Last week, the Oak Forest Bengals faced a rough and gritty Peoria Lions team. No matter how physical Peoria played, it was no match for the Bengals, who secured a 34–20 victory.
With another win in the Class 5A IHSA playoffs, the Bengals advance to the final four to face the Providence Catholic Celtics. Providence enters with a 9–3 record and, in Round 3, defeated the Washington Panthers 39–6. Providence is a strong team, but the Bengals are ready to embrace adversity and prove this isn’t a Cinderella run.
Head Coach Zach Sadek spoke about how the Bengals are approaching the matchup against Providence.
“The four teams left in each class are not here by mistake. They are all well coached, have talented players, and each team has battled some adversity,” Sadek said. “For us, it’s most important to do our best to treat it the same as we would any other week. If the formula for our success has gotten us this far, then we need to believe in it and stick to it.”
The Bengals aim to keep punching their ticket through the playoffs, but their success doesn’t come from one person. Quarterback Danny Chopp shared his thoughts on becoming an all-state quarterback.
“It feels unreal, but it also feels great,” Chopp said. “It’s a great accomplishment, but I couldn’t have done it without my teammates behind me.”
The Bengals plan to make Saturday’s matchup physical but disciplined, determined to outwork Providence. Oak Forest is currently on a four-game winning streak, defeating Lemont, Centennial, Bloomington, and Peoria. Each opponent presented a challenge, and none were taken lightly.
With the win over Peoria, the Bengals earned yet another week of football as they prepare for Saturday’s test. Defensive lineman Devin Booth reflected on the victory.
“The win against Peoria was the best win I’ve ever been apart of minus the Lemont win,” Booth said. “The crowd was electric and taking care of a great football team was an awesome experience for us.”
The Bengals hit the road for Round 4 of the Class 5A IHSA playoffs as they take on Providence on the road Saturday, November 22, at 1:00 p.m.
As always—go Bengals!
