oak forest high school

Weenie Skipper- Where are you from, Tinley, Andrew, Sandburg??? How can you say over rated the past 5 years?? I am a coach, and college recruiter who has been involved with HS baseball for 22 years now.I have seen good teams. So I know what exactly im talking about when I say ARE YOU NUTS?!? 5 Years Huh? THEY HAVE WON 5 CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSCHIPS IN A ROW!!!!!! Not to mention MANY of their players in that time going to play at the next level.
Think what you want, they will be one heck of a team this year. And I mean one heck of a team. Ronnie Czar over there has some realll good boys and he knows what to do with them and how to win.
They have a front 4 who could be 4 of the top players in the state, and definately the south side.
Anthony make em work' Maziur- D1 Bound, Nova, St.John's
Dave Sha Na Na Na"Norkus- St.Ambrose, Kentucky, NIU Bound
Charlie Choo Choo Johnson- St.Xavier University,Valpo, Millikin Bound
Nick Vroom Vroom" Vacco- Benedictine, Xavier, or Arkansas State Bound.
Not to mention theyre Junior Class in Ryan Gorney, and John Koshnitsky. Weenie, know the facts before you post something that rediculous.

IHSA...the best way to handle RIDICULOUS posts like this one from weenie is to let the post die the death it deserves from inactivity. If people don't respond to it, it will quickly get buried. He is likely a ballplayer from another school with some sort of agenda. The trash talk doesn't belong on here, but it appears much too often.

ok 5 years considering t.f. south won the conference in the 2003 campaign. They win that conference because that conference is weak! there are only a few mediocre teams in that conference. How have they done in the post season the last few years when they play real competition??? The stats are pumped up especially when scianna was there. I didnt say they were not a solid high school team there stats are usually boosted and they get way too much hype from the papers. i'd like to see oak forest play in the old sica west instead of beating up on the t.f norths, t.fsouths, and hillcrests of the south suburbs. the one year t.f. south had a few good players in 2003 oak forest was not in the picture for a conference title.

Agree that the stats for Oak Forest were elevated during the Scianna years. I've seen them play the last few years and they had legitimate talent. Mike Klimson had around 100 RBI during his junior and senior years. He could flat out hit. Two years ago they probably had the best all-around catcher maybe in the Midwest in Josh Johnson. Oak Forest does play a very competitive schedule but why should they have to play against the old SICA West teams. Oak Forest has an enrollment of approximately 1,400 students compared to a SICA West enrollment on average of 3,000 students. This is how the conferences are formed; by enrollment. Plus, take a look at the size of the communities in each case.

Sounds like we're in big trouble this year when we play them.

Weenie.....do you ever say anything good about anyone or any team? Or does HS Baseball just stink?

Rock 11 - im glad you agree with me about the elevated stats. I am not saying they dont have some good players. I think they do and i think they have a great program. I just think they were a a little overrated and over publicized. I think the conference they play in is weaker than alot of other conferences. I have no doubt that the rest of their schedule is good, but if you do look at them in the playoffs they are no wear near the top of the charts as they are always portrayed to be in the start of the season like the way disabato makes them out to be. Yes josh johnson is a great catcher and his brother pete was one heck of a shortstop i hear he is recovering from arm problems

rock - about the best catcher though. i agree johnson is good but the best defensive catcher from 2 years ago goes by the name of joe oliver. He plays at eastern kentucky university and he was tops in the nation at throwing out runners as a freshman. Johnson shared time with a few catchers at south suburban college.

weenie skinny bopper i have a feeling you went to oak forest and you sucked at baseball and couldnt cut it for their teamand prolly and other high school team? Is that why you hate Oak Forest So MUCH. With the team they have this year it wouldn't surprise me if they won regionals & sectionals hell why not even state. If Al Landini comes to Oak forest i Guarantee they win regionals and sectionals/ possibly state! P.S you suck at Life :-)

is this Al Landini now at a private school?

ok guys lets get one thing straight i dont hate oakforest they are just overrated the last couple of years. now for a FACT he is not going to oak forest he's my friends lil cuzin and he is NOT going to oak forest

So far all I can tell from this discussion topic is that at least one member name is HIGHLY appropriate.

Weenie aka Mr.KnowItAll.
I give Landini lessons. He is for sure transferring to Oak Forest after the X-Mas break period. He has his tranfer papers ready and he can't wait. Add another fine player onto that roster!

Weenie Oak Forest may of been over rated the best few years but they have a dangerous team this year that can compete with anybody. Since they Now have Landini they will the 5 most dangerous pitchers in the state! David Norkus stud lefty, Matt Soria solid all the way around most likely 2nd or 3rd starter , Anthony Maziur stud lefty hell of a pick off-move, John Koshnitsky who threw a No-Hitter in the play-offs last year as a sophmore, Al Landini also a stud. AND ALL OF THESE GUY CAN HIT EXTREMELY WELL. This is Oak Forest first 10 games of the season; Stagg, Lincoln Way Central, H-f, Andrew, Bloom, Lockport, Reavis, Richards, Lincoln Way east, Sandburg. Now how many Solid teams are they playing try all 10 are solid. By the way they not only they have the roughest schedule in the state the first 10 games they play stagg too Andrew all in 5 days! They also play Brother Rice which they beat over the summer & Oak Lawn.

ok weenie im only going to reply to the statement you made. Yes everyone knows oak forests batting averages were boosted and tehy get the press but they are a good high school program and they do look promising at making a run through the playoffs this year. although they do look promising every year they might make it somewhere.

We have had the privilege of playing Oak Forest several times in the recent past. I believe them to be an outstanding program and our teams have had some great games. Overated? I don't know how you define that. Teams have to play conference schedules and quality opponents from other conferences. They have to go 4-5 deep in their pitching staffs to do so. Naturally, this ensures that won-loss records be deceptive when discussing the quality of a team. Then, factor in any number of factors and a team routinly loses a game that they shouldn't have. Do this make any team underated? I'm from Southern Illinois, could anyone shed any light on what they were rated?

BYW, we've always found their coaching staff to be top notch people.

CoachB25,

Oak Forest has not been rated in the Chicago papers the past few years but they have gotten some decent press in the local papers; deserving or undeserving is a matter of opinion. This year they should be competitive just because they have returning pitchers. The pitcheres they have are pitchers; they can throw 3-4 pitches for strikes and move the ball around. One nice thing is that they will throw the ball inside to hitters. Norkus is probably the best; a Buerhle type kid.
Koschnitzky could throw in the low 90's this year so he would be the only legitimate power pitcher they have. They need to play defense to get to the next step and play with the BIG boys and have an outstanding year. Maziur is an outstanding talent who just happens to pitch and pitch well with a great pick-off move. Soria is steady eddie.

Rock11, thanks, I believe Norkus pitched against us last year. I do see a lot of talent there. They played with intensity against us and looked like they could compete with anyone in our area.

- It seems their whole staff is pretty much back. Speed, Power, and Heat for that staff. What an impressive bunch of young men right there. The defense should be solid knowing that they have Maziur and Matt Jucharski covering most ground. They track balls like radar. Good in depth at first with Norkus and Koschnitsky and heck even the steddy eddie Soria.
The middle infield should be a
1 -2 duo with Johsnon and Vacco there. I don't see many ground balls finding any holes in the opposing teams favor. I do not know who is playing third or left. I know Ryan Gorney and John Morrassay are good key options for both spots.
Looks like the season should be a dandy!

I believe the past two years Oak Forest thought they were going to be good defensively but did not perform to expectations. What I do know is they have competition at many positions and competition breeds champions. I also know the pitching staff will be tested all year. Not only do they play a tough schedule in the surrounding area they also travel downsouth to play in the Lincoln tournament versus teams like Troy Triad (good talent and extremely well coached) as well as the host team Lincoln
(all world SS). Granted, it should be an interesting year.

quote:

Originally posted by rock11:
Not only do they play a tough schedule in the surrounding area they also travel downsouth to play in the Lincoln tournament versus teams like Troy Triad (good talent and extremely well coached) as well as the host team Lincoln
(all world SS).

Be careful Rock11 someone might think you've had some holiday cheer with statements such as this about the coaching at Troy/Triad! LOL!

Fot those that don't know, the Lincoln Tournament is outstanding. Lincoln puts several nice teams on those fields for the tournament and you will need to have pitching to survive it. Tinley Park Andrew also plays in this tournament. From Chicago proper, Whitney Young makes the trip. I love this tournament. Coach Haake from Lincoln will put a fantastic team on the field year in and year out. We've been fortunate to get to play Andrew and Oak Forest several times.

Speaking of Lincoln, Coach - what is your opinion of Courtwright?

We (northerners) only got to see him take some groundballs in a showcase, but you have seen him in games.

To be fair: I think he had a nice glove and quick hands (defensively) but his bat might be holding him back .... maybe an Omar Vizquel type if he has the wheels.

That young man has a great glove and range. I think he is a talent. As far as hitting, I can't really say. Each of the last few times we have played Lincoln, it has been in a pouring down rain. Both games went extra innings and both games were also played in temps around or below 32 degrees. Believe it or not, we played at 29-33 degrees in a rain that was the coldest rain I've ever stood in. I think Coach Haake willed that rain to remain rain and not snow or ice. As per our game last year, I believe Lincoln had 4-5 hits in the game total. We threw Josh Daniels against them who went 10-2. We lost 2-1 on a ball that died in a puddle before it got to our 2nd baseman allowing a runner to score from 3rd in the 8th inning with 2 outs. I can't remember if he had any hits in that game. To Coach Haake's credit, he must have put 20 bags of diamond dry on the dirt to keep that game going.

Thanks.

Missouri State might've stolen a good one ...

is johnson one of the mid infielders related to pete or josh?

Yes Charlie is related to Pete and Josh. Charlie plays more like his brother Pete since they both played the middle infield and have quick and good hands. Not much of a power hitter since he bats 1 or 2 spot in the line up.

Isn't Charlie the "lost brother" of the johnson household? Did'nt Pete and Josh go to D1 colleges, where are they playing?

I know Pete was a great player and Josh was going to be a can't miss with his skills, have they gone to good program? I like the guts Pete had in HS, he had some fire in the belly.

Last year Oak Forest had only 6 seniors, some that did not play very much, did any of them continue their baseball careers? I think when I saw them they had a kid named Mike Klimson and someone told me he went Arizona State, is that where he is?

Speaking of Oak Forest Bengal Baseball, for you people old enough to remember
Does anyone think the 1985 Oak Forest Baseball National Championship Team (36-1) is the best ever in state history.
How do you compare that team to the 2005 Lockport Porters, last years state champions.
(40-3)

I'm from the area and I can't say I remember that team, before my time.

What I can remember is while cutting the grass ,I thought the city was going to burn down. All I heard was the noise of the fire engines echoing through the city.

Later I found out that we just won the state title!

Don't think I was even coaching tee ball that year. Maybe a year or two after the State title.

For those that know, It's hard for me to hold back on this message board! But I stand firm!

I believe that Klimson is at Robert Morris.

Shooter014, could you give us the names of the pitching staff for that year? And who were their main competition?

This years team will be good, but only if they gel as a team and not individual stars. I have heard that there are some rumblings already. Coach Czar will have to hold them together.