2025 Football

Season Summary

Minooka football had another successful season in 2025. Opening week one at home this year, the Indians look to take on the at the time, No. 19 ranked team in Illinois, St. Charles North. Minooka was looked at as an extreme underdog heading into this game. 

That was until the opening kickoff was fumbled by North and recovered by Minooka. The Indians capitalized on that fumble by scoring a touchdown. On North’s first offensive drive of the season, a mishap between the quarterback and running back showed, and the ball ended up on the ground with Minooka lineman Jackson Miranda there to fall on it. 

Minooka ended their second drive with a Tyler Minda rushing touchdown to up the score 14-0. North, finally figuring it out, scored a touchdown of their own, which is quickly responded to by a 77-yard touchdown throw to Brady Hairald. 

North’s next drive lead to another mistake by them resulting in a fumble picked up by Minooka. North never stayed out of it though, and in the fourth quarter they score a late touchdown showing the score of 35-34 Indians. North went for the 2-point conversion and gets it, giving them the lead 36-35. Minooka doesn’t have much time left, and ends up falling to St. Charles North.

Week two Minooka played away against Neuqua Valley. Minooka scored first with a touchdown pass to Kooper Fisher for the 7-0 lead. Later in the game Zane Caves runs one in for the score, 14-6. Neuqua Valley scored a touchdown late in the game and needs a 2-point conversion to tie the game up. But they were unsuccessful, ultimately, and the Indians got their first win of the year. 

During week three against a good Yorkville team, the run game was all that was working for the Indians. Chase Nurczyk had both touchdowns that game. The Indians let up a late touchdown once again, this time Yorkville only needing the extra-point after the Indians missed one of their own. 14-13 Foxes. 

One drive left to go, the Indians needed to get down field, and Caves went down with an ankle injury, later being determined as a broken ankle and his season was over. Indians took another loss, 14-13.

Head into Joliet West with Andersen Klemme taking snaps for the absent Caves, the Indians took this game away from the Tigers with their defense letting up zero points. Minda scored the only touchdown of the day, and kicker Sean Sample hit a field goal, with the end score being 10-0 Indians.

For their Homecoming game, the Indians played Plainfield Central. As expected, Minooka easily won against the Wildcats 74-7. This set a new record for the football team with the most points in a game, 74, while also breaking the biggest point differential in a game, 67.  

Minooka finished their last home game playing against Oswego. Oswego beat the Indians last year 42-10. It was believed that just like the previous year, Oswego would not have a hard time beating Minooka. But the doubt didn’t stop the Indians. With the help of Brady Kozolowski and Minooka’s defense, the Panthers were limited to only 3 points. Nurzyck, scoring the game-winning touchdown, led the Indians to a 10-3 victory over a tough Oswego team.

The Indians, now 5-2 on the season, traveled to Bolingbrook for Week 8. Minooka kept trying to keep up with Bolingbrook as they were down 20-6 at halftime. Late in the third quarter, quarterback Andersen Klemme took a big hit and was sidelined for the rest of the game. Junior quarterback Aiden Gutierrez had to step up and try to lead the Indians to victory. Unfortunately, Bolingbrook kept the lead and Minooka’s four game winning streak came to an end losing 39-20 falling to 5-3. 

Minooka headed into the final week of the regular season against a tough Oswego East team who had proven a lot this year. While Minooka already qualified for the IHSA playoffs, a win was crucial for a good seeding in the bracket. The game was close all game, and in the fourth quarter Minooka was down 14-7. With 2 minutes left Nurczyk and the Minooka offense took the field. Nurczyk scored the touchdown and the game was now 14-13. Minooka went for the two-point conversion and Nurczyk ran it in to win the game for the Indians. Minooka finished the regular season going 6-3 looking good for the playoffs.

Ranked as the 19th seed in the playoffs, Minooka traveled to Glenbrook South for the first round of the IHSA playoffs. South scored on the first possession of the game, but Minooka answered right back with a Nurczyk rushing touchdown. Unfortunately, the Indians couldn’t stop the Titans and wasn’t able to score again until the fourth quarter. 

The football team faced a ton of adversity throughout the entire season, between tough losses, crucial injuries, and more. But overall, they are content with how the season ended up after all of this adversity with still being over .500 and having another playoff berth.

Page researched by Jacob Baker, Michael Bielman, Logan Davis, and Kooper Fisher, 2025