By Tucker Henderson

Reporter

With a fourth place finish in the Section 8A girl’s race in snowy Bagely, Minn. on Friday, Oct. 27, Jada Goeson made New York Mills history as the first female cross country runner to qualify for the Minnesota State High School League meet which took place on Saturday, Nov. 4 in St. Paul.

Goeson stands alongside John Karvonen, who is the only other runner from NY Mills High School to qualify for state, which he did in the 1970s, shortly before the cross country program was dissolved for the next three decades.

The program was resurrected 10 years ago when Greg Esala coached his son, Micah, in the summer of 2013 and since then, the program has grown.

“The first year there was only one runner and then the following year, we had a few more kids who came out and before you knew it, we’ve had a team now for 10 years,” said coach Esala. “We can’t help but be excited for Jada and her family and for the Eagle cross country program.

“We’re happy that Jada’s running and you know that she’s very capable and very committed and it shows in her races,” he continued. “She’s a very determined young lady.”

Goeson, a junior this year, has been running since fifth or sixth grade and for the past five years, has been running on the varsity level. Qualifying for state has been a long-held dream of hers.

“It was very exciting,” said Goeson of qualifying for state. “I’ve always wanted to qualify for state ever since I started running cross country on varsity.”

Goeson runs throughout the week to keep her talent honed, including keeping a pace of 60 miles a week this past summer.

“I love to run, to put on extra miles and then I also do cross training stuff, which can be biking, swimming, doing core. I like to do a little bit every day,” she said. “I love to run, but you also make a lot of friends. It’s very exciting, I feel like I’m setting NY Mills history.”

Goeson’s mother, Alexis Goeson, has watched her daughter run for the past six/seven years and has seen the dream of qualifying for state grow each year.

“There’s so much joy, she just has such a gift and a passion for running,” said Alexis. “I’m very excited, It’s been a goal of hers, so I’m very excited.”