It looks like it could be a very interesting year, and a very successful year, for boys track teams in the Metro area.

The Metro Sports Report is launching its package of boys track stories today with a look at all seven Metro teams at Jefferson, Kennedy, Linn-Mar, Marion, Prairie, Washington and Xavier.

You'll find the story for each of those teams on the boys track page for each school. Simply click on your favorite school at the top of this page, go to the dropdown box where it says "select a team" and click on boys track. That will get you exactly where you want to go.

You'll find a series of stories that will get boys track fans ready for the outdoor season this spring. Each team has a story to tell, and more stories will develop as the season moves along.

Kyle Dunn is back for his senior year at Linn-Mar after winning the 400-meter hurdles and 400 dash last year at the state meet. He did not win the 110 high hurdles last season - he was upset in the finals and finished second - so he'd like to bring home the gold in that event, too, and possibly help the Lions capture the Class 4A title.

Speaking of 4A titles, Cedar Rapids Washington has won back-to-back state crowns and is looking for a three-peat this season. Alex Carr has been a prominent member of both state championships and he's back to anchor the sprint relays and see if the Warriors can make history.

Cedar Rapids Prairie won the Class 4A state cross country title last fall and appears very strong in the middle distance and distance races, led by the Stocker twins, Matt and Kyle. This is the last year the Stockers will run on the same team in school, because they'll be headed in different directions for college.

Caleb Mere of Kennedy sailed more than 22 feet in the long jump at the Mississippi Valley Conference indoor meet in Cedar Falls last week and it looks like he could challenge for the state title this spring, especially if his hamstring does not bother him again.

Cedar Rapids Jefferson has 95 athletes on its boys track team this season, and Coach Ron Tower thinks many of them will benefit from their offseason training with Performance Therapies, one of whose trainers is former J-Hawks star Blake Tiedtke.

Xavier junior Alec Clasen cleared 6-foot-6 in the high jump at an indoor meet this month, a personal best and two inches higher than he jumped last year when he placed fifth at the state meet on his 16th birthday. Clasen is hoping to go even higher this spring.

Marion senior Dusty Albaugh, a four-sport star for the Indians, greatly enjoys running the anchor legs on relays, and he'll get a chance for more of that this spring. He's a busy guy and will be even busier this spring and summer as he tries to juggle track, baseball and his appearance in the Shrine Bowl football game.

You can read all of those stories on our website right now, and we invite you to follow the boys track season on a daily basis this spring on the Metro Sports Report.