"Kudos to our kids," the coach said of the Bengals' loss to the Celtics. "They fought as hard as they could until the end."
OAK FOREST, IL — There was plenty of chatter around Oak Forest High School's varsity football team as they headed into their semifinal game Nov. 22—and not all of it was exactly optimistic.
Riding the high of a 12-1 season, Oak Forest had advanced to the 5A semifinal for the first time since 2008, but the foe they faced next was formidable: a private high school powerhouse with 10 state titles to its name. The Bengals were to play Providence Catholic High School.
"Outside of Oak Forest—the expectation was that they were going to put a running clock on us," said Oak Forest Football Head Coach Zach Sadek, referencing a rule used in which the game clock runs continuously if the point differential is 40 points or more in the second half.
"Somewhere between 29–34 points, was what was getting sent to me," Sadek said of the point deficit people expected. "We didn’t pay too much attention to it, because we never do."
Their focus was tight, and the sting of the lack of faith so many had in his team was dulled by the fervent support of a town inspired by their resilience and unity.
"It’s a big deal," said Athletic Director Matt Manzke. "It’s a huge deal. Any time your football team has a great season—when your football team’s doing well, I feel like the entire school is uplifted. There was a buzz in our school, especially as the weeks went on. We knew we’d be good, but the best part is, it reached out into the community.
“This accomplishment is huge for our school and our community. Our coaches and players have worked tirelessly — not just during the season, but throughout the offseason and summer — to reach this point. It’s not just about the high school; it’s about everyone in Oak Forest rallying together and taking pride in what this team has achieved.”
The buzz was intense as the team headed to New Lenox, where they would put up a what Sadek described as one hell of a fight against the Celtics.
"Mistakes had to be a limited capacity, so to speak," Sadek said. "I think in the first half, they scored, we fumbled, we were able to hold ‘em to 14."
Despite scoring three touchdowns in the second half, Oak Forest lost to heavily favored Celtics 31-21. But by public perception, it wasn't the walloping many had expected.
"Kudos to Providence," Sadek said. "There’s a reason they’ve won so many state championships, and they’re a really solid program.
"Kudos to our kids—at no point did they turn on each other, or give up. They fought as hard as they could until the end. No disappointment on our end, as a coaching staff. They did everything we asked them to do—we couldn’t be more proud."
Sadek and Manzke weren't surprised by the ferocity they had shown on the field—they had already seen it earlier this season. The Bengals’ only other loss this season came against Hillcrest, but Manzke emphasized that the setback became a turning point.
“The most satisfying thing for me is how our guys responded to that loss,” Manzke said previously. “They came back together, got better, and showed incredible maturity and leadership. That’s what great teams do.”
Sadek, who just became head coach in March, said it would be easy for people to attribute the team's success to his leadership. But they would be wrong, he said.
"These kids were building this before I got here," he said. "… I knew how good they were going to be. They put in the work, when there was an old coach, no coach, a new coach. Particularly the seniors— they’re such an unselfish group, they just wanted to win. The unselfish nature in which they approached things—it was about what do we need to do, to win week in and week out.
"Sometimes, you come up on the short side of it."
A coach at Bremen High School last year, Sadek saw that season end quite differently, with a record of 0-9. This year, he's realizing the pride in leading as head coach for the first time.
"I kept a lot of things that I never created," he said, of stepping into the pre-established program at Oak Forest. "When I go into my second year, it’ll be a little more, not putting my stamp on it, but you’re always trying to adjust, find ways to get better. That’s the biggest thing."
He gave a nod to those who came before him at Oak Forest.
"We have coaches that were holdovers, and even the guys who chose to go somewhere else, they helped build that foundation," Sadek said.
"It was, 'how do I take what’s working well, things I believe in, and how to implement those.'"
Sadek is quick to share the kudos with his staff.
"Staff that aren’t ego-driven," Sadek said. "There’s nobody that stands out and says, 'we have to do this this way.' All super-open to doing what’s best for kids, putting us in a position to win. If it was me standing out there by myself, we’d be 1-8. It’s the staff that really helped drive it."
Manzke, though, said Sadek needs to know how vital he has been in the team's success.
"Coach Sadek deserves a tremendous amount of credit for bringing these kids together," he said. "When things get chaotic, he’s level-headed, keeps the team grounded. He came in, he had to meet our players where they were, and he was able to take them to the semifinals.
"He’s a humble person, but he deserves a lot of credit for what we were able to do this year."
The community was invigorated by the team's historic run, Manzke said.
"It creates a great environment," he said. "Our football program does a great job working with the Oak Forest Raiders. You see these young kids looking up to the team, and that's something special.
"It was just a really great buzz for the school, and for Oak Forest in general."
With their win, Providence advanced to the IHSA Class 5A state championship game against Wheaton St. Francis. First set for Nov. 29, a weekend snowstorm forced the game's cancellation and rescheduling for Tuesday, Dec. 2. St. Francis pushed past Providence with a final drive. Providence fell, 35-39.
Sadek isn't dwelling on his team's loss—his head is up, eyes forward on what comes next. He has reminded his players to be thankful for those who have stood by them every step of the way.
"The people that are there for you when things aren’t going so well—those are the people you want to thank," he told them. "Success is going to bring people around. I thought it was important for them to understand—those people who were there, just in their general life, when things aren’t always great—for us, it was about staying inside of our group. We’re very dedicated to the idea of the process—winning and success, is a byproduct of focusing on the process.
"You have to take today’s energy and use it toward whatever you can, and just get better today. Just focusing on the process."
Manzke is proud of how the team capped the season, and for some, their high school careers.
"The truth of the matter is, these kids came in four years ago—majority of our kids, a lot of the kids playing are seniors," he said. "These seniors, they bought into our program, that’ve had their shares of ups and downs. I’m really proud o the way they represented our school and our community.
"They were just outstanding people to be around. They were great out in the community. They deserve everything that they’ve gotten, in the community and with the school."
He's eager to see how the program will build on the success. While Oak Forest High School pulls local kids by default, some might also opt to attend a private school. But there's something special about coming up in a sport alongside some of the same kids.
"I think obviously there’s certain advantages private schools have, but there’s a certain uniqueness that community schools have—kids that come up together and have playing together for a long time," Manzke said.
"The facilities are awesome, the people are tremendous. Having such a dedicated coaching staff, such a supportive community—those are things that make the decision of a junior high kid. And we’ve proven that we can be successful."
Sadek hopes the team knows how much he admires them.
"I’m sure that they heard about how little faith people outside of our community had in them for the game," Sadek said, "so for them to do what they did, is really incredible."
And Manzke thinks Sadek needs to bask in it a bit.
"He deserves a lot of credit for what he was able to do with these kids," he said. "It was just a fun ride."
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