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August 22, 2023

Huntley boys cross country runners Zach Zuzzio, left and Tommy Nitz are among the returning players for the Red Raiders this fall. They participate in a practice held at Deicke Park.
Steve Peterson
Huntley boys cross country runners Zach Zuzzio, left and Tommy Nitz

Sports • August 22, 2023

Talented trio leads boys runners

By

HUNTLEY — Huntley’s boys cross country runners headed west to get ready for the season.

Seniors Zach Zuzzio, Luke Grubbs and junior Tommy Nitz attended a team building camp at Gunnison, Colorado.

“We got to run at 7,000 feet,” Grubbs said. “Last year the Buraks (Class of 2023 members Breanna and Brittany) went and introduced us to it.”

Some unusual summer conditions were present “There was ice in the rivers,” Grubbs said. The team concluded a preseason week of practice at the preseason team trials back at Deicke Park.

“We feel pretty good,” Zuzzio said. “It’s fun to get together and run for six miles plus one. Our goals are to win the Fox Valley Conference, we’ve been in second place, and qualify as a team for state.”

Last season the Red Raiders missed the state meet by one spot, ending eighth at the IHSA Class 3A sectional. They made sectional with a first place regional meet finish.

Nitz, Zuzzio and Grubbs were individual state qualifiers last season. Nitz won the FVC and regional meets. “We’re confident we can qualify for state,” Nitz said. “I trained a little differently this year, more conservatively, about 45 to 50 miles a week, around Del Webb Sun City and Route 47.”

Zuzzio, Grubbs and Nitz are team captains. Also, sophomores Andrew Raistrick and Logan Barreto return.

“Our team has spent five weeks together preparing for the season,” Red Raiders head coach Matt Kaplan said. “Each of the kids have put in the time and effort to get themselves ready for the upcoming season. Group attitudes have been positive and everyone has been healthy. We’ve been able to keep our core group together for the summer which helps envision what the team will be looking like in the season.”

Kaplan, who is in his 17th season as head boys cross country coach, gave some thoughts on team goals.

“Last season our boys team missed qualifying as a team for state for the second year in a row as eighth place at sectional,” Kaplan said. “This season the trio of Nitz, Zuzzio and Grubbs will set the tone up front for the team. Raistrick will look to help our top five after being a top seven runner as a freshman. When we get to the post-season, we will need our guys to work together and with a strong team effort this group could out perform last year’s squad.”

The HHS team has some underclassmen ready to earn a varsity spot. “Sophomore Nathan Sauber and freshman Brandon Thompson have spent the summer up in the front for our boys and look to be names who will impact our top seven by the time we get to post season,” Kaplan said.

Jacobs is returning FVC league champs. “The FVC always has a mix of teams capable of winning the conference,” Kaplan commented.

HHS boys cross country’s squad of last season has one runner participating in college cross country, as Hudson Fisher is at Grace College.

The Red Raiders season gets started at the McHenry County Meet in Woodstock’s Emricson Park Aug. 26.