The Minooka boys cross country team is making a return to the IHSA State Finals after coming up one place short of qualifying last year.

The boys are coming off a fourth place finish at the Quincy sectional last weekend.

“One of our constant goals is to always run our best when it matters most.  Well, this weekend is the weekend we have been training for, ” said head coach Kevin Gummerson.

The team believes they are able to compete with the best teams in the state and can finish high this Saturday at the state meet at Detweiller Park in Peoria. 

Gummerson and seniors Seth Joder and Jordan Freese believe the team can be a top 10 placer at the meet.

“Anything can happen on any given day,” Freese said.

The team is chasing after the 2010 Minooka boys cross country team this weekend for one of the records they hold. The 2010 team had placed the highest ever in recent school history at the state meet for boys.

“The goal is top 12 which would be the best boys finish in Minooka history,” said Joder.

This team is a young team and is prepared for everything, but the younger athletes aren’t the ones that Gummerson sees being key.

“Our seniors are going to be key for us. Mark Dames, Seth Joder, and Jordan Freese need to use their expertise in this sport to handle the pressure of the state meet,” said Gummerson.

The seniors all plan to do just that as they will be competing in Minooka’s orange and black for one last race.

“I plan to run to the best of my ability and make my last race my best race,” said Joder.

The other boys running for the Indians are sophomore Vincent Van Eck, junior Jason Hoffman, junior Hunter Phillips, and freshman Daniel Schalk. Three out of these four boys will be making their first trips to Detweiller Park for the state meet.

The class 3A boys race begins at 2 p.m. on Saturday.