Area Sports Roundup | EP football gets new coach; Morton women head back to nationals

By Jeff Vorva
Staff Writer

For the second time in two weeks, an area high school football team is getting a new head coach.

Evergreen Park announced Jim Ramazinski has been named to the position. He will replace Jerry Verde.

Ramazinski comes to the Mustangs with a wealth of coaching and teaching experience. He is a special education teacher at Andrew and served as the defensive coordinator for the Thunderbolts’ the past four seasons. Prior to that, he was a varsity assistant and special teams coach at Andrew and before that the head freshman coach and a varsity assistant at Crete-Monee.

He also started the District 230 co-op boys lacrosse program and in 2020 was named the IHSA Coach of the Year for lacrosse.

Ramazinski will teach special education in addition to serving as football coach.

“I’m happy to serve the students and community of Evergreen Park as football coach and teacher,” Ramazinski said in a news release. “Our football program is going to stress the three pillars of ‘pride, service and community.’ I’m looking forward to seeing everyone on Friday nights this fall.”

Ramazinski grew up in Chicago and graduated from Brother Rice.

Verde coached the Mustangs for seven seasons from 2016-2022. He led the team to an 8-3 overall record and second round IHSA Class 4A playoff appearance in his final season last fall.

Two weeks ago, Chicago Christian announced Dan Chiarito would take over the Knights program.

Morton heading to nationals
Morton College, which finished second in the nation in National Junior College Athletic Association Division II last season and is ranked No. 1 this year, returned to the national tournament with a 96-68 victory over Rock Valley on Saturday, March 11 in the Midwest B Regional IV finals in Rockford.

The Panthers (31-0) were led by Mia Simpson’s career-high 34 points. They head to the national tournament, which is March 21-25, in Port Huron, Michigan.

The tournament and seedings were scheduled to be announced Tuesday, March 14.

Rock Valley only played five players as seven were suspended for leaving the bench during a scuffle in the semifinals.

Rivals are national v-ball powers
The boys volleyball season starts on Monday, March 20 and area teams are already picking up some national attention.

There are six teams from Illinois in the first USA Today Sports/American Volleyball Coaches’ Association Super 25, and two are neighborhood rivals.

Marist is ranked fourth in the nation while Brother Rice is 23^rd. The two are scheduled for a May 15 showdown at Rice.

Other teams from Illinois in the top 25 are Barrington (third), Glenbard West (sixth), Lincoln-Way East (18^th) and Hinsdale Central (19^th).

Marist is scheduled to visit Barrington April 5 and Glenbard West on May 11.

The opening week will also see Marist hosting another powerhouse tournament March 24-25 that includes Lincoln-Way East, Lockport and local teams Mt. Carmel, Richards, Shepard, Stagg and St. Rita.

Kil-ing it
Saint Xavier junior Hannah Kilbane, a Sandburg grad, finished in first place for her third career individual title, finishing with a three-day score of 235 for the women’s golf team at the Saddlebrook Spring Kickoff hosted by Walsh University (Ohio) at the Saddlebrook Golf Course in Wesley Chapel, Fla., which wrapped up March 11.

Kilbane (79, 74, 82) sank a birdie on the 18th hole to win by one stroke over runner-up Sydney Hugo from Walsh and her second score of 74 was tied for her second lowest career score for any round.

Cougars men fall in nationals
Despite owning a five-point lead at halftime, SXU, seeded 16^th in the the first round of the NAIA National Tournament, dropped a 75-65 decision to top-seeded William Penn on March 7 in Oskaloosa, Iowa.

Jack Halverson and Cedric Johnson each had 17 points for the Cougars, who finished their season 24-8.