Although there are several great story lines for the Joliet-area girls and boys cross country teams and individuals who qualified for the state finals Saturday at Detweiller Park in Peoria, the biggest is whether the Minooka girls can repeat as champions in Class 3A.
The No. 2-ranked Indians are expected to battle No. 1 Naperville North and No. 3 Yorkville for the top spot.
“We will be in the mix on Saturday,” Minooka coach Kevin Gummerson said. “Each week we just want to get better.”
If Minooka can improve on what it did at the sectional meet in Edwardsville last Saturday, it might just be a repeat performance. The Indians went 1 through 4 individually, with their fifth runner placing 14th against a strong Yorkville team.
Seniors Mackenzie Callahan, the regional and sectional champion, and Ashley Tutt, along with junior Emily Shelton, are considered the “big three” for Minooka. But don’t bring that up to the seniors.
“We are not just a team of three,” Callahan said. “I hope people realize that we are a team of five scorers and seven deep. Cross country is a team sport, not individuals.”
Sophomore Vivian Van Eck, who placed fourth in Edwardsville, along with junior Sarah Weed, round out the top five, with sophomore Katelyn Gall and freshman Julia Dames in the top seven. Weed and Dames are the newcomers to this veteran squad.
“Coach Gummerson has always told me, ‘If you want it, go get it,’ and that is what I have done this year,” Weed said.
Van Eck, the Indians’ fifth runner on last year’s title team, has been getting closer to the top three each week.
“I felt really confident in the sectional race, and I attacked the course,” Van Eck said. “We have worked really hard as a team this year, and it would be awesome to win again.”
Tutt, along with Callahan, will be running the famed Detweiller course for the fourth consecutive year.
“It’s sad that this will be our last cross country meet together,” Tutt said. “We will have the same mindset as last year – have fun and race hard. This is a different year, so there is no added pressure, and this team has been so fun this season.”
The teams from Lockport, Lincoln-Way East and Plainfield North also will be in the Class 3A race.
The Porters advanced for the eighth consecutive year and 20th in the past 23. They also have veteran group with a mix of talented freshmen.
Seniors Morgan Bollinger and Karlee Stortz will be making their fourth trip, with junior Aubrey Friedrich and sophomore Kate Wojcikiewicz returning from last year’s 17th-place finish. They are joined by freshmen Madison Polinski, Alexander Skibicki and Abbey Kozak.
East qualified for the 10th time in the past 12 years and is led by sophomore Jenna Couwenhoven.
“Our pack at sectionals was a little farther back than I had hoped, but we made it,” veteran coach Wendy Hegarty said. “Jenna has been running well, along with our freshman, Olivia Jacobs; and if we can move the pack up a little, we will see what happens.”
Plainfield North made history Saturday, becoming the first Plainfield girls team to qualify.
“We are very excited,” North coach Tammy Gummerson said. “This team has worked so hard, has talent and a great attitude. This is a brand new experience, and we want to show people that we belong.”
The Tigers are led by sophomore Juliana Stogsdill and junior Megan Patton. Both competed last year at state as individuals. Brittany Drag is the only senior among the top seven.
Five individuals will represent the area, including senior teammates Jenna Diers and Teagan Lyke of Lincoln-Way West, plus Maddie Blaauw of Joliet West, Mackenzie Brownrigg of Lincoln-Way Central and Greta Carlberg of Plainfield South.
“I’m super excited because this year means more to me than any other, because I’m a senior,” Lyke said.
In Class 2A, Lemont will return for a third consecutive year after winning the Wheaton Academy Sectional. The Indians placed eighth last year and fourth in 2014.
Daly Galloway from Gardner-South Wilmington will make her fourth trip in Class 1A. Gallaway has runnerup finishes in the past two state meets. Carina Collet, a senior from Seneca, also will be in the field.
For the boys
Minooka and Lincoln-Way East will represent the Joliet area in the boys Class 3A race.
Minooka is led by senior Soren Knudsen, who will be vying for the individual title.
“We are ecstatic with qualifying as a team,” Knudsen said. “As for my race, I will have a plan, and I learned from placing 11th last year as what to expect and how the race will unfold. This is what you work for.”
Knudsen’s father, Jim, captured the individual state title for Lockport in 1981.
The Indians finished 16th last year as a team and have a goal this year.
“Top 10 in state has been our goal all season,” senior Matthew Mason said. “We worked so well together as a team at sectionals, and we need to do it again.”
East three runners up front in Noah Healy, Scott Platek and Brett Gardner but need to get healthy and have their pack move closer to the top three.
“Our top three ran well at sectionals, but we have been battling some illness with the rest of our team,” East coach Ross Widinski said. “We will get healthy, and our goal is to beat some teams that have beaten us this year.”
Seven individuals will run in Class 3A from the area.
Plainfield North has a trio of juniors in Omar Paramo, Ben Otstott and Ethan Prior and will be joined by fellow conference member Stephen Merriweather of Plainfield South.
Senior Evan Mitchell, who placed 15th in Class 2A last year, will be joined by junior Ryan Taylor and sophomore John Stiglic representing Lincoln-Way West.
In Class 1A, Peotone will make its second trip as a team. The Blue Devils are led by senior Zack Crocker.
Christopher Collet, a sophomore from Seneca, hopes to improve on his 34th-place performance as a freshman.