Saints’ head coach Drew Ludtke looks for his second-year team to be the most improved unit in the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference.

With a roster that is made up of six sophomores and seven freshmen, the Saints will clearly be the youngest team in the conference.  But Ludtke doesn’t mind the youth of his squad and is really excited about its potential.

“We will quickly move up the list of teams in the results this year,” said Ludtke. “Our top returning runner and all-CCAC choice from last year -- Adam Yost (Sparta, Mich.) is back and is stronger this year. Add to that junior college transfer Michael McElyea (Joliet Junior College) and freshmen Josh Brent (Monroe St. Mary's, Mich.) and Ryan Scott (Grand Rapids West Catholic H.S., Mich.) and we have a solid group of four runners up front.

“We now have some great depth, too,” added Ludtke.  “Returnees Jorge Carmona (Aurora Central Catholic H.S.), Tony Burbatt (Bremen H.S.), and Mubashir Olaoye (Thornwood H.S.) give us a nice core of runners who each have a year of college running experience under their belts. New members Keith Fuentes (Bremen H.S.), Ronald O'Neal (Oak Forest H.S.), Eric Stadter (Bremen H.S.) and James Teach (Plainfield Central H.S.) show promise and great hope for the future. Also joining the cross country team are two state qualifiers in the triple jump -- Wayland Froelich (Amboy) and Sam Hageman (Mt. Pulaski).

“We will graduate no one the next two years and continue to get solid improvement from our returnees over the period of time that they young guys run in the next two years.

“Adam was far and away our best runner last year as a freshman and he will be severely challenged for top honors this season by two of our freshmen – Josh Brent and Ryan Scott,” continued Ludtke. “It is this kind of internal competition that will make our guys stronger and more competitive in the strong field of meets that we will run in this year.”