Oak Park and River Forest High School’s varsity softball team has had a season nothing short of outstanding. The Huskies are dominating the competition as they are ranked the 30th team in Illinois and second in their conference with an impressive record of 7-2. At press time their season record was 24-8.
The team is coached by J.P. Coughlin, named 2023 Coach of the Year by the Illinois Coaches Association, and captained by seniors Tyler Brock, Aria Hammerschidt, Rachel Buchta and Jordan Alioto.
Throughout this season, the Huskies have shown just how exceptional their abilities are. Junior Maura Carmody leads the team in batting averages with a 0.463 average as she has a power hit with extreme accuracy, and junior Elyssa Hasapis leads with 12 stolen bases on the season. Her ability to read the ball makes her a lethal threat.
On Thursday, May 16, the Huskies were set to take on their cross-town rival, the Fenwick Friars. At press time the Friars had a season record of 11-6, with their most recent game held against Riverside-Brookfield High School on May 8. The Huskies took on the Friars at 4:30 on their home turf.
On April 25, the Huskies took on the number one team in the state, Marist High School, with a final score of 4-3, naming the Huskies victorious after the tough fight and dropping the Redhawks to the third-ranked team in the state.
The energy surrounding the game was like no other. Due to the rankings, the Huskies were the underdogs going into the game. Yet that didn’t stop them from playing how they have been every game leading up to this one. “We knew we had the skills to beat them, but our energy played a huge role in the win,” said Hammerschmidt.
This win was largely made possible by excellent plays. Some of these were made by junior Anna Topel, who pitched seven innings with five strikeouts, six hits and two earned runs; this season, Topel has been shown to make a huge impact on the mound.
Before the start of the season, the players were maintaining their craft and putting in hours of work. Preseason they consisted of hitting practices at six in the morning and fielding at eight in the afternoon. The Huskies had a very physical and challenging preseason.
As the season progressed, the Huskies had focuses that they wanted to make sure they prioritized. Practices are focused on mechanics and fundamentals. “We prioritize quality over quantity, which keeps us focused and engaged,” said Topel.
Coughlin has been the head coach for the past three years, taking leadership from Mel Kolbusz; his impact on the programs started in 2013. As a coach he finds “being there for the athletes in whatever way they need on a given day” is the most important thing to do. Being there for his athletes as people first is something Coughlin takes pride in.
He went on to explain that every athlete is different and has different needs that should be met. “My job is to be flexible and for all of the athletes in our program to know that I have their back,” said Coughlin.