Richards running back Ladarrius Foster fights through a tackle attempt during the Bulldogs’ 41-0 win over Evergreen Park on Sept. 22. Photo by Xavier Sanchez

Richards running back Ladarrius Foster fights through a tackle attempt during the Bulldogs’ 41-0 win over Evergreen Park on Sept. 22. Photo by Xavier Sanchez

Richards blanks Evergreen Park

Spread the love

By Xavier Sanchez
Correspondent

Richards began the season with two bad losses, but after five weeks find themselves with a winning record and atop the South Suburban Red.

The Bulldogs have been improving and played their best game of the season in a 41-0 romp over SSC Red rival Evergreen Park on Sept. 22. Since being outscored 76-14 in losses to Morgan Park and Libertyville, they have won three straight games during which they have outscored their opponents 91-27.

Richards (3-2, 3-0 SSC Red) is no stranger to slow starts; the 2022 team began 0-2 as well. Coach Tony Sheehan typically schedules challenging non-conference games to open the season. This can lead to some lopsided losses for less-experienced Richards teams, but getting a taste of stiff competition also contributes to their growth and development.

These Bulldogs have made obvious strides as they work their way toward a playoff berth. The shutout of the Mustangs (3-2, 1-1 SSC Red) was the program’s first in a non-Covid season since 2019, when they had three.

“We were young in the beginning (of this season),” Sheehan said. “We are growing up now. They play great defense. We have a lot of confidence in them and it showed.”

The Bulldogs were active early both offensively and defensively. Wide receivers AJ Pawlecki and Riley Lamphere both scored in the first quarter, and Richards recovered a fumble on the kickoff subsequent to the latter touchdown. Shortly after, quarterback Dijon newman ran in for a score to conclude a drive that featured a heavy dose of Ladarrius Foster.

Foster, a freshman running back, has been a playmaker. He got his first start with junior running back Myles Mitchell out of the lineup against Evergreen Park.

Mitchell had 180 total yards in a Week 4 win over Oak Lawn, and could have played against the Mustangs if he was needed, according to Sheehan.

“We have a great freshman running back that runs the ball hard,” Lamphere said. “That opens up some holes in the secondary for me.”

Foster scored 90 seconds into the second quarter and, just minutes later, Shaun Reynolds intercepted a Mustangs pass for a pick-6 and a 34-0 lead.

“We are built on speed and explosiveness, even on the defensive side,” Sheehan said. “They do a great job.”

Evergreen Park limited Richards to one touchdown in the second half — an 11-yard reception by Lamphere in the final few seconds of the third quarter — but could muster little on offense.

Richards looks to stay undefeated in the conference when they return home for Week 6 with a matchup against Shepard (1-4, 0-2) on September 29.

After starting 3-0, the Mustangs have dropped their last two games, both at home. They now have to win two of their next four games to make the playoffs. They will play at Oak Lawn (2-3, 1-2 SSC Red) on Sept. 29.

2 Comments

  1. Richards blanks Evergreen Park – Dailywise on September 26, 2023 at 5:30 am

    […] Story continues […]



  2. Richards blanks Evergreen Park | DailyWise.com on September 26, 2023 at 6:52 am

    […] Story continues […]



Local News

Edwin Espinoza

Off-duty Chicago police officer dies in Oak Lawn crash

Spread the love

Spread the loveBy Bob Bong An off-duty Chicago police officer was killed Sunday morning when a vehicle crashed into a tree at 95th Street and Harlem Avenue in Oak Lawn. The Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office identified the driver as Edwin Espinoza, 35, of the 5300 block of South Merrimac Avenue on the city’s Southwest…

regional 11-28 palos park police cadet food drive 2023

Palos Park police cadets holiday food drive underway

Spread the love

Spread the loveThe Palos Park Police Cadet program annual Holiday Food Drive is underway. The cadets are looking for donations of non-perishable foods such as canned goods or boxed goods. The cadets will accept donations at the Palos Park Police Department located at 8999 W. 123rd Street. Donations are accepted through January 1.  This is…

An Evil Elf is among the terrors at Christmas Fear in Oak Lawn on December 15-17. (Supplied photo)

Midnight Terror serves up a different kind of spirits at Christmas Fear

Spread the love

Spread the loveBy Bob Bong The Halloween fans at Midnight Terror in Oak Lawn have decided to extend the haunted house season into the holidays with their eighth annual Christmas Fear weekend in December. Savage Santas, eerie elves, and sinister snowmen will be running amok and showing off their own kind of Christmas spirit at…

SRP-IMAGE-Logo

Clear-Ridge Reporter and NewsHound November 29, 2023

Spread the love

Spread the love

Mary Stanek

Dogs had their day at alderman’s office

Spread the love

Spread the love. By Mary Stanek Your correspondent in Archer Heights and West Elsdon 3808 W. 57th Place •  (773) 517-7796 . Who let the dogs out? Who, who, who let the dogs out? Twenty-third Ward Ald. Silvana Tabares let the dogs in, at her office on 63rd Street. Our Oliver was one of the…

Peggy Zabicki

Yule decorations light the way to Christmas

Spread the love

Spread the love. By Peggy Zabicki Your correspondent in West Lawn 3633 W. 60th Place •  (773) 504-9327 . Today (Dec. 1) is National Eat a Red Apple Day. Apples are a superfood. Eating them will reduce your chance of developing diabetes, heart disease and cancer. They are good for digestion and even improve brain health. Organic apples are…

GSWNH_InvestInKidsProtest_112423

Catholic schools dilemma

Spread the love

Spread the love. After loss in Springfield, advocates search for a Plan B . By Tim Hadac After a clear defeat in Springfield earlier this month, supporters of the state’s Invest in Kids scholarship program—which includes a number of Catholic school parents on the Southwest Side—are searching for a Plan B. “What we do at…

Mr. Fitzgerald, aka Tommy Fitz.

Tommy Fitz, truly a good man

Spread the love

Spread the love. By Tim Hadac Editor Clear-Ridge Reporter & NewsHound . The obituary said Thomas M. Fitzgerald. But to me, it was almost like it was referring to someone else, if only because I—like so many others in Clearing and Garfield Ridge–knew him as Tommy Fitz. He died suddenly, unexpectedly, on Nov. 15 at…

Mount Carmel players celebrate with their fans after winning the Class 7A state title on Nov. 25 in Normal. Photo by Jeff Vorva.

Mount Carmel beats Downers Grove North for 15th state title

Spread the love

Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Staff Writer Mount Carmel’s plan was to open and close the season in Normal. They wanted to open the 2023 campaign by beating then-nationally ranked East St. Louis in a neutral-site game at Hancock Stadium at Illinois State University, then return 13 weeks later and a win a state championship.…

Chicago's Scott Johnson runs in a holiday outfit in the 35th running of the Orland Park Turkey Trot. Photo by Jeff Vorva

Cold Turkey Trotting | Young runners heat up Orland Park race held in freezing temps

Spread the love

Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Staff Writer The temperature may have been freezing, but the winners were not complaining. The 35th Orland Park Turkey Trot, held per tradition on Thanksgiving, started in 30-degree weather. And the young champs embraced it. Jack Krusinski, 16, of Palos Heights, won the 2.5 mile event with a time of…

Neighbors

Temporary staffing agencies seek to block new state labor law

Temporary staffing agencies seek to block new state labor law

By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – A group of temporary staffing agencies and their trade associations are asking a federal court to block enforcement of a new state law that governs how day laborers and temp workers are managed and paid. The lawsuit, filed earlier this month in Chicago, challenges several changes…

Former GOP senator, third-party governor candidate to represent himself in corruption trial

Former GOP senator, third-party governor candidate to represent himself in corruption trial

By HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois hmeisel@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Monday was supposed to have been the first day in the weeklong federal corruption trial of former Republican state Sen. Sam McCann, who allegedly misused more than $200,000 in campaign funds for personal expenses. A pull-down projector screen in the Springfield courtroom of U.S. District Judge…

Candidates for 2024 primary brave cold for potential ballot advantage

Candidates for 2024 primary brave cold for potential ballot advantage

By JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois  jnowicki@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Monday marked the kickoff for the 2024 election cycle, with hundreds of candidates filing their petitions at the Illinois State Board of Elections. Those in line by 8 a.m. Monday at the ISBE building in Springfield will be entered into a lottery to be the first…

State high court to hear case against staffing agencies accused of suppressing wages

State high court to hear case against staffing agencies accused of suppressing wages

By HANNAH MEISEL & DILPREET RAJU Capitol News Illinois news@capitolnewsillinois.com The Illinois Supreme Court on Wednesday will hear arguments from three staffing agencies that say their industry is exempt from state antitrust laws in a case claiming the firms conspired to hold down wages for their workers. The Chicagoland-based companies have already lost twice in…

State high court skeptical municipal police and fire pension consolidation hurt retirees’ voting rights

State high court skeptical municipal police and fire pension consolidation hurt retirees’ voting rights

By HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois hmeisel@capitolnewsillinois.com The Illinois Supreme Court on Tuesday heard arguments in a case alleging the state’s 2019 law that consolidated nearly 650 individual police and firefighter pension funds actually hurt retirees by diluting their voting power. The nearly three-dozen pensioners and 17 individual pension funds that sued over the law…

Pritzker designates additional $160M for migrant response as winter approaches

Pritzker designates additional $160M for migrant response as winter approaches

By HANNAH MEISEL & JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois news@capitolnewsillinois.com CHICAGO – As winter quickly approaches, Gov. JB Pritzker on Thursday announced plans for the state to spend an additional $160 million to aid and house a sustained influx of migrants sent to Chicago from the nation’s southern border. The administration sold the plan as…

Candidate filing begins Monday, signaling official start of 2024 election cycle

Candidate filing begins Monday, signaling official start of 2024 election cycle

By DILPREET RAJU Capitol News Illinois draju@capitolnewsillinois.com   Monday morning marks the official beginning of the 2024 election cycle in Illinois, opening up the week-long period when candidates for local, state, congressional and judicial races are required to turn in the signatures they’ve spent the last two months collecting to get on the ballot. The…

State high court skeptical municipal police and fire pension consolidation hurt retirees’ voting rights

State high court skeptical municipal police and fire pension consolidation hurt retirees’ voting rights

By HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois hmeisel@capitolnewsillinois.com   The Illinois Supreme Court on Tuesday heard arguments in a case alleging the state’s 2019 law that consolidated nearly 650 individual police and firefighter pension funds actually hurt retirees by diluting their voting power. The nearly three-dozen pensioners and 17 individual pension funds that sued over the…

Iowa-Illinois carbon dioxide pipeline application withdrawn

Iowa-Illinois carbon dioxide pipeline application withdrawn

By ANDREW ADAMS  Capitol News Illinois aadams@capitolnewsillinois.com   Plans for a pipeline that would have transported carbon dioxide from Iowa for eventual storage in central Illinois are off the table – for now.  Wolf Carbon Solutions, the company behind the proposed project, filed a motion with state regulators on Monday to withdraw its application, although…

State school board weighs increased funding requests ahead of budget season

State school board weighs increased funding requests ahead of budget season

By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com   SPRINGFIELD – Officials at the Illinois State Board of Education say they’re receiving more requests for increased funding for next year than the state could possibly afford, and they’re bracing for the possibility that budgets will start to tighten in the near future. “It does appear that…