Boys track: Adeoti adding toward big finish on track

Israel Adeoti isn't just Plano's star sprinter.

It turns out, the Reapers' senior seems an unofficial assistant coach and resident mathmetician.

"Me and (Plano) coach (Brad) Kunz, we text every day how we can score points," Adeoti said. "Track is not just about winning the race. It's about being successful as a team. I learned that from my brother. A point here, a point there. It's a lot of math."

Adeoti hopes it adds up to a big finish at the state meet in Charleston.

Adeoti, seventh in the 100-meter dash and anchor to Plano's runner-up 800 relay in Class 2A last spring, is the headliner in a deep group of Reaper athletes out for track.

Kunz, also Adeoti's football coach, is back for his third stint coaching the Plano track team.

"We are really deep this year, probably the deepest I've ever had," Kunz said. "Boys and girls both, we probably have around 90 kids signed up."

That depth showed at the Comet Invitational at Reed-Custer Saturday, where Plano swept the boys and girls team titles.

Adeoti got a late start to track because of basketball, but he's made up for lost time. His first time out, Kunz said he ran the fifth-best time in Class 2A in the 55 and 200. He recently tweaked his hamstring, but still ran Plano's 1,600 relay at Reed-Custer.

He's clearly an anchor to Plano's team, and just for his swift feet.

"The biggest thing about Izzy, besides his speed, is he just understands track and how it works," Kunz said. "I can talk to him about putting people in events. He's very intelligent that way."

He's also surrounded by a boatload of talent.

Junior Mauricio Perez and senior Jeremiah Murff, Adeoti's 800 relay teammates at state, have both been slowed by injuries indoors, but their absence has allowed Kunz to cultivate some younger runners.

Ryan Jernigan, unbeaten in the 800 this spring, has been around 2:05 and Kunz thinks he can flirt with the school record 1:57.

Sebastian Esparza and Michael Marshall join Adeoti and Jernigan as returners from last year's state-qualifying 1,600 relay, although Marshall is recovering from a shouldler injury in wrestling. Junior thrower Alex Gonzalez has thrown the shot put in the mid 40s.

Two up-and-comers are sophomore Christian Graham, who's already over 20 feet in the long jump, and freshman Kevin Dixon.

"I think he has a huge future ahead of him in track," Kunz said of Dixon. "We threw him in the 400 and first time out he ran it in 55 seconds."

Adeoti is targeting the school record of 10.83 in the 100, and he's already run 10.87 his second meet indoors.

He said he's already running faster this season, with good reason.

"It's my work ethic. I never take days off," Adeoti said. "A do a lot of squats, a lot of dead lifting, eat a lot of proteins. I work a lot with (Aurora Flyers) coach Tom Boatright. Once you get to track season, it's really all about running as fast as you can."

Adeoti also hopes his running gives a little more exposure to his future school.

Adeoti in February signed to play football at North Dakota. His college coaches don't mind a bit that he's running track.

"They love that I'm staying in shape," Adeoti said. "I don't think any coach would rather have you sitting around. Hopefully if I do well at state it can help put North Dakota on the map a little more."