For Your Sisters. Hold The Rope. Make Them Quit. These are the words the Minooka Indians started their season with. These are the words they carried with them from stadium to stadium, court to court, championship to championship. These are the words that propelled the Minooka Indians to glory in the most memorable football and volleyball seasons of MCHS history.

On Nov. 11, the Indians ended their long, arduous, but nevertheless rewarding journey toward prominence. That Saturday, Indian Nation headed down to Edwardsville with buses full of eager fans to watch the football team compete in the quarterfinals. Countless viewers tuned in from all across the state to watch the livestream, eagerly waiting to witness the culmination of their hard work throughout the season. And boy, did the Indians put up one heck of a fight.

“I think this was the best season Minooka has had,” said Natalie Zito, senior.

After a close game in Edwardsville, Minooka losing 28-25, Indian Nation’s attention turned to the volleyball team competing in the IHSA State Championship at ISU against Marist. The stands were packed to the brim with cheering fans when the lady Indians earned the 2nd place state trophy for the second year in a row. But there’s no title that can capture the outstanding work ethic and dedication the volleyball team displayed from their first game to their last.

“This season was different than others because of the special bond that we had with each other. We trusted and loved each other differently than any other team did,” Bella Dailey, senior, said.

Back in August, both teams established their goals. They worked day in and day out for weeks after weeks to make those goals a reality. Come November, no other team in the state could match their driven mindset. Both teams put Minooka back on the map, shifting the spotlight to our outstanding players and coaches who leave it all on the field and the court. In the end, the score doesn’t compare to the memories the players and fans made these past few months.

“Being an Indian has made my high school experience unbelievable,” said Jamie DiBiase, junior. “Everyone comes together to support each other. The school spirit is amazing, and I wouldn’t want to go to school anywhere else.”

The football and volleyball teams brought the community together in ways many other schools never experience. From parking lot tailgates to screaming matches with the opposing team’s fan section, Minooka made this fall season one for the books.

“Indian Nation does a great job of bringing the whole school together as one big family. It’s amazing to be a part of it all,” Morgan Pullara, junior, said.

For the freshmen, it’s a phenomenal start to a high school career of Indian success. For the sophomores, it encourages them to look forward to another two years of Indian Nation. For the juniors, it’s a time to cherish and live in the moment. And for the seniors, it was a brilliant last hurrah.

“This fall season was unbelievable and it made me very proud to be an Indian,” said Brooke Brodzinski, junior.

For everyone, the time we spend here at MCHS is in a word: unforgettable.

“I really enjoyed watching our student section grow year by year as orange and black dominate the stands,” said Kynsey Cryder, junior. “Win or lose, Indian Nation stands together as one.”

This story appeared in the Nov. 20, 2017, print issue of the PPC.