The 2016-2017 boys cross country team didn’t exactly plan on being the first cross country team since 1983 to qualify for state, but after taking home the first place trophy from the Peoria Cross Country Invite, the boys had no doubt they could make it.

The combination of motivated and talented upperclassmen and promising incoming freshmen put the team at an immediate advantage. Hard work and perseverance linked each and every person on the team, only adding to the shared drive to improve day after day, which was proven through the boys’ continued effort to push each other to do their best during every race and practice.

Coach Greg Hendrix noticed this distinctive trait of the team early on sharing that “they were a very hard working and close knit group. If any of them had a subpar race, their teammates picked them up and encouraged them to keep working hard.”

Even despite their uncanny chemistry, the boys didn’t take first place as a team until taking a victory over hometown rivals Rock Falls and Newman at the Twin City Meet. However, this changed about halfway through the season when the top seven boys from the team traveled to the Peoria Cross Country Invite to compete.

All eyes were set on the team when they took the Peoria Invite by storm and placed first as a team. It was with this win that their phenomenal amount of potential as a team seemed to click for the boys. Acknowledging this excitement, the team set their sights on the challenge of qualifying for state with a brand new flame of confidence lit underneath them.

After the team’s win at Peoria, Jacob Gebhardt ’18 recalls that there “was an immediate change in the team culture” which “was such a fun environment to be a part of.”

As the team moved forward into the rest of their season, they started to set larger, more ambitious goals for themselves and as a team to continue improving on the road to qualifying for state.

One of these goals, Jonathan Landis ’17 notes, was to try “to get into the top three teams” at meets as they headed towards the last few big races of the season.

This goal was actualized as the Golden Warriors dominated at the Northern Illinois Big 12 Conference and IHSA Regional where they took the title of champions for the first time since 1984 and 1983 respectively.

The IHSA Sectional proved to be tougher for the boys, but they fought for their fourth place finish. Even without placing in the top three teams, the Golden Warriors still managed to fulfill one of their goals when it was announced they qualified for state.

The boys’ determination and dedication granted them a run as a team at the IHSA State Finals, and they did not let their opportunity go to waste. The Golden Warriors left everything they had out on the course with Gebhardt finishing seventh and Landis finishing 17th, good enough to earn them both individual state medals, and the team a fourth place overall finish.

Passion and teamwork was what fueled this team to strive for greatness, and they never failed to make full use of it.

Varsity Team Members:
Team Members
Jake Gebhardt ’18
Johnathan Landis ’17
Mikio Martinez ’19
Bryce Tessman ’17
Isaiah Moorman ’20
Sam Janssen ’20
Jack Wike ’20
Jonathan Abele ’17
Jervias Johnson ’17
Dillon Nitz ’20
Head Coach: Greg Hendrix '02
Asst. Coach: Tyler Peugh '12