BENSENVILLE — When a new season arises, every high school team has the same goal: to make the state playoffs and ­— if they’re lucky — the finals.

To do that for the first time in school history, with a cross country team made up of only three seniors, Trinity knew it was going to be a challenge. But to their benefit, the youth has paid off and the Blazers are sending two runners, both freshmen, to the state finals meet in Peoria.

After finishing second in the Class 2A Elmwood Park regional, Trinity coach Renee Koziol had confidence in her young team, but was trying not to be overly excited.

“We have a pretty good shot of qualifying for state as a team which would be the first time in Trinity history,” she said. “We know what we are up against this weekend and it will be a tough competition, but if our girls run their best it might be possible.’’

While Trinity just missed out at Saturday’s Fenton sectional on making the state finals as a team (they finished four points behind the fifth team that qualified), they are sending rookies Emily Doyle and Erin Nelson downstate. This also marks the first time that any runners from the all-girls school will appear at Detweiller Park in Peoria.

Doyle crossed 14th in 20:25.02 and Nelson came in 24th in 20:58.08.

“It’ll mean a lot to be able to go down there, especially as a freshman,” said Doyle, before she knew she had qualified. “I know it’s my first year running cross country so it’s pretty cool to be part of a young core like this.

“My dad was a big cross country guy. He ran it. I wasn’t even going to run this year. I was going to play volleyball, but once I started running, I realized it was pretty fun and ended up being good at it, so I stayed with it.’’

What truly sets these runners apart from their peers is that not many of them had run cross country before entering high school. Doyle is new to the sport, as is sophomore Tatiana Nieves.

“I’m more of a track runner,’’ said Nieves. “I’ve run the 400 and am more of a sprinter. I never ran distance, but thought it might help me in track so I went out for it. I ended up being pretty good at it, so I’m glad I made that decision.’’

Despite the confidence that each shows, they both know that entering events such as sectionals and doing well aren’t the easiest of tasks, but that didn’t intimidate them too much.

“It’s really scary at first with all the different runners and loops and all,’’ said Doyle. “But once you start, you just have to keep running and forget about that. Just do it.’’

The Blazers hope that Doyle, Nelson, Nieves and their young teammates continue to “just do it.’’ The good thing for Trinity is that they’re only getting started.

Link to story:  http://bit.ly/QZt3Pw