Video: Athlete Lost to Cancer Remembered at Brother Rice vs. Marist Game

The players from rival schools honored the memory of Brother Rice graduate Andrew Weishar who died at age 21

The stands were filled with blue shirts printed with the number 45. It was Andrew Weishar's number, and they played for him.  The longtime rivalry between Brother Rice and Marist was forgotten for several minutes as the two schools came together to recognize a young man lost too soon.  Andrew Weishar died in October after a three year long battle with colorectal cancer. The Brother Rice graduate was just 21 years old.  Read: Days After Community Vigil, Brother Rice Alum Dies at 21 Weishar was a star football player for the Crusaders and his brother Nic Weishar was a major part of the Redhawks playoff run last football season.  Read: Athlete of the Month: Marist Wide Receiver Courageous After Death of Brother The Crusaders scored an easy 67…

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Gimme 5: Swanson's Heart Still With Oak Forest

Oak Forest graduate Jenny Swanson returned to her high school last week to battle younger sister Katie in an alumni vs. varsity game, and she said her ties with the school remain strong.

Last Wednesday night, Oak Forest High School graduate Jenny Swanson battled her younger sister Katie on the court at Oak Forest in the Lady Bengal Basketball Alumni Game. The competitiveness was obvious, as it has been for years. “It’s very competitive,” Jenny Swanson said of having a sister who plays basketball. “We always go outside and play basketball against each other. Even if it’s something like first to the dinner table, we’re always competing. It’s really fun.” Jenny, a 2009 graduate of Oak Forest, now attends North Central College in Naperville. In talking with Patch, she made it clear that her bond to Oak Forest will remain strong.

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Extra Points: Oak Forest's Williams Makes Senior Night Memorable

Jimmie Williams ensured that his last time playing on his home court was a good experience as the Bengals held off Lemont on Friday night.

For Oak Forest senior guard Jimmie Williams, Friday night's game against Lemont wasn't just another game. It was his one last chance to play on his home court, and he wanted to make it a night he'd never forget.  "I was so pumped for this game," Williams said. "The crowd got me pumped. My team, the coach and my family got me going." Williams led the Bengals with 17 points and grabbed four rebounds in Oak Forest's  63-49 win over Lemont. Bengals head coach Matt Manzke said that even though Williams has stepped up before, he definitely stood out in this matchup. "He (Williams) was just determined on his Senior Night to make it a great experience," Manzke said. "He was all the difference. He was great defensively, and 17 points is huge for us…

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Boys Basketball: Tinley Park Staves off Oak Forest

Tinley Park 67. Oak Forest 59. Andrew Sebastian scores 12 points as Titans hold on for victory over Bengals on Tuesday night.

The Hot Read: Oak Forest, after falling behind early in a 67-59 boys basketball loss to rival Tinley Park on Tuesday night,  tried to claw its way back. For a while, it looked like the Bengals had a good shot. Even though the Titans led 36-28 at the half, Oak Forest didn't give up. Tinley Park's lead was trimmed to 49-43 at the end of the third quarter. And Oak Forest's string of early fourth-quarter points allowed the Bengals to take a 50-49 lead. But, in the end, it wasn't enough. Patch's MVP: Tinley Park's Andrew Sebastian (12 points). Sebastian drained a three-pointer in the second quarter which helped the Titans jump out to a 24-16 lead.  Key Stats: Both teams had opportunities in the second half. Tinley Park was charged with nine …

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PatchCast: A Daily Video Report

PatchCast: Surgery, American Idol and Snow Shark

Daily video recap of the Southland's top stories

Sun Rises Again in Oak Lawn for Palestinian Teen Everybody's Doing It: Your Facebook Feedback on Chris Medina, Exclusive Video, and Patch Beginnings Extra Points: Richards Wins Bragging Rights ... and So Much More Warmer Temps Could Melt Snow, Bring Localized Flooding Snow Shark! Mokena Resident Makes the Best Out of the Blizzard

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PatchCast: A Daily Video Report

PatchCast: Bumpy Roads, Basketball and American Idol

A daily video look at the region's top stories

Tinley $1.8M Shy on Road Repair Funds Check or Credit: How Should Orland Park Pay Its Bills? Boys Basketball: Stagg Clips Andrew in OT Thriller 'Idol' Contestant Rocked Accordion Before Guitar

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Extra Points: Oak Forest's Nagle Stunned by Hillcrest

Bengals' guard/forward Lynn Nagle said she couldn't believe how tough Hillcrest's defense was during Friday night's setback.

Oak Forest junior guard/forward Lynn Nagle didn't see this one coming. No matter how hard the Bengals prepared for Hillcrest (21-2), she said nothing could have prepared her for the shock the Hawks delivered in a 75-42 girls basketball victory on Friday night. "I think we were just not prepared for this game," she said. "We thought we were, but when it came to it, everyone was just shocked. We were afraid to make mistakes and we just weren't as ready as we thought we were." Despite being shut down by Hillcrest, Nagle still found a way to score 11 points and grab seven rebounds. Her best drive of the night resulted in a three-point play that made the score 59-28 with just moments left in the third quarter.  Nagle said the Bengals need to …

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Girls Basketball: Hillcrest Soars Over Oak Forest

Hillcrest 75, Oak Forest 42. The Bengals were repeatedly shut down under the basket.

The Hot Read: Hillcrest put the defensive pressure on Oak Forest throughout a 75-42 girls basketball victory on Friday night. The Bengals had a difficult time putting the ball in the basket due to the Hawks always being right there to stop them. Hillcrest had the game in control at halftime. The Hawks led 41-16.  Patch's MVP: Oak Forest's Katie Swanson (12 points, 6 rebounds). Swanson nailed a three-pointer early in the third quarter to cut Hillcrest's lead to 47-22. Key Stats: Hillcrest was able to steal the ball from Oak Forest 15 times. Oak Forest had eight steals but couldn't do anything with them. Hillcrest went 13-of-18 from the free throw line. Oak Forest was 7-of-11 from the line, but it wasn't enough to keep the Bengals in the …

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Funkhouser, Williams Create Double Trouble in Bengals' Win over Argo

Oak Forest's boys basketball squad picked up its second win of the season on Thursday night, toppling Argo 51-40.

Oak Forest looked like an inspired basketball team during its 51-40 victory over visiting Argo on Thursday night. The Bengals were led by junior guard Kyle Funkhouser and senior guard Jimmie Williams. Both put up big numbers, and both impressed their coach. "I thought that Kyle Funkhouser did an outstanding job of managing the game," Oak Forest head coach Matt Manzke said. "He did a great job with his passing, with his decision-making, and he just ran our team. He was all the difference." Funkhouser had a double-double with 17 points and 12 rebounds. Williams put up 15 points and added three rebounds. Oak Forest improved to 2-14, while Argo slipped to 3-11. A basket by Funkhouser gave Oak Forest a 17-15 lead late in the second quarter. The…

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Oh, Shoot: Oak Forest Can't Keep up With Reavis

Rams roll to 48-29 victory in a South Suburban Red boys basketball conference matchup on Tuesday night.

Missed shots led to missed opportunities for Oak Forest as the Bengals took on Reavis in a South Suburban Red boys basketball game on Tuesday night. "We just need to put the ball in the basket," Oak Forest coach Matt Manzke said after the Bengals dropped a 48-29 decision. "We analyze it and analyze it, but sometimes it comes down to making shots--and we didn't."   Reavis had no trouble on the offensive end as it boosted its record to 11-3 overall and 4-2 in conference play. Oak Forest slipped to 1-14 and 1-5. Three-pointers from junior guard Kyle Funkhouser and sophomore guard Tom Zale narrowed the Rams' lead to 46-26. Funkhouser and Zale both scored seven points and each grabbed 1 rebound. "Reavis is very well coached, they're very …

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