After finishing first at the Metro Suburban East meet last season — thus earning its first conference title since 1976 — the Ridgewood boys track and field team is hopeful it can build upon that success this season.
Ridgewood coach Tony Guagenti said the Rebels will lean on seniors Alex Rice, Cody Frerking and Alireza Shayestehjah to lead the way.
“They bring a good attitude every day,” Guagenti said. “They help their teammates enjoy practice. They just set the table for how we want things done in the program and what we should do every day to improve yourself.”
Frerking and Shayestehjah are the team’s two captains. Frerking, who was all-conference in the high jump last season, said the expectation is to not only win the conference again this season, but to also qualify more Rebels for state.
The Rebels had three entrants advance to the Class 2A state meet last year: then-senior Peter Malec in the high jump, Rice in the triple jump and the Rebels’ 4×100-meter relay team. Rice, who was joined by three then-seniors on the 4×100 relay, placed 12th in the triple jump.
“I know I’d like to get down to state in the high jump,” said Frerking, a Norridge resident. “We’ve got a couple kids who want to get to state. Rice wants to get down there again for triple jump and long jump and then we’d also like to get the 4×100 back down to state like last year.”
Rice won individual conference titles in the long jump, triple jump, 100 and 200 last season.
Shayestehjah, who was all-conference in the discus last season, said winning conference for the first time in 40 years changed the program’s standards.
“It brings up our expectations for sure,” said Shayestehjah, a Harwood Heights resident. “But it’s something that we have to hope for and work hard to get it. We can’t just sit around and expect to win conference again this year without putting in the work. So, yes the expectations are definitely high, but we’re willing to put in the work too to win conference again this year.”
Given those goals, Guagenti said his expectations for his two captains, who organized a team dinner recently, are even higher than normal. In addition, Guagenti has implemented more workouts that are heavy on competition and emphasize teamwork in an effort to further bolster team camaraderie.
For all three seniors, however, the concept of leadership certainly isn’t new. Guagenti said the three were leaders last season as juniors, which makes the transition to this year all the more manageable.
“I just want them (my teammates) to look up to me as somebody that works hard and if they ever need anything they come ask me,” Frerking said. “They can ask me about things they need help with, even if it’s personal problems.”
Brett Christie is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
Twitter @Pioneer_Press
