Ladies and gentlemen, start your engines…

Fortunately, students race on foot, so tie up those laces because Lake Forest Track and Field is in full swing.

On Friday, February 22nd, the Boys’ Varsity Team will compete at the Antioch Invite at the University of Wisconsin Parkside. With an abundance of strong underclassmen-boasting athletes like Jahari Scott- and a strong core of seniors, the Scouts will be a force to be reckoned with this year.

After making it to sectionals last year, the Scouts hope to make a more team-oriented run to state this year.

When Senior Eli Fietsam was asked what is going to be different this year he replied, “I expect a big step up in leadership among the senior class. We have a lot of new kids coming out and a lot of returners so there is definitely an increase in momentum and desire to succeed.”

Ryan Cekay, a committed D1 athlete, will surely be a part of this senior leadership, adapting his skills from the football field to the asphalt. The 6’4, 200-pound wide\receiver has a frame that is built flawlessly for speed and agility setting him up for domination in the 100-meter event.

On the other side of the spectrum, Eli Fietsam is a seasoned endurance runner who runs 400-meters in 53 seconds and 800-meters in 2 minutes 4 seconds. As a cross country runner by blood, much of Eli’s work ethic comes from his mother Leah Fietsam, who is an accomplished runner herself, making it a little less awkward to see Eli running up and down McKinley Road every day.

When it comes to rookie athletes, freshman Jahari Scott will certainly make a name for himself in a multitude of events.

According to Eli Fietsam, the young stud has been noticed for a long time saying, “We’ve been seeing and hearing a lot from Jahari since his time at Lake Bluff Middle School.”

Jahari comes from strong family connections as his older brother Tyjaun -a senior high jumper- has progressed leaps and bounds throughout his time competing, reaching a personal record of a 6’2 jump. Having brought his athleticism from the basketball court, the 5’9 jock can be caught dunking any day at any time with a pair of blue jeans on.

The Scouts surely have a long road ahead of them, but senior James Swartout “…sees them with plenty of runners in State.”

Swartout added, “Coach Brumund-Smith has changed our workout plan to better prepare our fast twitch muscles for acceleration and better finishes overall.”

Not only has James’ times been improving, but his mindset has too as he feels more equipped for success than ever.

Field competitors have seen a lot of momentum come their way as well, as Coach Mueller has implemented strategies of his own.

Senior thrower Michael Park said, “We are throwing discus indoors which we haven’t done in the past to better prepare us for outside competition.”

This gives the Scouts the advantage of far more practice time than previous years, as they typically don’t start throwing until the weather gets nice. In a town like Lake Forest, any spring day can be a roll of the dice.

Michael Park went on to say, “This year we have seen a huge influx in talent. A ton of new football players have come out… like Rylie Mills, Chase Bahr, and Charlie Aberle.”

Those three aren’t just football players, they are D1 quality linemen getting offers from some of America’s most prestigious athletic programs. Rylie Mills 6’5, 270 pound frame will have no problem throwing a discus, which will more likely feel like a tennis ball. Charlie Aberle and Chase Bahr, also weighing in at 270 pounds, will surely have some fun of their own.

All in all, the Track and Field team is set up for myriad wins this season so be sure to get out there and support them at Wisconsin-Parkside February 22nd.