Andrew Dobrescu and his Harvest Christian teammates will not be relative unknowns during the boys cross country season.
The Lions, behind a balanced attack, captured the Class 1A state championship last November with a 107-116 victory over Freeburg in their fifth year as an IHSA member school.
“We’re not going to be able to fly under the radar this year,” said Dobrescu, who was 20th overall last fall to lead Harvest Christian.
Michael Sisko, the only senior among the Lions’ five counting runners, was two slots behind Dobrescu to also secure all-state status.
Based on their accomplishments last season, as well as their returning nucleus, the Lions will begin the season atop the small-school ilxctf.com team rankings.
“We think we are capable of winning (state) again,” Harvest Christian coach Steven Bland said.
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Dobrescu has been mapping out his role for the Lions.
“My biggest focus this year is I want to lead the team,” Dobrescu said. “I am very excited about this season.”
Payton Kasper, Mark Davila, Kyler Young and Connor Seals will augment Dobrescu as fellow state veterans.
Young and Seals were pivotal figures in the Lions’ state championship last fall.
“Our (No.) 4 and 5 runners are what gave us the advantage over (Freeburg),” Bland said.
Harvest Christian had 16 fewer team points than Freeburg did from its last two-counting scores.
The experience was a revelation for Harvest Christian.
“To have a chance to win a trophy is great,” Bland said. “To be at the top of the podium is an incredible feeling.”
The Lions have no plans on relinquishing their status as top dogs.
“We’re going to have a good front group again,” Bland said. “You don’t know what other (teams) are going to do.”
The potential impact of newcomers is inescapable in cross country, and Harvest Christian has a freshman to watch.
“We call him Mo,” Dobrescu said of Mathew Olech.
Bland expects Olech to be in the vanguard of the Lions’ attack this fall, in all likelihood complementing Dobrescu as the second-fastest runner.
“He and Andrew have already gone head-to-head,” Bland said.
Olech left an immediate impression on Dobrescu.
“If he learns his pacing, he might be right up there with me,” said Dobrescu, an Algonquin resident.
Sophomore Erik Richter is another underclassman who could help foster the Lions’ aspirations.
“We are going for a podium spot again,” Bland said. “We have the returning athletes to do it. On paper we look really good.”
Dobrescu, who also was the Lions’ lead runner at Detweiller Park in Peoria as a sophomore, credits a deep spiritual undertone for his success.
Dobrescu is not ready to call it quits athletically after high school.
“I am hoping to compete in college,” Dobrescu said. “That would be a huge blessing.”
St. Charles East is the lone area school ranked in 3A as the Saints seek a fourth consecutive state finals appearance.
Senior Cole Adesso headlines the Saints’ three returning starters.
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“I think (Adesso) could earn all-state honors,” St. Charles East coach Chris Bosworth said. “We have a (state finals) number we are looking for. We would like to crack into the top 10.”
Dundee-Crown, Huntley, Bartlett, Jacobs, South Elgin and St. Charles North have all been identified in the ilxctf.com preseason poll as contenders to be ranked.
Kevin McGavin is a freelance writer for the Courier-News.