The November wind howled outside, a frigid promise of an early Chicago winter. Inside the colossal, climate-controlled dome of the nearby SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview, the air was a comfortable 65 degrees and there was no wind of which to speak. The artificial turf was a pristine green expanse.
The Oak Forest Bengals High School football team, fresh off a thrilling second-round 34-14 home playoff win last week against Bloomington High School, was running through their drills ahead of Saturday’s third-round Class 5A home playoff game against Peoria High School at 3 p.m. in Oak Forest.
Oak Forest won its conference this year with an impressive 8-1 record before winning the next two playoff games by a combined score of 72-26. The Bengals won their first game 38-12 against Champaign Centennial and then defeated Bloomington High School 34-14.
Not a bad start for first-year head coach Zac Sadek, the Oak Forest resident who has nearly 20 years of high school coaching experience on his impressive resume. Last year’s team finished with a 7-4 record and lost in the second round of the state playoffs.
Preparing for the team’s “biggest game of the year,” Sadek said the turnaround has come from “ownership in the program.”
“We have a lot of upper-classmen who have really bought in (to the program) and have shown the younger guys by example how to prepare both mentally and physically for this season,” he said. “They have faced their share of adversity over the years and now they are getting a taste of winning and they like it. And it is spreading to the rest of the team.”
Sadek said he and the coaches were grateful to Bridgeview Mayor Steve Landek and the village for allowing them to use the dome. “Our (outdoor) field was frozen,” he said. “This was a very nice diversion and we appreciate it.”
Temperatures are expected to be in the mid- to upper 60s Saturday afternoon.
Danny Chopp, their star senior quarterback, said that’s perfect football weather.
“We are so excited for this opportunity,” said the 17-year-old Oak Forest resident who said he has been playing football since he was 5. “In the dome, we can work on our footing, our quick cuts, our absolute precision. The weather on Saturday is supposed to be pretty nice. We’re hoping to pack the stands. We’ve got great fans.”
Chopp, who earned several major acknowledgements this year including All-State, South Suburban Blue Player of the Year and All-Conference, is in his third year on varsity. He started last year as a junior. The team has averaged 40 points per game this season.
The practice focused heavily on the passing game, an area where Oak Forest excelled but which would be most vulnerable to the elements on an outdoor field. The dome practice was a strategic move, leveraging the perfect conditions to hone the Bengals’ speed and agility.
The Bengals embody somewhat of a classic small-town team: hardworking, underestimated and fueled by a fervent local pride. “We are fortunate in that we have great fan support and – as a team – we have each others’ backs,” Sadek said.
As practice ended and the players gathered their gear, the confidence was palpable. They had prepared in an oasis of controlled environment, sharpening their skills to a razor’s edge.