Matt Paarlberg can't help but dream a little bit every time he goes down the hall at Beecher High School where the Bobcats' best athletes are honored.
"I walk past (Tony) Fernatt's picture and it's like, 'It'd really be nice to be up there next to him,'" Paarlberg said.
Fernatt earned his place of honor by becoming the second Beecher runner to win a state cross country title in 1986 (Ron Speletich was the first, three years earlier).
Could it be Paarlberg's turn this fall? The Bobcats senior, a two-time all-stater who was fifth in Class 1A last fall, certainly hopes so.
That there's even the possibility of a state title is a little surreal for Paarlberg, who initially saw distance running as a way to make friends at a new school and stay in shape for basketball.
"My whole family did baseball," he said. "I wanted to do something different. I'm not that good at baseball anyway."
He began to realize he was pretty good at cross country when he was a Class A regional runner-up as a sophomore.
"I was like, 'Wow, I just got second in a regional,'" Paarlberg said. "I never thought that would happen. Then getting fourth in sectional and 13th in state, it was like, 'Maybe this is something I can pursue ... beyond high school possibly.'"
Butler and Illinois State both have been recruiting Paarlberg, whose 15:09 at Peoria's Detweiler Park last fall was the best time by any returning Southland runner in any class. Three of the runners who beat him have graduated, but state champ Parker Thompson of Tremont (who ran 14:49) returns to defend his title.
"He's a strong runner," Paarlberg said of Thompson. "But every runner's got to have a weakness somewhere. The whole idea is to locate it and see ... what we can do."
Paarlberg isn't the only Bobcat with big dreams this season. Billy Carey graduated from the team that finished eighth in 1A, but everyone else who ran at state returns. Joining Paarlberg in the Bobcats' pack are sophomores Griffin Nykaza, Josh Barelli and Matt Hensen, and juniors Zack Stluka and Steven Cooper.
"We're very confident," said Henry Nykaza, Griffin's father and the Bobcats' assistant coach. "I think the kids honestly think on the right day with the right guys running, they can bring home a (state) trophy."
Hopes are high at several other Southland schools as well, most notably Sandburg and Lincoln-Way Central.
Sandburg brings back five of its top seven from a team that finished 12th a year ago, led by senior Zach Dahleen.
"I would expect him to be in the top 10 at state this year," coach John O'Malley said.
Kyle Meyer, Elliot Nevel, Kyle McNicholas and Dennis O'Flaherty also return for the senior-dominated Eagles. "It looks like we're going to be capable of a top-5 finish," O'Malley said.
Lincoln-Way Central expects to improve significantly on its 20th-place finish. For starters, Central returns seniors Ethan Simmons, Steve Ahlgrim, Pat Chojnacki and Tom Willmot from its top seven, along with sophomore Kyle Counter.
Throw in freshman Lucas Verzbicas, a junior high state champ in cross country and track, and it's easy to see why the Knights are bullish on their chances.
"As it sits now, we're looking at a top-10 finish (at state)," coach John Taylor said.
Lincoln-Way East, the top local finisher in 3A last year in ninth place, will rebuild after graduating four seniors and losing junior Matthew Niendorf to the first-year program at Lincoln-Way North.
"It's going to be a very young team," said coach Ross Widinski, who will look to sophomore Nick Cinadinos and junior Dan August to lead his pack.
The youth movement is also in place at Lockport, which was 11th at state last year. The Porters could have four sophomores and two juniors in their top six, led by state-meet vets and sophomores David Inczauskas and David Sajdak. Joe Oldendorf also is expected to be near the front of the pack.
Stagg also is dealing with some significant turnover, with just senior Chris Sarna back from the top seven of a team that placed 16th at state.
"We're going to be a team that's going to have to have five guys within a minute of each other if we're going to do anything," coach Dan Zielinski said.
Shepard graduated four of its top six, but still hopes to hold onto the South Suburban Blue title it has won the past two seasons. Mike Prokop and Allan Urbaniak pace the Astros.
Andrew coach Bob Matz had his biggest turnout ever, just shy of 60 runners. Sophomore Mike Salco could be the Thunderbolts' best, while seniors Alex Kluchki, Brian Tholl, Dan Darling and Chad Linhart make up a solid pack.
In Class 2A, Lemont will be looking to return to state after finishing 20th last fall and Oak Forest -- down from 3A -- is hoping to advance to Peoria for the first time in school history.
Senior Neal Casey and sophomore Tom Hoster are neck-and-neck for the Indians' No. 1 spot.
State isn't the only thing on coach Tim Plotke's mind: "First and foremost, in my 16 years of coaching, we still haven't won a boys conference title. We're looking to try to get our first."
Leading an experienced Oak Forest team are senior Ralph Woolard and juniors Ed McDaniel and Pathik Gandhi.
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