LSW and who may in the hunt for a varsity spot.

Ben Schlegelmilch (#132) and Daren Linscott (#126) of Lincoln East

The Lincoln East squad features two boys who finished just outside the medals in 2024. Ben Schlegelmilch finished 16^th in 2024 and recorded solid times of 4:29 and 9:52 in the spring, while 20^th-place Daren Linscott ran 4:41 and 10:04. Sophomore Dylan Linscott (no track results) and Noah Robb (2:02 800 split) also return. Based on early feedback, we wouldn’t be surprised if the Spartan varsity squad includes a few freshmen by the end of the season.

Millard West returns four boys including their top two finishers, Eli Bickley (33^rd, 1:58, 4:34) and Levi Reidel (46^th, 4:42, 9:54). Logan Dobkins (78^th, 2:02, 10:00) should also be a key contributor. I don’t doubt that Millard West will qualify for State; I’m just not sure who will fill out their varsity squad.

Lincoln Southeast’s top two finishers from 2024 are competing in college now but they do return their other five State competitors. Niles Medcalf (66^th, 48.03, 1:53), Levi Hnosko (67^th, 4:39, 10:04) and Kegan Dykema (84^th, 10:11) had the strongest track seasons of those returners.

Millard North finished 11^th last year and returns all but their top finisher. They may not have a low stick but all six were active during track season: Marc Louthan (2:02, 4:40, 10:24), Blake Sampson (2:01, 4:44, 10:17), Jonathan Jacobsen (2:10, 4:54, 10:41), Beckett Anderson (2:09, 4:44, 10:42), Lucas Day (2:13, 4:58) and Cale Hemje (2:21, 4:57).

South Sioux City remains in Class A this season, the 32^nd largest school out of 33 in Class A based on NSAA classification data. (North Platte is the smallest Class A school with 27 more students than Class B #1 Elkhorn North, in case you were wondering.) Luke McGinty led SSC with a 21st place in 2024 and ran a season-best 1:59 in the spring. SSC returns five other boys, four of whom competed during track season.

There are a number of teams that are not expected to be in the top five this season but do have boys who should be in the mix this season:

· David Protzman of Norfolk finished 15^th at State XC after being ranked 14^th in our State preview, and he followed up with solid track times of 4:32 and 9:41. Norfolk returners also include Liam Gonzalez, who finished 37^th last fall and ran 4:37/10:21 in a shortened track season.

· Walker Anselmo of Bellevue East is someone we know very little about. He’s the 13^th fastest returner with his 25^th-place finish in 2024, but he appears to have a injury-shortened track season with bests of 4:51 and 10:25.

· Trey Crabtree of Lincoln High finished 27^th last season and ran 1:59/4:29 in the spring; he is joined by Hutton Rettig, with missed a State berth by two spots in 2024 but rebounded with PRs of 4:35/9:53 during track. Lincoln High also adds freshman Rustyn Rettig, who appears to have swept all of his LPS middle school XC races last year.

· Dylan Gross is the top returner for a Westside team that graduated its top three runners; he has PRs of 1:58 and 4:35. The freshman class should include Max Gordon, who finished 15^th at the Junior High State meet and ran a 5:21 1600 in the spring.

· Collin Krahling (22^nd) and Ryan Sturgeon (71^st) lead an Omaha Westview team that finally has four grades; they’ll be joined by freshman Jackson McQuillan, who finished 7^th at the 2024 Junior High State XC meet.

· Kearney has a storied history in distance running but has not qualified its boys’ team since 2018. Their top two returners should be Zachary Petzet (23^rd, 4:31) and Beckham Johnson (4:46, 10:20). They also add Maddox Helgoth, who captured the Junior High State XC title before setting PRs of 2:06 and 4:53 during the track season.

Zander Carson-Koestner (#45, Elkhorn South)

· Zander Carson-Koestner, a senior at Elkhorn South, was the surprise of the track season. He didn’t qualify for State XC as a freshman or sophomore, and he missed his junior season due to injury. Last spring he had PRs of 1:54 (5^th place in Class A) and 4:21 (8^th place), and he ran 9:42 in his only 3200 attempt. SSC edged Elkhorn South for the final team berth in District A-1, but look for Elkhorn South to return to State if their squad stays healthy. Returners include Lincoln Haussler (2:00, 4:34), Sam Stracke (2:01), Jack Morris (4:54) and Ryan Maglinger (2:02, 4:49).

· Among freshman not listed above, keep an eye out for Joon Gilson of Omaha Burke (3^rd at JH State XC, 2:58, 4:58) and Caleb Yanez of North Platte (9^th at JH State XC, 2:22, 5:04).

Team predictions

The Class A coaches will issue five or six polls during the season. As is our custom, we only issue one team ranking, and that is our pre-season prediction:

1. Lincoln North Star

2. Creighton Prep

3. Fremont

4. Lincoln Southwest

5. Lincoln East

Individual rankings

We’ll post our preseason rankings on the Rankings tab at www.preprunningnerd.com, and we’ll update them almost every week during the season.

Errors and omissions

Our season previews are based on prior results and an assumption that underclassmen competing at State in 2024 will run again this year. If you’re aware of an error in the article above, or have information on an impactful runner not listed above, please email jayslagle@hotmail.com so we can determine whether the article should be updated. Our goal as volunteers is to be a resource for fans of Nebraska high school country, but we readily acknowledge that we need feedback from followers and coaches to provide accurate information.

********

Originally written and published in August 2025 at www.preprunningnerd.com.

Like this coverage of the Nebraska T&F and cross country scene? There's more of this at www.preprunningnerd.com. Check out the Blog tab for our frequent stories and the Results tab for every Nebraska high school meet we can find. If you want to see meet photos or just need to kill a few hours on social media, follow us on Twitter and Instagram @PrepRunningNerd or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/preprunningnerd.

Finally, if you think runners, jumpers and throwers are the best things on earth, you'll enjoy our two most popular articles. In 2018 we published "The Runner with the Broken Heart" about a high school boy who finished last in nearly every race he ran. In 2022 we published, "The Fall and Rise of Emmett " a story about a high school triple jumper who became a quadrapalegic after a swimming accident.