You go into a track and field season thinking you know who the top athletes will be, but this is a sport known for unveiling surprise stars.
Case in point, Brighton’s Luke Bellino.
Bellino never ran until coming out for track as a senior last year. All he did was break the school record and win the KLAA championship in the 400 and earn a chance to compete at Hope College, where he’s off to a great start.
Going into the 2025 season, Bellino wasn’t even mentioned in the Brighton preview, let alone listed among the top athletes in the county. Neither was Howell’s Bryce Kish, a football standout who ran the county’s fastest time in the 100 as a newcomer to the sport.
When you hear that schools like Howell and Pinckney have gotten some football players to come out for the first time, you wonder if someone who is unproven as of now would make this list at season’s end.
For now, here are the top 10 boys track and field athletes in the county:
1. Jack MacGregor
Howell, junior
► Accomplishments: It’s not a matter of if, but when MacGregor owns the Howell records in the 1,600- and 3,200-meter runs. His fifth-place time of 9 minutes, 13.24 seconds in last year’s state meet is second in school history to David Mitter’s 9:09.96 in the 2017 state finals. MacGregor’s 1,600 best is 4:23.06 and he has two years to take down the converted 4:17.0 run by miler Brian Williams in 1971. MacGregor won the state indoor 3,200 in 9:22.95 and ran 14:48.39 for the 5,000 at New Balance Nationals Indoor.
RELATED: Howell’s Jack MacGregor already running super-fast times
2. James Uphouse
Pinckney, senior
► Accomplishments: Uphouse suffered a season-ending injury before he could run a step for the Pirates last year, but he’s back and showing he could be one of the top 400 runners in the state. Uphouse ran 48.98 for the 400 at an indoor meet on Jan. 18 and placed fourth at the state indoor finals.
3. Landon Aeschliman
Fowlerville, senior
► Accomplishments: After not competing his sophomore year, Aeschliman returned last year and made all-state in pole vault by placing seventh at the Division 2 finals. His best performance was 13 feet, 6 inches. He dabbles in other events, but is primarily a pole vaulter.
4. Sam Burtts
Pinckney, senior
► Accomplishments: Burtts was the top hurdler in the county last season, posting times of 14.97 seconds in the 110 highs and 41.17 in the 300. He qualified for the Division 2 finals in both events. Burtts was the SEC White champion in the 300.
5. Zach Wyderko
Brighton, senior
► Accomplishments: Wyderko had the county’s fastest times in the 800 (1:57.97) and 1,600 (4:22.30) last season. He was the regional champion in the 1,600 and was part of a county-record 3,200 relay team. Wyderko is coming off a cross country season in which he placed 18th at the Division 1 finals in 15:27.9.
6. Blake Kulesza
Brighton, junior
► Accomplishments: Kulesza had a strong cross country season, but the track is where he really stands out. He ran 1:54.56 for the 800 at Nike Indoor Nationals on March 14 and 4:27.01 for the 1,600 on Feb. 21. Kulesza was on Brighton’s county-record 3,200 relay team last spring.
7. Bryce Kish
Howell, junior
► Accomplishments: Kish, a Clemson University football commit, ran track for the first time last year and qualified for the state meet in the 100. His time of 11.11 at the Division 1 finals is the fastest by a Howell runner since all-stater Josh Gardner ran 11.03 in 2011. Kish ran 22.86 for the 200. Kish is a freak athlete who could have some special performances now that he’s had a year in the sport.
8. Cole McCraw
Pinckney, junior
► Accomplishments: McCraw has already run within a second of his personal best in the 1,600 with an indoor time of 4:29.22 on Feb. 21. He was the SEC White champion and regional runner-up in the 3,200. McCraw placed 14th in the Division 2 finals in the 3,200.
9. Landon Kofahl
Brighton, senior
► Accomplishments: Kofahl will be a jack-of-all-trades for Brighton. He ranked second in the county in high jump (6 feet), second in the 110 hurdles (15.50), fourth in long jump (20-6.5) and seventh in the 300 hurdles (44.09) last year.
10. Mason Gay
Brighton, junior
► Accomplishments: Gay is the lone returner from an 800 relay team that set the county record. His times of 11.43 in the 100 and 23.24 in the 200 ranked fourth in the county last season. He has already run 23.21 for the 200 indoors. Gay has the potential to clear six feet in the high jump and 20 in the long jump.
Contact Bill Khan at wkhan@livingstondaily.com. Follow him on X @BillKhan
This article originally appeared on Livingston Daily: Who are the top 10 boys track and field athletes in Livingston County?
Reporting by Bill Khan, Livingston Daily / Livingston Daily
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