Shawnee cross country coach Brian DeSantis noticed something odd — but not unexpected — at the starting line last season at the state cross country meet. His runners were laughing.

“I don’t know what he said, but Michael Tymoski said something funny,” DeSantis said. “He’s very good at that. The guys were loose. There’s a lot of levity on this team. It’s a good thing when it comes to this stage. They seem relaxed.”

It must have helped last season because the Braves captured the first state cross country championship in school history. They return to National Trail Raceway in Hebron today, seeking a second straight state championship. The Division II boys race begins at 11:45 a.m.

“I think there’s a legitimate six teams that are really high and close together out of the 16-team field,” DeSantis said. “Any of those six teams has a chance of winning with a great day. If we can go in and match or come close to matching our best performance, I like our chances, but we may have to step it up a little bit to beat Woodridge and Defiance.”

Shawnee had five finishers in the top 80 last season. Four of those return: senior Michael Tymoski, fifth overall last season in 15:49; senior Tyler Greenwood, 20th in 16:34; senior Austin Szekacs, 46th in 5:28; and sophomore Will Holmes, 72nd in 5:34. Shawnee’s other runners are sophomores Seth Brouhard, Drew Hickman and Jordan Penrose.

“Three of them haven’t run this course before,” DeSantis said. “That’s a whole new variable for them. I think they’re confident. They raced well at regionals. I think they go into the race like it’s any other race. I don’t think they put pressure on themselves to perform. I don’t think they know what the word pressure means.”

The West Liberty-Salem boys and girls will compete today in the Division III races. The boys race at 11 a.m., the first race of the day. The girls take off at 1:30 p.m.

The boys team finished third at the regional meet. The Tigers placed 10th overall last season at state and return three runners who raced at state: seniors Aaron Scott (67th) and Alex Adams (71st) and junior Chris Buschur (123rd). The other runners are sophomore Alex Steiner and freshmen Joey Adams, Ross Kelley and Stephen Whetstine.

The West Liberty-Salem girls placed third last season and take almost the same team to state this year. The Tigers have six seniors, including Meghan Vogel, who was sixth overall last season in 18:58.

The other seniors are Shawnda Henault (22nd last season), Savanna Shipp (86th), Jasmine Smith (29th) and Sarah Williams (141st). They have one junior, Alyssa Strickland (52nd), and one freshman, Madison Woodruff.