Sports
Lamb, Rhodes Join Oak Lawn Basketball Coaching Staff
Marist and Mother McAuley both have girls volleyball players named to preseason watch list.
James Lamb will be the new freshman boys basketball coach at Oak Lawn Community High School. He joins the Spartans after coming over from Jeanine Schultz School in Park Ridge.
Jason Rhodes is a new school counselor at Oak Lawn. Earlier, it was announced he will serve as the Spartans' new varsity boys basketball coach. Rhodes previously coached boys basketball at Kenwood Academy in Hyde Park.
Marist's Weisher Enjoys Big First Week
Marist wide receiver Nic Weisher had five catches for 176 yards and had two touchdowns in the RedHawks’ 35-21 victory over Notre Dame on the season’s opening weekend. Weisher scored from 61 and 28 yards out to help Marist get off to a 1-0 start.
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Because of his performance, the Chicago Sun-Times named him as one of the stars of football’s first week.
Oak Lawn Ushers in Lucas Era in Style
It wasn’t the prettiest of performances, but first-year Oak Lawn football coach Sean Lucas will take the victory. Oak Lawn rallied from a 10-0 deficit to beat Niles North at home, 21-17, without scoring an offensive touchdown.
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Defensive back Alec Barnhart started the comeback with a 62-yard interception return for a touchdown, and Sean Hayden returned the opening kickoff for a 95-yard touchdown.
The Spartans benefited from two Niles North safeties and Fabien Martinez kicked a 36-yard field goal to make it 21-17 in the fourth quarter.
New Season, New Football Turf
Christmas came early for Oak Lawn athletics in the form of a new playing surface that replaced the grass field previously used for football games.
The project was made possible because of a financial deal between Oak Lawn High School, Napleton Honda and the Village of Oak Lawn.
“In exchange for .867 acres of land adjacent to Napleton Honda, the district will receive $1,000,000 of improvements to the stadium,” assistant superintendent Rick Hendricks said. “The village is contributing tax incentives to Napleton Honda.”
The Spartans' track also will get a makeover in the form of a new running surface and areas marked off for field events.
Oak Lawn will hold a dedication ceremony for its new turf field in conjunction with the Spartans' home game vs. Reavis on Sept. 9. Then, on Oct. 14, the Spartans will celebrate homecoming by facing off with Argo.
McAuley, Marist Players on Watch List
Mother McAuley’s Bridget Powell along with Marist’s Lauren Zielinski and Mallory Salis made the Chicago Tribune’s list of players to watch in this year’s volleyball season. Both teams are expected to be state title contenders once again.
Powell had 522 digs last season and had another 18 in McAuley’s season-opening loss to Joliet Catholic Academy. Salis is one of the few juniors on the list, but had a team-high 258 kills for Marist last year. Zielinski will attend South Carolina on a volleyball scholarship next year.
