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Tinley Park shocks Oak Forest
Updated: October 7, 2011 11:56PM
The streak is over.
After nine consecutive defeats over a 17-year period, Tinley Park finally can lay claim to defeating Oak Forest, its District 228 rival.
Second-half touchdowns by Greg Wallace and Kyle Sheridan broke a 28-all tie and lifted host Tinley Park to a thrilling 42-28 win over Oak Forest on Friday night in a South Suburban Blue battle.
Not since a 21-14 victory back in 1994 had the Titans (6-1, 3-1) upended the Bengals (5-2, 3-2). Making the accomplishment even sweeter was the fact Tinley Park honored its Class 4A state championship team at halftime.
“It’s awesome,” Tinley Park coach Nick Johnston said. “We knew we could do it. We just had to go out and do it. And it’s much sweeter to do it front of the ’86 team.”
The Titans couldn’t have asked for a better start. On their first possession, Sheridan hit Tracey Brandy on a 63-yard touchdown strike for a 7-0 lead after the first of Trevor Rolette’s six point-after kicks just 13 seconds into the game.
It was 14-0 after Frank Redding took a Bengals punt 51 yards to paydirt with 7:38 remaining in the first quarter.
“We wanted to come out strong, and we did,” Johnston said. “That definitely gave us confidence.”
However, by the time the first half ended, the Bengals had rallied to tie the game 28-28.
Matt Barry (26 carries, 157 yards) got the Bengals on the board with a 6-yard TD run. Tevin Coleman (16 carries, 123 yards) then took over, scoring on a 72-yard kick-off return, a 16-yard run and 6-yard pass from Tom Zale (7-of-20, 51 yards).
Not to be outdone, Tinley Park’s Preston Thompson scored on runs of 67 and 76 yards during a wild opening 24 minutes. Preston finished with 151 yards on six carries, while Wallace added 87 yards on 13 totes for the Titans.
For Sheridan (8-of-18, 156 yards), an Oak Forest resident, the victory was especially sweet.
“Oh, my God, this is the best feeling in the world,” he said. “Nothing could bring me down.”
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