Gimme 5: Evergreen Park Soccer Coach Smith Embraces Challenges of Upcoming Season

Evergreen Park boys soccer coach Jim Smith will have plenty of new faces on his team this year. However, that gives him a chance to do what he enjoys the most: teach.

Evergreen Park boys soccer coach Jim Smith has a challenge ahead of him this season. With 10 seniors graduating last year and arguably his best sophomore and junior players from last season moving away as recently as two weeks ago, he has a lot of new faces to teach. However, Smith is excited for the opportunity. “It’s going to be a whole bunch of fun and there will be a lot of new faces,” Smith said. “We’re going to be young.” Smith said the most rewarding thing about coaching is when his players understand what he’s teaching. “It’s so rewarding to see that ‘ah-ha’ moment when the kid finally puts the connection together with what you’re trying to teach them,” he said. “It’s not about the wins and losses. It’s just about the growth you …

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Evergreen Park Volleyball Camp Prepares Berry, Rule to Lead Mustangs

Two-week summer camp was especially critical for a younger team to build momentum for upcoming high school season.

Carrie Berry watched from the sideline as Evergreen Park’s varsity and sophomore volleyball teams went through a series of drills together. After two weeks of training, the Mustangs annual summer volleyball camp was coming to a close. But it was far from just another preseason training camp for Berry, who is entering her 12th season as Evergreen Park’s head coach. Things were different from when she first led the varsity team. “Back in the old days, I used to be able to use camp almost as an incentive to try out, but now my numbers hurt me a little bit,” Berry said. “I used to have a ton of club players and kids that were playing year-round and that’s not happening now.” The slow change in the quantity and type of players has forced Berry …

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Sports Photo Gallery: Evergreen Park Volleyball Closes Camp With Confidence

Volleyball players from kindergarten through high school recently concluded training in Evergreen Park's two-week camp.

After two weeks of bumps, sets and spikes, Evergreen Park High School concluded its volleyball camp for youngsters looking to improve their skills. Players from elementary school through high school all participated in various drills, lessons and games that were led by varsity coach Carrie Berry. Berry said the annual camp provides the Mustang coaching staff an opportunity to see what talent is coming up from the middle schools and what the varsity team needs to work on in preparation for the upcoming season. Check out the action.

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Sports Photo Gallery: Evergreen Park Finds Road Filled with Potholes

After opening up a 3-0 lead in the first inning, the Mustangs' offense stalled in a recent softball loss at Oak Lawn.

Evergreen Park's offense was humming early and helped the Mustangs jump to a fast start in a recent softball matchup with Oak Lawn. Four hits and a walk led to three first-inning runs for Evergreen Park, but that's all the offense would produce. The Mustangs only came up with two hits the rest of the way in a 6-3 loss to the Spartans on Tuesday, April 12. Evergreen Park pitcher Kym Farmer gave up one run in the first and two more in the third as Oak Lawn tied the game 3-3. With the bases loaded in the sixth inning, Farmer gave up a three-run double. Evergreen Park put two runners on base in the top of the seventh, but Teresa Ziebarth lined out to to the shortstop.  Toni Senenchia, Sophie Lamb and Erin Crane all had RBI hits in the first …

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Athlete of the Week: Evergreen Park's Farmer Dominates on Mound and at Plate

Mustangs senior Kym Farmer had a huge week with the bat and also pitched a one-hitter.

Evergreen Park softball second baseman and pitcher Kym Farmer had a dominant week. So dominant, in fact, she has been named Patch’s Athlete of the Week. Heading into Saturday’s doubleheader with Rich Central, Farmer, a senior, drove in six runs, went 10-for-14 and threw a one-hitter. The Mustangs were 3-1 during that stretch, including victories over T.F. North, Eisenhower and Lemont. “I think we’re doing good,” Farmer said of the season. “We work pretty hard. We have good unity.” Farmer, a senior, plans to attend Aurora University and play first base.

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Preps in Motion: Warm Day, Cool Bats

Evergreen Park was unable to muster much offense in a 4-1 season-opening softball setback to Chicago Christian on Wednesday afternoon.

Temperatures climbed into the 60s. But on a warm mid-March day, Evergreen Park's bats were cold. The Mustangs managed to hang within reach of Chicago Christian in a recent 4-1 season-opening softball setback, but couldn't come up with the big hits to pull out the victory in front of their home crowd. Evergreen Park limited the Knights to two runs for much of the game. Check out the action. Preps in Motion is our weekly sports photo gallery that runs every Friday.

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Editor's Notebook

A Look at the Week Ahead: Jan. 3-7

Start off the new year by becoming more active in the village.

When: 7:30 p.m. Where: Village of Evergreen Park Administration Building, 9418 S Kedzie Ave  The Board of Trustees will hold their first meeting of the new year. Find out what ordinances will be approved and what new businesses will be moving into the village. When: 7 p.m. Where: Evergreen Park Community High School, 9901 S. Kedzie Ave. Cheer on the Lady Mustangs as they go up against Bloom High School's basketball team. Breast Cancer Network of Strength When: 7 p.m.-8:30 p.m. Where: Little Company of Mary Hospital and Health Care Centers, 2800 W 95th St Join this breast cancer support group that meets on the first Tuesday of every month. Please call the hospital for reservations at 708-229-6001. All are welcome to attend. When: 7 p.…

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Evergreen Wilts Under Chicago Christian's Pressure

Knights force 31 turnovers to win small school consolation championship in Lemont Christmas Classic.

Chicago Christian set the trap, and Evergreen Park got tangled in it. The Knights' trapping defense forced 31 Evergreen turnovers Wednesday afternoon, as Chicago Christian claimed a 52-36 victory in the small school consolation championship game at the Lemont Christmas Classic. The game was a rematch of a Nov. 30 contest, which Chicago Christian won 55-39. "I thought defensively we set a pretty nice tone today," Chicago Christian coach Kevin Pittman Sr. said "When we're playing that thing well, teams aren't looking to attack the basket a whole bunch, but just trying to complete passes, and when they're doing that 30 feet away from the basket, not many teams can hurt you from there." Evergreen Park (5-13) has had its problems scoring points…

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Defending State Champ Hillcrest Throttles Evergreen Park

Mustangs unable to match Hawks' firepower in an 86-36 setback on Thursday night.

Evergreen Park boys basketball coach Bruce Scaduto knew it wasn't going to be an easy game on Thursday night. His Mustangs tried to put a fight against Hillcrest (7-1), the defending Class 3A state champions. But as much as the Mustangs tried, they just couldn't get past the Hawks in an 86-36 setback. "We knew we were in for a tough game," Scaduto said. "We knew what they were about. We were just hoping to play better than what we played. Hillcrest will make you play an up-tempo game." With the loss, Evergreen Park slips to 3-9. The Hawks dominated the Mustangs right out of the gate, taking a 9-1 lead. A shot from Evergreen Park senior forward Marcus Kemp cut the Hawks' lead to 12-6. The Mustangs were only able to put up four more points …

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Gimme 5: Evergreen Park's Dillon Knight Built His Love for the Game in Backyard

Mustangs' senior guard Dillon Knight vows to give his all in his last season of high school basketball.

Dillon Knight has been playing basketball since he was in fifth grade. Now, as a senior at Evergreen Park Community High School, he is pouring his heart and soul into his final season with the Mustangs. Knight started playing basketball by shooting around in his own backyard and quickly fell in love with the game. He also plays golf and baseball, but said  basketball ranks above everything else. "Basketball is my favorite," Knight said. "I love everything about it." While he has been influenced by many people in his life, Knight said he looks up to his parents because of everything they've done for him. "They've taught me so much," he said. "They've taught me all about sports and life in general." Knight said that he plans on attending a …

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