Richards senior tennis player Joshua Karczewski is ready to make more history and now his brother wants in on the fun.
Karczewski was a conference doubles champion in 2025 with his partner, then-senior Carter Rohe, and the Bulldogs won the first South Suburban Red championship in program history.
Now his brother, Brendan, is on the team as a freshman and the hope is to keep the winning coming.
Joshua is not sure if he will play singles or doubles this season. But he would like to have a chance to play with Brendan before he graduates and heads to Moraine Valley.
“I’ve been pushing him real hard to get him ready to play,” Joshua said.
During the off season, it’s become a huge family affair as their father, Charles, and younger sister, Nicole, work on their games.
“They help me a lot — especially with my serve, because my serve has been a little off,” Brendan said of his family.
Tennis started out a little more casual then Joshua found his niche.
“I played other sports as a kid, but I wasn’t good at any of them,” he said. “But I loved tennis and stuck with tennis. It’s fun.”
Even the times that aren’t so fun are rewarding for Joshua.
“It does have its struggles and its ups and downs,” he said of tennis. “But coming back from your downs is a challenge I like. Tennis is hard. Most people don’t think it’s that hard but to me it is and that gives me a challenge to fight through it.”
Hounds win opener
The Chicago Hounds opened the Major League Rugby season on a high note with a 33-19 win over Carolina Anthem on April 4 in Charlotte, North Carolina.
The Hounds (1-0-0) opened a 33-5 lead and hung on as Carolina scored 14 in the final 15 minutes.
Mason Flesch had two tries for the Hounds, while Tavite Lopeti and Mark O’Keeffe each had one.
The Hounds make their 2026 SeatGeek Stadium debut when they play host to California Legion at 8 p.m. April 12 in Bridgeview.
Fire report
Peter Zinckernagel scored the fastest goal in Chicago Fire history and Chris Brady recorded a clean sheet in the team’s 1-0 MLS win over Nashville on April 4 at Soldier Field.
Zinckernagel scored 17 seconds into the match for the Fire (3-2-1). Brady had four saves.
Chicago hosts Atlanta United at 7:30 p.m. April 11 at Soldier Field.
The Fire will also visit Detroit City FC in the Round of 32 of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open at 6:30 p.m. April 14 at Keyworth Stadium in Hamtramck, Michigan.
Last season the Fire beat the USL Championship squad from Detroit 4-0 in the round of 32.
Milazzo is back
Orland Park native and Andrew grad Tatumn Milazzo missed the NWSL season in 2025 with a knee injury, but is back and played April 4 against her former team, the Chicago Stars, in a 1-0 home win for Utah.
The defender has two goals in four starts for the Royals (2-2-0).
She played for the Stars from 2021-2024 and had four goals in 54 appearances.