Led by a strong senior class, the Saint Ignatius Boys Track and Field enters the 2026 season with their sights set on the state meet in May in Peoria, Illinois.
The Saint Ignatius Wolfpack are led by seniors Ethan Petrillo, Zachary Tan, Aidan Tansor, Cam Shure who are all coming off their disappointing Cross Country season which was riddled by injuries to the top seven.
“I’ve not decided whether I want to (continue running) after recovering from my injury,” said Cam Shure. He tore his plantar fascia which can take up to 12 weeks to heal fully.
He was injured alongside Zach Tan who was dealing with back problems, Aidan Tansor who had shin splints, Charlie Maidia had a stress fracture in his hip, and Alrik Swan who hurt his hip in Sectionals.
The lead runner for the medium distance runs of Saint Ignatius’ Track team is Ethan Petrillo. He recently committed to Lafayette College in Pennsylvania for Cross Country and Track. His main events during the track season are 800 meters (0.5 miles) and 1600 meters (around 1 mile).
“I finished 27th place in the state last year and I am looking to do better this year,” said Ethan Petrillo. He is looking to break sub one minute and 55 seconds after a two minutes and one second finish during the prelims of last year’s state 800 meter race.
The Wolfpack will run in the 3A division of IHSA Track and Field, a division they have been in since 2009.
“ (Our section) has always been one of the toughest sectionals” said Mr. Morrison, the head coach for Saint Ignatius Track and Field. He also mentioned that one of the toughest schools in the division is Oak Park River Forest which has nearly double the student population of Saint Ignatius.
The Track and Field team also participates in the Chicago Catholic League.
“As far as the CCL, I would say our biggest opponent has always been Loyola,Depauland Brother Rice” Said Mr. Morrison. Morrison noted that he loves races against these schools as it brings out the highest amount of completion in his runner and he loves to beat them.
Other runners hoping to make a mark are Linden Walton, Maurice Cousins, Charlie Matia, and Brendan Houlhian who had strong seasons last year and are trending upwards as the season is about to begin.
The season of Track and Field is split into two parts. There are indoor track competitions that run from January to early March. The outdoor track season runs from mid March to the end of Track season in May. Indoor tracks are often shorter because the distance of one lap is 200m while outdoor tracks are 400m.
Key events for the Wolfpack are Cabin Fever Invitational on March 6th, The CIRCUIT Chicago on February 21st, CCL Championships happening in May, and IHSA Sectionals and State which also happen in May.
The Wolfpack believe that a fully healthy roster and a deep lineup of returning talent could make this one of their most competitive seasons in recent years. With seniors leading the charge and underclassmen gaining momentum, the team feels they are finally positioned for a strong run at Peoria in May.
As Saint Ignatius once said: “Go and set the world on fire.”
