Martin Hopkins, a 2009 St. Rita graduate, will lead the school's football program beginning next season. Supplied photo
Area sports roundup: No drama here, St. Rita grad Hopkins named Mustangs football coach
By Jeff Vorva
Staff writer
There will be no drama waiting to see who the will coach St. Rita’s football team in 2023.
Even though there are four weeks to go in the 2022 regular season, the school last week named Martin Hopkins the successor to Todd Kuska.
Kuska, in his 25th season as the Mustangs’ boss, will retire after this season.
Hopkins, 31, played football for Kuska and was the student body president at St. Rita in 2009. Hopkins was a member of the 2006 Illijois High School Association Class 7A state championship team.
“I am beyond honored and thankful to be chosen as the next St. Rita head football coach and to carry on the strong tradition of St. Rita High School and St. Rita football,” Hopkins said in a news release. “It is my privilege to follow in the footsteps of a Hall of Fame coach in Coach Kuska, and also the great coaches before him like coach [Todd] Wernet, coach [Pat] Cronin and coach [Ed] Buckley].
“Thank you to my wife, family, friends, and coaches who have molded me into the man I am today. And thank you to St. Rita for making this dream a reality. It feels great to be home.”
Hopkins earned his undergraduate and graduate degrees at Iowa. He was a student-athlete playing football for the Hawkeyes until an injury forced his transition into a coach and analyst.
Hopkins brings nine years of high-level coaching experience with him to the Chicago school. During his tenure at Iowa, he served as a coach for defense, offense and special teams.
“The St. Rita football program will be in great hands with the selection of Martin,” St. Rita Athletic Director, Curtis Price said. “I look forward to working with him as we form our student-athletes in the Augustinian tradition.”
He is married to Elizabeth Hopkins (Sweeney), a Mother McAuley grad. He is also the son of the late Tom Hopkins, who is an honorary St. Rita alumnus and Margie Hopkins, who is the current St. Rita registrar and receptionist.
The Hopkins family is involved with raising money for families of cancer patients as well as providing sports equipment for area grade schools. The Papa Hops softball tournament has raised more than $500,000.
Love for the coaches
Marist coach Jordan Vidovic picked up his 200th career victory as the girls coach last week and St. Laurence’s Ellen Yopchick racked up her 100th career win.
At Stagg, former coach Missy Mason will be honored with a tournament named after her. The first Missy Mason Classic girls bowling tournament on Feb. 2.
Golfing greats
Golf is heading into the IHSA playoffs, but a couple of area golfers got ready for the postseason when they captured conference championships.
Evergreen Park’s Charlie Burns won her third straight South Suburban Conference title and Jillian Cosler of Sandburg won the SouthWest Suburban Conference Blue title.
Distance dominance
Chicago Christian had a dominant girls cross country performance at the Tolefree/Farley meet Sept. 24 at Midlothian Meadows.
The Knights finished with 21 points in the Olympic varsity division. Runner-up Glenbard South had 100 points.
Senior Anna Enderle won with a time of 19:12.90 seconds. Freshman Kihra Moes took third with a 20:29.10 and junior Grace Mullen was fourth with a 20:28.60. Freshman Kaley Van Til, senor Natalia Kiernia and freshman Mia Caporale finished sixth, eighth and ninth, respectively.
Local News
Countryside puts dog park on hold, will require leashes in two parks
Spread the loveBy Steve Metsch The city of Countryside has put on hold building a dog park, but canines and their owners are still in store for a treat. The city council has unanimously approved a plan to permit dogs in City Park and Countryside Park this year. Previously, they were not allowed in the…
Bridgeview approves auto repair shop
Spread the loveMoves up time for May 1 village board meeting By Steve Metsch Bridgeview is getting a new automotive repair shop. The village board at its April 17 matinee meeting approved a special use permit that will allow a repair shop at 9010 S. Beloit Ave. There was no discussion among trustees. The board…
Summit Fire Department blood drive draws a crowd
Spread the loveBy Carol McGowan The Summit Fire Department, along with the Village of Summit, and the Argo Summit Lions Club held a blood drive this past Saturday, and it drew a crowd that even impressed the American Red Cross. It took place from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. with non-stop donors walking through the…
Hodgkins toasts village businesses
Spread the loveBy Carol McGowan Hodgkins Mayor Ernest Millsap and the Board of Trustees celebrated the village’s businesses at its annual Business Appreciation Breakfast on April 10. Over 100 people gathered at the Hodgkins Administration Center for a hearty breakfast hosted by the village. Representatives from many businesses that are located in or that work…
Pickleball courts coming to Palos Park
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva There will finally be outdoor pickleball in Palos Park. In a process that went longer than anticipated, the Palos Park Village Council was able give the green light to get a pickleball project started on the Village Green. The council voted April 8 to award the contract to U.S. Tennis…
First Secure Bank to host American Eagle gold coin sale
Spread the loveFrom staff reports First Secure Bank & Trust of Palos Hills announced its annual May sale of 1-ounce and ¼-ounce American Eagle Gold Coins, produced by the U.S. Mint, will take place from 10 a.m.to noon on Saturdays, May 4, May 11, May 18 and May 25. The sale will take place at…
Donate teddy bears to our local police
Spread the love. Peggy Zabicki Your correspondent in West Lawn 3633 W. 60th Place • (773) 504-9327 . Have you ever seen the 1955 movie The Night of the Hunter? The children in this movie show such bravery and acceptance in what life has thrown at them. They have to deal with unimaginable events and sadness. …
Boy Scouts collecting tattered flags for disposal
Spread the love. By Mary Stanek Your correspondent in Archer Heights and West Elsdon 3808 W. 57th Place • (773) 517-7796 . Goodbye April, hello May. Our American Flag, the symbol of our country, should always be treated with respect. But after bearing Chicago’s brutal winters and hot blazing summers along with being in the…
Oak Lawn trustee says village needs state grocery tax
Spread the loveBy Joe Boyle An Oak Lawn trustee said that Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s proposal to eliminate the state’s grocery tax will be costly for the village. Trustee William “Bud” Stalker (5th), accompanied by Mayor Terry Vorderer, recently returned from a fact-finding trip to Springfield where they learned more about the governor’s proposal to eliminate…
Neighbors
Mother’s Day is truly a day to be celebrated
Spread the love. Peggy Zabicki Your correspondent in West Lawn 3633 W. 60th Place • (773) 504-9327 . Mother’s Day happens on Sunday, May 12. If this isn’t something to celebrate, I don’t know what is. Motherhood means new life, new beginnings, new possibilities. Even if you won’t be seeing your mom, you can still…
Saint Xavier men’s volleyball finishes historic season in nation’s top 4
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Correspondent The Saint Xavier men’s volleyball team made history by advancing to the semifinals of the NAIA Men’s Volleyball National Championship. But the Cougars fell to eventual national champion Georgetown (Kentucky), 25-21, 25-23, 22-25, 21-25, 15-10, on May 3 at Alliant Energy PowerHouse in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Although there was…
St. Francis first baseman Nate Maliska earns conference POW honors
Spread the loveBy Mike Walsh Correspondent The University of St. Francis sophomore first baseman Nate Maliska was chosen the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference’s Player of the Week in baseball for April 7. In helping the Saints to four wins that week, Maliska went 9-for-15 (.600) with eight RBI and seven runs scored. The St. Laurence…
Baseball | Marist claws way back to .500
Spread the loveBy Xavier Sanchez Correspondent This season has thus far not been what Marist had expected, but the RedHawks came into this week at .500. Marist was 2-8 after 10 games this season, with three of those first eight losses coming via shutout. But the RedHawks turned things around with a stretch of eight…
Red Stars fall to Spirit for third loss in past four matches
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Correspondent After enjoying one of their best starts in franchise history, the Chicago Red Stars have slid to the middle of the NWSL standings, with the latest setback being a 4-2 loss to Washington at SeatGeek Stadium. The Stars (3-3-1) entered this week having dropped three of their past four…
Red Stars take aim at NWSL attendance record with Wrigley game
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Correspondent The Chicago Red Stars are thinking big when it comes to their upcoming game at Wrigley Field. The team is taking aim at the NWSL record for single-game attendance when it hosts Bay FC at the historic home of the Chicago Cubs on June 8. The record is held…
IHSA announces boys volleyball postseason assignments
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Correspondent Last year, the area sent a pair of boys volleyball teams to state as Lyons finished runner-up to champion Glenbard South and Brother Rice lost in the quarterfinals. This year, both could face each other in the sectional finals. The Lions picked up the second seed and the Crusaders…
Badminton players from Reavis and Lyons going to state
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Correspondent Reavis singles player Dania Amjad finished third in the Bolingbrook Sectional on May 2 to qualify for the IHSA state tournament. The Lyons doubles team of Simone Brown and Mia Graziano finished fourth in the York Sectional to qualify for state. The state finals are May 10-11 at DeKalb…
Brother Rice, Sandburg sending boats to bass fishing state tourney
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Correspondent Brother Rice is sending two boats to the IHSA state bass fishing tournament. The Crusaders had first- and third-place finishes at the Des Plaines River Big Basin Marina Sectional on May 2. Sandwiched in between the Brother Rice boats was a group from Sandburg in second place. The Crusaders’…