“If they are not nervous for this meet, then they’re not human,” coach Kevin Gummerson, cross country, said.

The Minooka boy’s cross country team will be returning to the state meet on Saturday, Nov. 7, after a two-year absence. The race will begin at 2 p.m. and will be at Detweiller Park in Peoria.

Their 2014 team’s season ended at the Sectional meet last year, when they finished 7th overall, not qualifying for state.

At the Sectional meet this year, the boys placed first, earning their first sectional championship title in Minooka history. Soren Knudsen, junior, placed first overall in the race, and Miguel Lomeli, senior placed seventh.

Justin Tutt, junior, placed 18th and Jack Sullivan, junior, placed 29th.

“Lomeli really pulled through for us,” Gummerson said. “Also Sullivan and Tutt passed about 10 kids at the end which made a big difference.”

Gummerson believed that the returning runners have made a big impact on this year’s team. He knew the team was very disappointed in the way their season ended last year, which has motivated every kid to do their best this season. The returning kids have pushed and supported every runner throughout the season.

Cody Hoshell, sophomore, said the team keeps him going. He believes the atmosphere is very friendly and everyone acts like a family.

The boys began a fresh season in 2015 that started in June with summer training, preparing them for their competitive season that would start in August. Gummerson was proud of the effort the boys put in throughout the summer.

They started out their season with a first place win at the Normal West Invite and continued to have success over the course of the season.

At the conference meet on Oct. 17, the boys fell short of a championship title, placing second out of 27 teams. A week later at the regional meet, they redeemed themselves by placing first out of 9 teams. In both meets Knudsen placed first as an individual.

The state meet is the most important meet of the season for each cross country team, but Gummerson believes the team has prepared well for this point.

“We can focus on what we can control and that’s running their best,” Gummerson said. “As a coach I’m going to let them do what they usually do. That’s what their bodies are used to and comfortable with.”

The Minooka runners will be physically and mentally put to the test, as they compete against 24 other teams for a State title.

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