Near the end of his freshman boys track and field season, Riverside Brookfield High School senior August Favarula found his favorite event – triple jump. That’s not the only reason the third-year varsity competitor keeps coming back.
“Honestly, the people. The environment. We’re all very supportive of each other,” Favarula said. “We all work very hard to achieve what we want through the season. Our coaches are honest with us. They’re like, ‘If you’re not here to succeed, maybe it’s not the place for you.’”
The Bulldogs are looking for success from more new faces after graduating both of their 2025 Class 3A state qualifiers. Besides Favarula, other key contributors include seniors Clayton Dosek, Emmitt Olson, Quinn Hendricks, Ryan Kendall and Nick O’Connor, juniors Bryson Reum and Issaih Gaytan, sophomore Levi Huffman and freshman Carmine LaManna.
RBHS head coach Travis Trevizo also thinks he has progressed in his second season as head coach.
“We are a more organized program that focuses on high volume practice in preparation for the end of the season. Our goal is not April or early May meets but sectionals,” Trevizo said. “Our coaches are caring and passionate about creating great athletes and young men.”
The Bulldogs were ninth at last year’s one-division outdoor Upstate Eight Conference Meet (32 points) and tied for ninth at the indoor UEC Meet March 20 (15 points). O’Connor (11th in discus, 33.29 meters/109 feet-2 inches) and Favarula (12th in triple jump, 11.74 m/38 feet-6 1/4) are the top returning individual finishers from last year’s Class 3A sectional.
From the 2025 conference meet, Hendricks and Olson were on the 4 x 400-meter relay that earned All-UEC honors with a fourth-place finish at the conference meet (3:41.84).
“Our team is very close and we’re all friends and we all know how to make each other work harder and get better. We all want each other to get better,” Dosek said. “I love every year how I know I’m getting better. I know that I will get better and my team will get better.”
The 4 x 800 relay currently looks to have the best chance at reaching its state qualifying standard. Dosek, Olson, Hendricks and Hoffman were fourth at the indoor UEC Meet (8:56.28) and Dosek (2:12.37) and Olson (2:13.62) were sixth and eighth in the 800. The 4 x 400 relay of Olson, Dosek, Hendricks and Reum was fifth (3:55.71) and Favarula was seventh in triple jump (11.58 m/38-0).
“(I’m enjoying) just the feeling of feeling fast and running,” said Gaytan, a third-year program member among the Bulldogs’ sprinters. “I was actually inspired by my grandpa and dad because they used to run a lot. It’s what leads me into the next generation of being fast and I’ll pass it on.”
LTHS boys track and field
Seniors Gustavo Mojarro and Tyler Gantt and junior Joey Bockwell are Lyons Township’s returning 2025 state track and field competitors. Mojarro, a two-time qualifier with the 4 x 400 relay, expects to be joined by a many more teammates.
“We had 17 last year (at state, including alternates). I feel like we should have at least 25,” Mojarro said. “We have great depth. We have guys that can go in the field events. They just have to believe in themselves. I would say I have the leadership role mounted on me. I’ll always help them. That’s the biggest difference. They want to perform at the highest level. They want to rise to the occasion.”
The Lions finished sixth at the indoor Silver Meet March 20 (35 points) and were sixth at last year’s outdoor Silver Meet (56 points). Bockwell won the indoor Silver title in shot put (17.04m/55-11). Senior Brock Curtin was third in high jump (1.87m/6-1/2) and Mojarro was fourth in the 400 (season-best 51.68). Senior Anthony Pearson from Brookfield (55 low hurdles and long jump) was fifth and Gantt (1,600) and junior Tyler Stamm (pole vault) were sixth. Others to watch include senior thrower Jimmy Hillmann from Brookfield and another strong distance corps that also includes seniors Patrick Collins, Beckett Lettiere and Parker Robinson.
“We’re going to be hosting sectionals (again) so hopefully we have a group of guys ready to get down to state by the end of the year. I would think so,” LTHS coach Mike Danner said.
At 2025 state, the 4 x 800 relay with Gantt was 14th in a season-best 7:59.73, missing the 12-team finals cut by just .48. Gantt provided a sub-1:59 split and ran under state qualifying in the 1,600 during the regular season. Mojarro anchored the 4×400 (29th, 3:27.32). Bockwell was 26th in shot with a then personal-best 15.35m/50-4 1/2) to beat his personal best of 15.08m/49-5 3/4 for second at sectionals. In 2024, Mojarro led off the 4 x 400 at state (44th, 3:44.20). Another great memory as anchor last year was winning the outdoor Silver Meet (3:23.80) by .01 over Downers Grove North.
“That was a moment I’ll never forget. We weren’t projected to win,” Mojarro said. “I want to go (to state) in the 400 and the 4×400 as the anchor leg and hopefully do some damage, be all-state.”
Bockwell increased his personal-best in shot to 59-4 at the indoor opener, Feb. 19. That progress should carry over to discus from a competition personal-best 139-3.
“After state, he continued throwing right away (at summer camp). He took it upon himself to work drills, throw on his own,” LTHS throws coach Jerry Rigo said.
More distance runners to watch are sophomores Brennan Monohan, Evan Ruse and Ben Radtke and freshmen Luke Borling and Keegan Lundin. On the frosh-soph level at the indoor Silver Meet, Monohan (1,600 in 4:32.85) and the 4 x 800 with Monohan, Ruse, Radtke and Lundin (8:17.66) were event champions. As a group, the frosh-soph won the Proviso West Invite March 1 but finished fourth at the indoor Silver Meet (94.5), 20.5 points from third.
“(The frosh-soph) just seemed to be a little bit off or nervous. We’ll keep giving them opportunities (for varsity),” Danner said.