Big Cats on Campus: Bengals Trio Reunites on College Field

Chad and Cody Sprayberry and Sean Martinez have all played together since third grade, first as Oak Forest Raiders, then Bengals and now as St. Joesph's College Pumas. The trio, and the rest of the Pumas, take on Valparaiso University Aug. 30.

Growing up, three youngsters formed a bond playing football and built a friendship that would stand the test of time. Chad and Cody Sprayberry and Sean Martinez first donned the matching silver and black of the Oak Forest Raiders in third grade, and the sport has carried them and their friendship onto a collegiate field, at St. Joseph College in Indiana. Back then, the three friends had no idea how long their friendship would last. However, all three are ecstatic that it has—their teammates know it. “It's kind of an unheard story, players sticking together, playing together from peewees to college,” Chad said. “To be honest, it still feels like we're back in third grade, throwing the ball around before practice,” Cody said. “It's awesome, …

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Felicia DePyper

10:20 pm on Monday, August 20, 2012

Great Story, These young men are who our youngster's should have as role models. I truly enjoyed watching these intelligent athletes grown into dedicated, disciplined adults... Kudos to the Parent's Jeff & Molly - Anthony & Wanda for raising great kids. Chad, Cody and Sean keep up the great work, you make Oak Forest very PROUD! Have a great Season.   more ›

Oak Forest Baseball Stuns Mount Carmel

Congrats to the Bengals on their comeback win!

Gone Fishin'

Think You Have to Miss Tonight's Game? Think Again

If you can't make tonight's playoff game between Oak Forest High School and Lemont High School, we can help you out, with live streaming through Lemont High School's streaming service.

Bengals fans, I'm betting that many of you wouldn't miss tonight's Oak Forest vs. Lemont football playoff game for anything. But maybe there are some who have to—things come up, right? Special events, occasions, etc. might keep you from watching your Bengals live. In that case, have no fear, Lemont Patch blogger Erik Anderson is here! Anderson will stream the game live on Lemont High School's streaming service, iHigh. Check it out by visiting the Lemont High School iHigh site. The stream will be live at kickoff, tonight at 7 p.m. Anderson will also provide pre-game coverage at 6:50 p.m. If, for some reason, you can't make it to the game, we like to think we'll make it a little less devastating. If you see a certain Patch editor at the game…

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Lauren Traut

12:18 pm on Saturday, November 5, 2011

Hi, Denny. Lemont won. :( Details here. http://oakforest.patch.com/articles/football-first-half-turnovers-sink-bengals-in-rematch Thanks, Lauren   more ›

LOOK: 'Once Upon a Time' Bengals Danced the Night Away

Check out some photos submitted by our readers, and then send us yours! We want to see them all!

The day of the big game, Bengals showed their school spirit by dousing themselves in black and gold. The day after, they traded those school stripes for dresses, shirt and ties. The Oct. 1 Oak Forest High School homecoming dance was themed "Once Upon a Time," complete with an entryway through a castle. Check out our reader-submitted photo gallery, then add your own! You can log into the site if you're a user already, or you can email photos to lauren.traut@patch.com.

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Gone Fishin'

Diary of a Brand New Bengals Fan

I didn't even have an Oak Forest High School sweatshirt to sport for Friday's game against Bremen. But I wasn't about to miss this rivalry—or my very first Bengals game!

Ask anyone. It's no secret I'm not the biggest football fan (ducks). STOP! Put down the sharp object. ... Refrain from throwing that dish at my head. ... That tomato would look much better in your salad than in my hair. It's just not my thing, OK? College basketball, on the other hand—that is right up my alley. Though I will give football props for all the time outdoors; Hoodies and hot chocolate are two of my favorite things. But hey, you love your high school football, Oak Forest. You love the close games, the bright lights, the popcorn, the black and gold—the tradition of it all. So I knew I had to give it a chance. I grabbed my camera and gave myself a little pep talk. Then you folks did the rest. The spirit, smiles and cheers pulled …

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Lauren Traut

12:15 pm on Sunday, September 18, 2011

When I have someone to man the camera for me! I'd LOVE to jump in and learn a routine. Or try to, at least. Those high kicks look a liiiiittle out of my range.   more ›

Athlete of the Week: Oak Forest Volleyball's Gina Ryan Off to Flying Start

Bengals' standout outside hitter Gina Ryan was named to the all-tournament team in Oak Forest's first invitational and had nine kills against Evergreen Park.

As part of last year's Oak Forest sectional championship team, Gina Ryan knows what good volleyball looks like. And she caught another glimpse in the Bengals' 25-15, 25-20 victory over Evergreen Park.  "We were talking, everything was great,” Ryan said. “There were great sets and great passes. We had a lot of energy.” Ryan had nine kills and nine digs in last week's match vs. the Mustangs and is looking to repeat as an all-conference outside hitter. Her performance earned her Patch Athlete of the Week honors for Oak Forest. Watch: Video of two of Gina Ryan's kills against Evergreen Park. Want to Talk Oak Forest Sports? Join the Bengals Fan Group on Facebook. 

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Football: Oak Forest, Coleman Run Past Urban Prep for Easy Win

Oak Forest 40, Urban Prep 0: Bengals put up 40 points in the first half and cruise in season opener.

Breaking It Down: Oak Forest didn’t take long to get the offense going. After forcing a three-and-out and tackling the Urban Prep punter at its 10-yard line, the Bengals scored on their first play from scrimmage—a 5-yard run by running back Tevin Coleman. It wasn’t much of a contest after that. Quarterback Tom Zale's biggest plays came on dump-offs to Coleman and fullback Ben Santiago, who combined to score all six of Oak Forest’s first-half touchdowns in a 40-0 romp at home. Patch’s MVP: Tevin Coleman, Oak Forest. He scored on the Bengals' first offensive play of the season—a 5-yard run—and showed explosiveness with a 74-yard touchdown scamper late in the first quarter. Oak Forest Stat Pack: QB Tom Zale was 6-of-14 for 139 yards and two …

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Sports Photo Gallery: Oak Forest Football Embarks On Journey

On first day of practice, the Bengals' Tevin Coleman draws attention while his teammates dig in a bid to get the ball rolling.

On the first day of football practice, all eyes were on Oak Forest and running back Tevin Coleman. He is ranked as one of the top 25 tailbacks in the nation, according to MaxPrep.com. And his presence lends credence to the notion the Bengals can improve on a 6-4 record. Oak Forest opens vs. Chicago Urban Prep/East Garfield Park on Aug. 26.

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Oak Forest Grads Share Family Bond On Football Field

Chad and Cody Sprayberry are playing football together for the first time at Saint Joseph's College of Indiana.

For as long as Cody and Chad Sprayberry can remember, there have been two big constants in their life: football and family. Football is big in the figurative sense. Jeff, Cody and Chad’s father, was a star at Reavis High School and went on to play at Southern Illinois University. Family is big in the literal sense. The Sprayberry’s family includes five kids: four boys and one girl. Chad, 21, is the middle child while Cody, 19, is the second-youngest. The two-year age difference between them might as well be non-existent. Both agree they are closest to each other within the family, a brotherly bond that’s been strengthened by not only sharing an apartment, but a football huddle in college. Chad and Cody Sprayberry both attend Saint Joseph’s…

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Lauren Traut

10:32 pm on Wednesday, August 10, 2011

I'd like to thank Ross for such a great job on this article. Nice work, Ross! Lauren Traut Editor, Oak Forest Patch   more ›

Gimme 5: Oak Forest Football Coach McDonough Has Bengals Looking for a Running Start

Oak Forest football coach Brian McDonough said his team made great strides this summer, and he's excited about the return of standout back Tevin Coleman.

Brian McDonough has been at Oak Forest for 27 years, with this being his 15th year as the Bengals' head football coach. With all that time at Oak Forest, he said the most rewarding thing about coaching has been his time in the community. “The opportunity to deal with so many wonderful people and great kids,” McDonough said. “It’s a great community to deal with and a great administration. It’s been a great place to work.” He said he’s mellowed over the years and really come to realize how much he enjoys his job, especially after he got sick a couple years ago. “The kids here and the parents and everybody helped me get through some really, really tough days,” McDonough said. “It’s made me realize how lucky I really am.” Summer drills …

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